Alonzo Lunsford was shot seven times during the 2009 Fort Hood massacre. Nearly seventeen years later, he wants to look the man who shot him in the eyes one last time.
"I'm going to be there," the former Army sergeant told the BBC, describing his plans to attend the execution of Nidal Hasan, the former military psychiatrist who murdered 13 people and wounded 32 others at the Texas military base.
Lunsford wants Hasan to know that he survived. "Dude, you failed, I'm still here," he intends to tell him.
But Lunsford has mixed feelings about the government's announcement that the execution will be broadcast live to the public. Watching a man die, he argues, is "not something you should view for entertainment purposes."
He's not alone in feeling that way.
The Return of the Public Execution
On October 8, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made the shocking announcement that Hasan's execution, scheduled for December 3 at Fort Hood, would be broadcast live for the public to view.
The method? A firing squad of American soldiers.
"He's gonna get a firing squad of soldiers, as it should be," Hegseth declared during an interview with conservative commentator Jack Posobiec.
"We'll make sure that people are able to watch it, that it's public, because people need to understand that there's serious consequences for these types of things."
If carried out as planned, it would be the first U.S. military execution since 1961 and the first American execution livestreamed to the general public ever.
The announcement immediately drew fierce criticism, including from one of the nation's most prominent religious leaders. Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, called the plan "a barbaric promotion of a culture of death."
"Our God is the God of life," Coakley declared in a statement released Friday. "The public execution even of one who has done grave harm will only further undermine the moral fabric of our nation and be a blight on the conscience of its people."
Coakley cited Romans 12:17, which instructs Christians not to repay evil with evil.
After all, a public execution is the event that sits at the center of Christianity itself.
Jesus Christ and the Roman Spectacle
When Jesus of Nazareth was sentenced to death nearly 2,000 years ago, the Roman authorities weren't particularly interested in discretion.
Crucifixion was designed to be visible. Victims were displayed along roads, outside city walls, and in other prominent locations where passersby could witness their suffering. The Romans used crucifixion to punish enslaved people, rebels, and other perceived threats to imperial authority. Its brutality sent a message to anyone considering defying the empire.
The Gospels make clear that Jesus' execution attracted an audience. Luke 23:35 describes the scene in strikingly simple language:
"And the people stood beholding."
As Jesus hung on the cross, religious authorities mocked him, soldiers taunted him, and spectators watched. The public humiliation was an intended part of his punishment.
For Christians, of course, the crucifixion eventually became the central symbol of their faith. The Roman instrument of torture was transformed into a symbol of salvation, sacrifice, and divine love. Millions of them wear a depiction of that public execution around their necks every day.
When Christians Gathered to Watch People Die
For much of early American history, public executions doubled as religious gatherings. Ministers preached at the gallows, congregations sang hymns, and condemned prisoners were urged to confess their crimes and seek salvation. Crowds sometimes numbered in the thousands, with parents bringing their children to witness what they understood as an important moral lesson.
But religious beliefs could also help determine who was condemned to die in the first place.
Between the fifteenth and eighteenth centuries, tens of thousands of people, predominantly women, were executed as suspected witches across Europe. Many were burned at the stake, sometimes after being strangled or otherwise put to death. Catholic and Protestant authorities alike participated in witch hunts, fueled by fears that accused witches had made pacts with the Devil.
The Bible itself supplied justification. Exodus 22:18 commands, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live."
The infamous Salem witch trials of 1692 were part of this broader history. Nineteen accused witches were publicly hanged in Massachusetts, while another man was pressed to death with heavy stones. Contrary to popular belief, none were burned.
The influential Puritan minister Cotton Mather himself defended the Salem prosecutions and attended the hanging of former minister and accused witch George Burroughs. When Burroughs flawlessly recited the Lord's Prayer from the gallows (words many believed that witches were incapable of saying), spectators began to question his guilt, Mather himself reportedly intervened to ensure the execution proceeded.
Indeed, there was an explicitly spiritual component to these early American spectacles. Clergy saw an opportunity to save condemned souls before death, while the surrounding community received a warning about the wages of sin. The gallows effectively became an outdoor pulpit.
Why Did Public Executions Disappear?
Eventually, however, public executions became notorious for attracting unruly crowds and carnival-like atmospheres. Spectators arrived seeking excitement more than they did moral instruction. Religious reformers began to question whether these spectacles encouraged virtue at all, while government officials worried about drunken crowds, violence, and botched executions ultimately undermining respect for the law.
Beginning in the 1830s, states gradually moved their executions behind prison walls, where officials could exercise greater control over the proceedings. The last widely recognized public execution in American history occurred in Owensboro, Kentucky, in August 1936, when an estimated 20,000 people gathered to watch the hanging of Rainey Bethea.
Bethea, a young Black man, had confessed to raping and murdering a 70-year-old white woman. Yet prosecutors charged him only with rape, exploiting a peculiar Kentucky law under which murderers were electrocuted privately, while convicted rapists could still be hanged in public.
The execution became a national spectacle, drawing widespread condemnation and embarrassing state authorities. Kentucky abolished hanging in 1938, finally bringing the era of public executions to a close. Until now.
Ninety years later, Americans may soon be able to experience the same event from the comfort of their living rooms.
When Executions Go Wrong
Just days before Hegseth's announcement, a very different execution made national headlines.
On September 30, Tennessee officials attempted to execute 50-year-old Christa Pike, convicted of the brutal 1995 murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer. Pike was administered two doses of the lethal injection drug pentobarbital. Yet she continued breathing, and after a prolonged and unsuccessful attempt to put her to death, she was rushed to a hospital.
