We join our voices to his, arguing that more humane and effective methods of defending society exist and should be used. Called Beyond Vengeance to Forgiveness To be candid, much of the support for the death penalty stems from a desire for revenge or to balance somehow the terrible damage that has been done. Such feelings may be expected in the face of brutal and senseless violence, especially when it has been inflicted upon innocent people. People legitimately desire justice. However, justice cannot be achieved through vengeance.
Vengeance is never a worthy human motive.
Our Scriptures direct us to a different ethic. Fighting violence with violence does not achieve a useful purpose in our society. Nor does it allow us to foster an ethic of respect of life that moves beyond vengeance in order to deal with violence in a more effective way. Conclusion To take a human life, even that of someone who is not innocent, is awesome and tragic. It seems to us and others that, in our culture today, there are not sufficient reasons to justify the state's continuing to exercise its right in this matter.