She survived, suffering severe medical complications. As of October 9, Pike has reportedly regained consciousness and begun speaking, although she continues to experience serious medical complications. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee suspended further executions for the remainder of 2026 and ordered an independent investigation.
Slemmer's mother, May Martinez, had traveled from Florida and spent hours waiting to witness the execution of her daughter's killer. She described the state's handling of the ordeal as "a mess."
What happens when an execution goes horribly wrong in front of millions of viewers?
Does God Demand the Death Penalty?
The Old Testament prescribes the death penalty for numerous offenses, including murder, adultery, and certain religious transgressions. Genesis 9:6 provides one of the most frequently cited biblical defenses of capital punishment:
"Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man."
For some Christians, the verse establishes a divine mandate for executing murderers. Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, made precisely that argument in 2025 while discussing the federal government's decision to seek the death penalty against Luigi Mangione.
The justification for capital punishment, Mohler insisted, "comes directly from the Word of God."
Other evangelical leaders, including prominent Texas pastor Robert Jeffress, have actually argued that capital punishment affirms rather than contradicts the sanctity of human life.
Supporters also point to Romans 13:4, in which the Apostle Paul describes government authorities as servants of God who do not bear the sword in vain.
But Paul's letter to the Romans contains another passage worth considering... Just a few verses earlier, in Romans 12:19, Paul instructs believers not to seek personal vengeance, declaring that vengeance belongs to God.
Those two passages, appearing in consecutive chapters of the same biblical letter, have helped fuel centuries of disagreement about the distinction between divine justice, government punishment, and personal revenge.
Perhaps most notably, the Catholic Church itself has moved firmly against capital punishment.
In 2018, Pope Francis revised the Church's official Catechism to declare the death penalty "inadmissible," describing it as an attack on human dignity. Other Christian denominations, including the United Methodist Church, also oppose executions.
What Do Other Religions Teach?
Christians are hardly alone in wrestling with the morality of executions.
Nearly two millennia ago, Jewish rabbis were debating the morality of capital punishment. The Mishnah, a foundational collection of Jewish religious law, records their disagreement.
One rabbi considered a court that executed someone once every seven years excessively violent. Another extended that period to seventy years. Rabbis Tarfon and Akiva went further, declaring that if they served on such a court, nobody would ever be executed.
But Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel had a sharp response: eliminating executions would encourage murderers.
Islamic jurisprudence traditionally recognizes capital punishment for certain serious offenses, including murder, through the principle of qisas, or proportionate retribution. Yet Quran 2:178 also provides for forgiveness, allowing a victim's family to pardon the offender and accept financial compensation.
Buddhism approaches the issue through its First Precept, which calls on followers to refrain from taking life. Many Buddhist thinkers have interpreted that teaching as incompatible with capital punishment, although executions have historically occurred in Buddhist-majority societies.
Will You Be Tuning In?
Capital punishment is carried out by the government in the name of its citizens. Why should the public be shielded from seeing precisely what that entails? Keeping executions behind closed doors, some argue, allows supporters to advocate the death penalty without confronting its physical reality.
Some critics of capital punishment have themselves actually argued for greater transparency, believing that public exposure to executions might change people's minds about the practice.
But Hegseth's proposal introduces something new: a livestream that millions could watch on their phones, with footage potentially circulating long, long after the execution ends. Even some death penalty supporters find that prospect disturbing.
Lunsford plans to witness Hasan's execution in person, but he doesn't want strangers treating that death as entertainment.
If the government broadcasts an execution for everyone to see, do we have a moral responsibility to watch what is being done in our name, or a moral responsibility to look away?
137 comments
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Dr Dennis Chevalier PhD, DDvin
Attention all Christians on this blog look at the topics that we have and how fast responses have added up from the top of Pagan rituals evil remnants and deviant actions. It shows all the Pagan and deviant believers on this blog site. This should alarm you and scare the hell out of you as well as invoke pity for they are and when they die hell is the only destination left. This is why we have such a problem here on this site with all of the naysayers, the deviants and the delusional fake bishops and fake pastors who claim to have flocks and have never preached a day in their life nor had they given their life to the LORD the Creator of everything. They have never given from their very life to those who have less. I say stand up now Reply below reply to my message and see what happens. They will go ape sh$* over this. Get over what is risked here and those who reply who don’t claim the one true God is everything. Take a stand for if you don’t stand for something you’ll fall for anything.
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Dr Dennis Chevalier PhD, DDvin
To everyone here who have made disparaging remarks about the Lord Jesus Christ and the Bible and whether the death penalty is acceptable or not Here is the proof from the Bible itself that proclaims the death penalty is acceptable in certain conditions Stop Quib Stop your attitude stop your adjustment of the word and alteration of the word and read what is below and may God have mercy on your soul.
The clearest passages supporting the death penalty 1. Genesis 9:6 Key passage “Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind.” — NIV Why it matters: This is one of the clearest biblical passages cited in support of capital punishment for murder. It connects the taking of human life with accountability before human authorities.
Read Genesis 9:6 in context 2. Exodus 21:12 “Anyone who strikes a person with a fatal blow is to be put to death.” — NIV Why it matters: This is an explicit provision in the Mosaic Law prescribing death for a fatal assault. The surrounding laws distinguish different circumstances involving injury and responsibility. Read Exodus 21:12–14 in context
- Numbers 35:30–31 This passage requires the death penalty for a murderer and specifies that a conviction cannot rest on the testimony of just one witness. Why it matters: It addresses both punishment and the need for evidentiary safeguards in a capital case. Read Numbers 35:30–34 in context
- Romans 13:1–4 The Apostle Paul teaches that civil authorities have a God-permitted role in maintaining order and punishing wrongdoing. Verse 4 says the authority “does not bear the sword for no reason.” — NIV
Why it matters: This is particularly significant because it is in the New Testament, not just the Old Testament. Many Christian interpreters understand the reference to the sword as including the authority to impose capital punishment. Other interpreters dispute whether this passage specifically endorses execution.
Read Romans 13:1–4 in context 5. Acts 25:11 Paul says that if he has committed an offense deserving death, he does not refuse to die. Why it matters: Paul acknowledges that a crime punishable by death could exist under Roman law. However, he is speaking conditionally about his own case, rather than Directly commanding that the death penalty be imposed.
Read Acts 25:10–12 in context 2. But what about God's command that vengeance belongs to Him? You previously mentioned these two passages, and they are important to consider alongside the verses above. - Romans 12:19: “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath...” — NIV. - Hebrews 10:30: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and “The Lord will judge his people.” — NIV. Read them here: Romans 12:17–21 and Hebrews 10:26–31.
The key distinction is that personal vengeance and punishment imposed by legitimate public authority are not necessarily the same thing. Romans 12 warns individuals against taking revenge; Romans 13 immediately discusses civil authority and punishment. Christians disagree about how those passages should be applied to modern executions.
- One important Catholic distinction******************* Since I am approaching this as a Catholic, I want to be precise.************************
The existence of biblical passages permitting or prescribing capital punishment does not, by itself, settle what Catholics should support today. The Church's current teaching, expressed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 2267, states that the death penalty is inadmissible because it attacks the inviolability and dignity of the person, and the Church works for its abolition.
That means there are two distinct questions: 1. Does the Bible contain passages that permit or prescribe the death penalty? Yes. 2. Does that automatically mean a Catholic should endorse a particular execution today? No. That requires a separate moral and theological consideration.
Please forgive my delay in getting this to you as I am still recovering from my stroke but here it is everything laid out everything provable that is directly from the Bible. This theologian has given this to you This was hard work especially since I have a stroke researching all of this to lay it out to make it easy for you to read it please take I beg you your soul is in question and in need of answers.
May God be with you all
D. D
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Daniel Todd Kamm
Done
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Daniel Todd Kamm
I have no doubt that anyone living under Roman rule would have had no choice but to experience public executions, either directly, or via the unfortunate dead left hanging, or heads on pikes, or whatever talismans left as warnings. In the case of Jesus, the experience of his or her own public execution. Which, if I understand well enough, is the entire point of ... ?
That was over 2000 years ago by the current count.
And still the message doesn't get through ... and for some people it never will get through.
Reb tk
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Eric Albert Watson
It seems that WE THE PEOPLE especially the religious ones....seem to enjoy the deaths of who did what. Then sit in front of the big God box and worship the movies of fake killings for who did what and end of that. Then when one dies in our families we hold a big party costing someone thousands...then thousands to burry the person and we go home and have to rest from all the drinking and partying. Then when your kid or family member or close friend gets shot by some nut case or some sex offense is brought up....that person who did it is the most wrongful person ever.
Here is a fact. My wife saw a brown car drive up. WE are on a busy Highway. She thought that the person must be lost. It was a plane clothed detective Bensen and his partner. They asked if I was home and she said no. Officer Bensen stated she must stand for search because he felt she might be armed. Then he groped her and she came to the back yard crying. I asked what happened and she told me...he dug into her crotch then grabbed her boobs rather hard as if to hurt them and he did. Then walked away. WE called 911 to report it. No one called or came. She took a written statement in and the same cop tossed it at her and said if she tried to lie she would be arrested so she walked away and we mailed it in and we got a letter from the Capitan....saying...as long as your with him you will be treated the same. THis is not the end. My mother was murdered by a judge and my adopted sister. Their names are Lisa and David Kurtz. David Used to be a Judge out of Snohomish County Superior. Then he went out of his way and harassed me in San Diego Port and after my mothers murder....he has two names...you can check....Washington State Bar...volunteered to resign....there are two ....David Spencer Kurtz and David A Kurtz...who practices law in Clark County Washington without a license. SO if you get all upset about a person killing someone...maybe you should focus on our dirty governments people who have laws that protect THEM from YOU prosecuting them. Judge Quinlan out of Pierce County Superior lies and brags....says...you cant file a complaint against a judge....we have laws that protect us.
So maybe you should think of focusing on making laws to remove their protections. This is not derogatory. It is fact.
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Mother Elizabeth
First, I would like to say that I appreciate the comments that were made. While it is true that I didn’t read all the comments that were made, I did read a great many of them, and I noticed that although there were some differences in opinions, there weren’t any personal attacks. Good job.
I am about to write something that many people who know me would be surprised about. I do believe in capital punishment (although, of course, there must be no doubt of guilt). The reason is because, even for rapists, there is no known way to stop them from repeating the act. Although I believe only God should judge people, I realize that in order for society to work, there must be some criminal judgments made. I believe strongly in an after life. The “criminal’s” life is for the most part over. It would actually be better for them to be sent on to a place where true redemption, if possible, took place. People fear death more than they should. (Suicide is not an option as there are better options out there).
As far as public execution goes, I can think of few things that are more horrifying. There is no need for that. Children would also be able to watch it. A person should never watch another person’s agony. The fewer people involved, the better. It would only lead to more aggression and lack of empathy.
It is now that WE MUST turn to Jesus’ s ways (or whoever you believe in). If we do not, I firmly believe that the human society, if not all of the world, will be destroyed in the very near future. Please don’t believe that you will be saved because someone will come down and save everyone. God/dess/es gave you the power to help save the world. Use it. For if you do not, the Higher Power will simply say “but you did nothing to stop it”
It is terrifying that this is what the President of the United States would want. I, too, wrote attacking messages about Trump. Yes, I do believe that he is the Antichrist. However, now I believe that he has serious mental health problems and that no one is doing anything to help him for his own good. I think people have a hard time believing in that a President could have mental health problems.
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Chrystal Lacroix
If God is as powerful as we claim, why does God need us puny humans to do his dirty work and rid the planet of evil for them? On the other hand, if God cared that much about what we do, God could easily stop it as well before it happens. Either way, it’s not for us to judge or play God and think it’s our job to condemn anyone-no matter their crimes. God knows what’s in each of our hearts so it doesn’t matter what we think someone does as wrong. Only God does.
That’s not to say we should allow harmful people who are hurting to spread their hate, but if we join in and call it “justice” we couldn’t be more off course ourselves. Keep them away from society if that means they can’t do anymore harm, of course because in that is also a loving answer, but we don’t have the right to harm them thinking it will even out the playing field, because it won’t. Nothing will except bestowing much needed love in the world to everyone. Those who do harm are those who need it most because they’re the Ones lacking it most and cannot see their worth in the world under all their hurt and trauma they have endured.
Think about it, lack of love is what caused things like this in the first place. Only love can fix it. Not more fear or harm. An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. This is not to say that we shouldn’t also care about their victims and the harm they caused, but to say that harming someone else who harmed doesn’t fix things. No amount or war has ever brought about true peace and love in the world. We may think it works but it doesn’t. Only love does. Had these people had more love in their lives initially, they wouldn’t have lashed out looking for it in all the wrong places causing harm along the way.
God is only of love. Not fear. Not hate. Only love. And it’s when we draw close to that love and turn away from hate that we can have peace in this world. No amount of fear or hatred or seeking revenge, can ever do that for you.
We may try to justify the God in the Bible and the word in them as the words of God, but it should be more stated that those words are INSPIRED by God as our interpretation of our own understanding as to what we think God is and progressed to be over the years, all listed in one place, and is not necessarily the actual words of God. We know this because we cannot say things like God is love and then think things like human and animal sacrifices are ok. It may be God and God can do as they please, but saying God is love far beyond human comprehension, wouldn’t allow such a thing to be done by their willingness to do so. What we do here especially wrong doing is not of God. It just can’t be. It’s us pushing our false limited beliefs as to what we think God is, on the world and believing that we could ever truly be separated from that. There is only ever harm in the world because we think we could ever be separated from our source, not because it has ever actually ceased to exist.
If we are to wish to maintain that connection with God or remember that we have one always, we cannot and should not engage in things like this. Idc what reasoning that you have to try to justify otherwise. Only the love of God and seeking that out should be front and center in your lives.
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Brien
Yes, why not? Didn't the christian god commit genocide against the entire planet? What's a single life compared to that?
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Rev. BH
Trump just cancelled Hegseth's perverse fantasy.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
Their ‘higher power’ is a power higher than yourself. If I had any higher power it was the group, if only because they were outside myself. Maybe the chance to listen what others went through and the realization that some people had been far worse off than myself…and quit.
But the religious nature of the organization required me to associate with people flaunting their religious delusions. There’s a line in a document they read before each meeting and one line states: Remember that we deal with alcohol…cunning, baffling, powerful! Without help it is too much for us. But there is One who has all power — that One is God. May you find Him now!
It’s a religious organization. They’ll claim it’s not but the 12 Steps, the basis of the program, shows otherwise. The first step ‘We admitted we were powerless over alcohol — that our lives had become unmanageable.‘ That’s non-religious and I could deal with that. But religion enters with the 2nd step with ‘Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.’ Capitalized ‘power’ so brace yourself. Then with the 3rd step they drop all pretense with ‘Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.’ They’ll say they’re not affiliated with any particular religion but the use of the CAPITALIZED first person masculine pronoun sure smacks of Judeo-Christianity.
Thing is only three steps I used. In my mind, I view it as admitting that I have a problem with my car. I’ve seen that check engine light come on and then it goes off and it comes back on, but I just told myself that there was no problem. But it’s become apparent that there’s a problem.
So in second step, haven’t admitted that there’s a problem on my car. I try to fix it. I try all kinds of things to solve that problem myself. But finally, I have to admit I can’t fix it.
So the third step is to take it to a mechanic take it to somebody specializes in working on cars. With cars that often starts with finding it necessary to contact AAA. (With drinking just drop one A.)
And that third step, for me, that I had to follow the advice of the mechanic. Without going into details I came to my own conclusions. For me, it’s not a matter of quitting drinking. Anybody that has a problem with drinking quit drinking all the time. Very often they stop drink because they lose a physical coordination required to continue drinking. Or they pass out. Or they run out of money. Or they run out of alcohol but it’s past 2 o’clock in the morning. Or 1 o’clock in the morning, depending on the time of year. At the point is people quit all the time. You the secret isn’t learning how to quit drinking. The secret is not starting.
To be continued…
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Lisa Rae Zelonka
While I understand that so many families have suffered from this it seems to me that as a society, the rules can change very quickly. When history shows society has embraced public executions, many innocent died. I am one that believes the Bible was written mostly by man to interpret their beliefs as to the times they were writing the new interpretations. Where does this stop? Supposedly the Bible says to kill all witches, to kill those whom are not worshiping as another does? Who decides? Will we go back into hiding? History also show how many ways man can use different tools including death to put people in their place just for control. I find it an abomination that this will be publicly side show where the twisted and or curious mind will tune in. The God and Goddess and the Jesus that I believe in doesn’t follow these religious wacko teachings.
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Rev. Kev
I posted this as a reply to a comment, above, but also want to post it as a response to many of the bloodthirsty comments I am seeing in the comments section as a whole.
"It seems almost definite that deterrence through fear of capital punishment is a myth."
https://wupr.org/does-the-death-penalty-really-deter-crime/
From a country familiar with public executions -- "...not only carrying out such punishments in front of regular people and children does not have the value of teaching a lesson [and acting as a deterrent], it also encourages violent behavior, and reduces a person’s capacity for compassion for another and being protective of a fellow human being."
https://www.iranrights.org/library/document/3283
Anyone in favor of livestreaming executions for all to see is calling evil good. Research indicates the best deterrent against crime is a good education for all and effective policing so that any offender knows they will be caught. Building a compassionate society that reduces things like stress and makes mental health counseling free and easily available (as well as not something to see as shameful) can lower rates of crimes of passion, as well.
Going backward to less enlightened times is not the answer.
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Patricia Ann Gross
After reading all of this, and having become sick over the discourse around both Captial Punishment and it being provided as "entertainment," I have come to the belief that a the death penalty should be reserved for only:
The one who confesses the crime but is totally unrepentant, -or-
The one who confesses the crime but believe it was done for a greater good.
And, ONLY the witnesses and family of the victims should be allowed to "watch."
Matthew Shepherd's mother asked the judge to not execute the two men who beat her son and hung him on a barbed wire fense to die as her "victim's voice" when asked what she wanted. Her reasoning: She wanted them to spend every day for the rest of their life waking up and remembering why they were in a God-forsaken place. They were both in their late twenties, and are still rotting in jail. That is a punishment some would say is worse than death. Life without a possibility of parole works just as well as execution when talking about deterrence.
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Ari Joseph Bertine
I think those are reasonable criteria. I hadn't known that about Matthew Shepherd's mom. I'm glad they gave her the opportunity to express that for consideration.
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Patricia Ann Gross
Ari,
Where I saw her speach was on the documentary about Matthew's death and the trial of his killers. It's called "The Laramie Project," and is probably available on some streaming services if you're interested.
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Donald G Magel
Trump's is providing this "entertainment" for his christian right. WWJD?
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Ari Joseph Bertine
Would Jesus watch an execution? I can't imagine he'd find that very palatable, considering he had to watch a few himself whilst being executed himself. What a tasteless thought. And the thought of people who profess to love Jesus watching someone die with satisfaction or vengeance or even glee in their hearts at his death, or being invested in the ratings of this display...well. I can't imagine Jesus would be very proud of his followers if they did that.
This isn't ancient Rome, but some people seem to be trying awfully hard to make it more like ancient Rome. "Late republic period" et al. Bread and circuses. Public entertainment involving loss of life. And they dared call other nations "barbaric."
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Henry Anderson
I for one, will not be watching. The thought makes me feel sick. I've been a practicing Buddhist for over 20 years. I would personally like to see the death penaly go away. It's strage to me that as a people we are asked not to commit murder yet our country routinely does just that with the death penalty and war. Locking people away for the safety of society makes sense, but commiting the same act out of vengeance, or out a sense that it's just, does not. As far as justice goes, If murder is wrong, then it's wrong for everyone. How do we want to be as a people? This is my personal oppinion and I realize most dissagree. As a spiritual seeker who began a spritual path when I was a child over 60 years ago, it's what I've come to believe now.
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Tami Tabone
Replying ro Henry:
I feel same. I am also 60.
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Patricia Mitchell
As ministers, we are often asked to hold tension between justice, compassion, and the sanctity of human life. If the government chooses to broadcast an execution, I do not believe we are morally obligated to watch what is being done in our name. Bearing witness can be a sacred act, but so can choosing to protect our spirit from harm.
The tragedy at Fort Hood was already a wound for families, survivors, and the nation. Justice may require accountability, but it does not require spectators. Watching a death — even the death of someone who caused immense suffering — does not heal the wound left behind, nor does it honor the lives that were lost.
For many of us, the moral responsibility is not to watch, but to respectfully look away. Not out of denial, but out of reverence. Out of a commitment to dignity over spectacle, compassion over curiosity, and spiritual grounding over emotional shock.
Justice can be carried out without requiring the public to witness violence. Each minister must follow their conscience, but for me, the ethical path is to decline and instead hold space for peace, prayer, and healing.
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Patricia Ann Gross
Well said, Patricia,
I agree with it all, but remain opposed to a public spectacle for the simple reason that it blurs the line between what is "real" and what is fantacy when watching something on TV. Even when a broadcaster provides a "difficult to watch" disclaimer before airing a clip about some real victim being [fatally] hurt can cause some to take it as inspiration as much as a well acted scene in a fictional crime series. The fact that this is actually being glorified as "justice being done," which, perhaps it is, even though the families don't get their loved ones back, it could lead to others being deluded enough to try their own version of vigilante justice by trying to reenact the "firing squad" scene on someone they feel has "wronged" them.
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Patricia Ann Gross
Well said, Patricia,
I agree with it all, but remain opposed to a public spectacle for the simple reason that it blurs the line between what is "real" and what is fantacy when watching something on TV. Even when a broadcaster provides a "difficult to watch" disclaimer before airing a clip about some real victim being [fatally] hurt can cause some to take it as inspiration as much as a well acted scene in a fictional crime series. The fact that this is actually being glorified as "justice being done," which, perhaps it is, even though the families don't get their loved ones back, it could lead to others being deluded enough to try their own version of vigilante justice by trying to reenact the "firing squad" scene on someone they feel has "wronged" them.
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Patricia Ann Gross
Well said, Patricia,
I agree with it all, but remain opposed to a public spectacle for the simple reason that it blurs the line between what is "real" and what is fantacy when watching something on TV. Even when a broadcaster provides a "difficult to watch" disclaimer before airing a clip about some real victim being [fatally] hurt can cause some to take it as inspiration as much as a well acted scene in a fictional crime series. The fact that this is actually being glorified as "justice being done," which, perhaps it is, even though the families don't get their loved ones back, it could lead to others being deluded enough to try their own version of vigilante justice by trying to reenact the "firing squad" scene on someone they feel has "wronged" them.
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Larry Eugene Richert
When I was young, maybe I would've watched that, but now that i'm older, no I see no reason to watch somebody die.
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Tami Tabone
I am shocked this is even a thing. No I dont believe that Jesus or anyone truly on a divine oath would want to see anyone executed. And as for people who lost lived ones, it wont bring their lived one back. All it does is bring us doen to the level of criminals. We may have done it historically, but we supposedly evolve to be better. To me it is like Americs is regressing. There are too many people eith Neanderthal in their DNA. people just looking to justify bloodshed. I want no part in it.
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Theresa M Gilroy Nielsen
I believe Violence ultimately only begets more violence. But what can you expect from a world still using deadly weapons on others? I honestly believe all Military should be abolished, too! But now they are creating a new reality TV show where you can watch REAL people die in violent ways! My God!
When Jesus returns i think he will return in judgement, and will render judgement. Not because he wants to, Jesus was very sweet-natured although he could get angry. But because he will need to cut out the diseased.
The Hindi’s believe their God Vishnu will send his Avatar Kalki to destroy the dark factions creating all the destructive evil in the world. i was blown away when i first started seeing this picture, its not a usual image as the Hindi Pantheon is usually tolerant. But they do seem to recognize evil and take on demons. What got my attention was the association of Kalki riding a white horse carrying a sword, with Christ. In Christian imagery we also have all seen images of Christ’s return, riding a white horse, carrying a sword, and leading an army of Angels. It is said that Kalki will be Vishnu’s 10th Avatar. It’s also said Kalki will destroy all the evil doers in order to return the earth to a peaceful place. All of Vishnu’s previous Avatars have been peaceful, teachers. Its interesting that both Christ & the Kalki Avatar are coming soon., I sometimes wonder if Christ wasn’t also Vishnu’s Avatar!
In my mind ANY exposition that creates a sick feeling in anyone should not be allowed to happen, and certainly not in a public way. That’s just feeding the disease.
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Kenton Sherman McManigal
I oppose human sacrifice.
https://kentmcmanigal.blogspot.com/2026/10/i-oppose-human-sacrifice.html
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Melanie Lee Guppy
The idea of watching a public execution is disturbing on so many levels. This does not show justice. This does not prove guilt, nor does it restore the lives of those ho were lost. It simply shows the de-evolution we are in the midst of. We have gone backward to the time of the gladiator and public spectacle - UFC on the Whitehouse lawn anyone?
If the law says that capital punishment is the punishment for the crime - fine. Watching someone die on camera for the world to see? That's just barbaric. It doesn't make the punishment any more harsh, it just shows that we have become a frightening mix of apathy and bloodlust. If people directly involved/affected by the original crime feel the need to be present that's entirely different. The general public, however, should not be viewing at all.
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Charles Fredrick Leonard
I am opposed to the death penalty. However, I am sympathetic to anyone wrestling with the range of emotions caused by a loved one being brutally murdered and understand the very human desire for revenge. I think we miss an important consideration in this case by framing our discussion primarily in terms of religion or scripture. Given this current administration's full embrace of a white supremacist logic, I believe the proposed public viewing of the execution of Nidal Hasan is intended also to reassert white dominance in a nation that is largely conceived as white (and dubiously Christian) by this administration, in addition to meting out punishment for this heinous crime. I was surprised the article's historial review did not directly mention the practice of lynching in the US. Pete Hegseth's proposed spectacle makes more sense when viewed in the context of the state-sanctioned violence of lynchings. I would argue that Hassan's crime is being exploited to advance many of the same racial narratives of lynching and to further target maginalized group already viewed as threatening and non-citizens. It would be shameful for our nation to sully itself again in this way.
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Ari Joseph Bertine
I believe that this is also part of the agenda to desensitize Americans to brutality, in hopes that we will eventually ignore and even accept it as normal.
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Chrystal Lacroix
You can be empathetic towards the families involved and still be against the death penalty. It’s not either or here.
But there is no justification for judging others. We all have sinned and I don’t say that to build shame but to show that no one is perfect. There is no greater sin than the other. It’s all equal and it’s all in the belief that we could ever truly be separated from our creator which is the ultimate source of only love. Not fear or hate as those things are not of God. No amount of playing God will even the field and bring justice in the world. Only love can do that. We should pray for everyone, especially those who think they are lost because they need the most love in the world because they’re lacking it the most.
Love could have prevented their wrong decisions and doings.
Such a basic simple concept but one that is the ultimate solution to every single problem in the world we have here.
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Gina E. Caruso Pappanastos
Most of these comments are neither respectful or constructive. Kindness matters even if you don’t agree with others.
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Manasseh
Regardless of deterring future acts in similarity, it's biblically based and FATHER ordained. Technology is advanced where there can be more evident certainty, and publicly- this could be seen by anyone. It will scare and prevent, even if one person, it's one life saved, or two if preventing murder. I say it's a good thing. After that let's speed up the legal process to get it done quicker. If the legal process stood true and firm, not creating a long-term hotel for offenders, there would be no reason for public showings and people would fall in line -slowly or quickly, people would think more on their actions.
Isaiah 5:20 (LITV) Woe to those who say to evil, good; and to good, evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
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Rev. Kev
"It seems almost definite that deterrence through fear of capital punishment is a myth."
https://wupr.org/does-the-death-penalty-really-deter-crime/
From a country familiar with public executions -- "...not only carrying out such punishments in front of regular people and children does not have the value of teaching a lesson [and acting as a deterrent], it also encourages violent behavior, and reduces a person’s capacity for compassion for another and being protective of a fellow human being."
https://www.iranrights.org/library/document/3283
Anyone in favor of livestreaming executions for all to see is calling evil good. Research indicates the best deterrent against crime is a good education for all and effective policing so that any offender knows they will be caught. Building a compassionate society that reduces things like stress and makes mental health counseling free and easily available (as well as not something to see as shameful) can lower rates of crimes of passion, as well.
Going backward to less enlightened times is not the answer.
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Robin Ouellette
Thank you for this. Yours is a voice of reason and I wish I was seeing/hearing more of this from people.
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Rev. Kev
I appreciate that. I also agree with your comments here.
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Amy Varela
As long as the executions for those who are traitors to the Constitution, have committed war crimes, murdered civilians - including children - by dropping bombs, and murdered people in the streets of America are also swift and public, why not? I won't be watching the guy from Fort Hood, but I'd certainly consider watching the current criminals in this administration and Congress twitch at the end of a rope for their complicity in treason. Better for them to spend the rest of their lives in a cold, damp prison cell, but the possibility for luxury in prison is enough to make the death penalty for them fine with me.
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Manasseh
I lost my whole comment- so here it is truncated:
All for it. FATHER ordained so it has to work. It's 2026 not 1939
If it saves one person (saves 2 inevitably) preventing a crime, it worked.
Isaiah 5:20 (LITV) Woe to those who say to evil, good; and to good, evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
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Robin Ouellette
I refuse to be complicit by willingly being an audience to this atrocity. It is indecent and barbaric. This is exactly the direction to move towards if we wish to move farther away from being a civilized society. I am disgusted and repulsed by the fact that this is even a consideration in this day and age and especially in the United States. I will gratefully retain a measure of decency by refusing to watch. We need to do better as humans.
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Manasseh
Regardless of deterring future acts in similarity, it's biblically based and FATHER ordained. Technology is advanced where there can be more evident certainty, and publicly- this could be seen by anyone. It will scare and prevent, even if one person, it's one life saved, or two if preventing murder. I say it's a good thing. After that let's speed up the legal process to get it done quicker. If the legal process stood true and firm, not creating a long-term hotel for offenders, there would be no reason for public showings and people would fall in line -slowly or quickly, people would think more on their actions.
Isaiah 5:20 (LITV) Woe to those who say to evil, good; and to good, evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
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Tami Tabone
I don't see where this has ever resolved crime. It is brutal and barbaric. Wanting to view it is nothing divine. Anyone who feels killing or harming another sentient being is not following a divine path. If you are protecting your self from immediate danger, that is one thing. But a public execution is an abomination of society and makes us no better than the criminal.
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Rev. Kev
Jesus watching this or not is irrelevant to me. In my mind, the question is: do people want to watch our country descend into barbarism? Do people think this country can claim any form of high ground or integrity while turning into the same sort of country Americans have criticized for their public executions? When we are no better than the people in countries like Iran or North Korea for public executions then we have to accept we are no longer a nation in which anyone can honestly have any pride.
We can put criminals in prison and also treat people in a way that doesn't drag us all down to the level of criminals at the same time.
We should be so much better than that.
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Robin Ouellette
Well said. I agree.
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ServantOfJudgement
Chopping up living baby humans that feel pain. We've passed the point of barbaric. We sell the body parts and toss the rest in the landfill.
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Rev. Kev
SOJ:
I can always count on you to post something untrue and designed to elicit a strong emotion to bypass the frontal lobe. Perfect example of a cultish, programmed response. It's also comparing Buicks to bananas.
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Rev. BH
Agreed, Kev. SoJ usually posts nothing but irrelevant, made-up rage baiting. We must ignore him.
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The Church For Life, Inc.
Historically, there were public executions in the United States, mostly hangings. There are families that need closure and Justice and there are people that would be horrified by it. One part of me says this would not be a positive thing for younger audiences that cannot understand the depth of an execution and they should not be able to see it. It will be the parent's responsibility to decide what is right for their child, not come back later and complain that it harmed or scared them. But once it is live streamed it will be recorded and everyone with internet access eventually will see it. When I was 11, I watched the television movie The Execution of Private Slovik which was the docudrama of the only Soldier executed by firing squad for desertion in WW II. It was a realistic movie and at 11 yoa, I understood most of it and what I didn't I discussed with my parents. While this is different because it is real, so I refer to Romans 13:1–4 and Genesis 9:5–6 both provide for capital punishment. Hasan used Islam as his justification, so if you live by the sword you die by the sword.
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Charles Stephen Russ
I agree with you 100%. No one is required to watch this when it happens or months or years later.
By now the public has witnessed unjust executions on TV or reenactments which are probably more brutal looking than anything that will happen during this execution
I don’t recall anywhere in the Bible, where it describes exactly how one must be executed
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Rev. Lindsay
I think public executions shouldn't be viewed. Viewing an execution for pleasure would definitely be sin in that circumstance. Why would you want this as a memory. This does have some value to deter criminals but if it's shown it should be while children are in school and shouldn't be taped and repeated and replayed endlessly online in my opinion.
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Steven Ferrell
I for one will watch it. In reading different things on various platforms, it appears that those against it never served.
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Rev. BH
How did you arrived at that "never served" belief? And why would serving make you more desirous to watch more slaughter?
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Patricia Ann Gross
Thank you Rev. BH,
My father was a WWII vet. He served in a cavalry unit in the South Pacific, and saw more than enough slaughter of human life there to last him a lifetime. As a compassionate human being, he would have approved of the sentence, but would not have participated (if asked) nor watched the execution. I find it distasteful that there are enough soldiers willing to put a bullet in this guy to make this "spectical" happen in the first place. My father walked a very fine line between protecting his own country/family and infringing on someone else's. As to the question at hand, a Bible verse comes to mind, "Jesus wept." (John 11:13, the shortest verse in The Bible.)
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Roy S. Thorpe
Execution is the easy way out from these killers! Maybe years of physical torture would dissuade more from killing! Maybe dragged through town by a team of horses would get more attention! Maybe watching someone fry in old sparky would work! A life in one of the prisons that really was like being in hell would work! But we are too soft hearted and surrounded by goody-two-shoes for that possibility! Any way in the final chapter knowing that God will deal with them is OK with me!
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ServantOfJudgement
I'd have him publicly shot and let the hogs and dogs fight for his corpse.
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Tami Tabone
That's disgusting. Im sorry . . But sounds like we are si king to the same level as the criminals. And that description sounds like you want to be justified witnessing carnage.
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Michael Hunt
That's a horribly cruel and unusual punishment for any crime, which is expressly outlawed by the eighth amendment of the US Constitution. Monstrous.
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RDS140
Adultery? Wouldn’t our own Secretary of Defense be on the hook for that one?
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Reverend R. James
This public execution is for the sole benefit of the Muslim community. It is a message being sent, that we as a Nation will not tolerate their hateful rhetoric toward the west.
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Steven Ferrell
Exactly
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P. Keith Benefiel
He will be confined to a wheelchair inside a cage surrounded by people who hate him for good reason for the rest of his life. And forgotten. He might be praying for a swift end and martyrdom/paradise. Don't give him the easy way out.
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Rev. Paul J Priolo
I have always been tight and bleed an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth that being said this gentleman killed seven people was murderer took seven lives. If this execution is televised or is live streamed die for one will watch I don’t advocate my views for everyone and I don’t impose my views on anyone. I respect the views of all here on this form and I would ask that my views be respected as well. . The only problem I have was is form of justice is that this man took seven lives and he can only be executed once.. I’m sure there will disagree with me and that’s OK. I respect them and they have the right to disagree. Like I said I’m not imposing my view, just stating it
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Reverend Paula Copp
Feels like we’re devolving back to the time of the gladiators. “Humanity” is falling into the abyss and most people are oblivious…
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ServantOfJudgement
The left rather enjoyed watching and distributing the execution of Charlie Kirk even though he was innocent. I think you're right though. The right wants to display murderers getting executed while the left wants to display the innocent getting executed.
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Michael Hunt
What?!? Who on the left enjoyed watching the assassination of Kirk? Don't get me wrong, I'm sure there are some terrible people on the left who did/do. You're naive to think that there weren't also people in the center, and even some on the right who viewed Kirk as too pro-Israel, who enjoy watching his death. I am not aware of any prominent member of "the left" who celebrated his assassination and I cannot think of a single person I personally know who expressed any joy in watching Kirk's murder. It's a horrific and terribly upsetting video that I wish I never saw and anyone who enjoys watching it is mentally ill and should seek therapy, in my opinion.
Accusing the left of wanting to display innocent people being executed is a horrible fantasy to believe in. It's a completely, ridiculously false accusation that you're using to justify your desire to watch a murderer be executed, or at least justify the public broadcasting of an execution by our government.
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Ari Joseph Bertine
I can't think that the comment you're responding to was anything but a successful attempt to provoke. That's so over the line that it had to be trolling. I suggest not feeding this one anymore. He's probably singlehandedly supporting the Kleenex industry off just this forum alone.
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Patricia Ann Gross
SOJ,
As one "on the left," I can tell you that I absolutely DID NOT enjoy seeing replays (not by choice, but chance because they hit my "feed") of Charlie Kirk's death, nor did I think getting taken out by a sniper was a just action. I did not like his message, but anyone (even someone whose politics was questionable) that did such a thing only serves to skew and reinforce his message. I would have rather seen him taken down by his thirst for power and hypocracy, like many of the Mega-Church preachers. I did, however, find it ironic that he preached pro-second amendment garbage and was taken out by a gun that wasn't even on the radar of those who authored the second amendment (single-shot muzzle loaded rifles with no scopes or high powered ammo was state-of-the-art at that time).
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Michael Mack
You nailed it.
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Robin Ouellette
Exactly.
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Rev. BH
Lion, I tend to see "closure" as a psychologists hopeful invention lacking in reality. What you're talking about above is a more basic tendency towards revenge. And I'm not sure that either brings peace.
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Rev Ned
MAGAts and Muslims will!
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Justin Adam Kalm
There’s an added complication here. For this administration, it doesn’t matter why people watch the execution, whether out of morbid curiosity, a desire to see vengeance exacted, a moral obligation to observe the evil that is carried out in our names, etc. All that matters is how many views they get, and how much they can use the controversy they generate to distract us from high fuel costs, skyrocketing health insurance costs, and inflation generally that is outstripping wage growth and hurting almost everyone except the ultra wealthy.
In addition, Hegseth and Trump are so bloodthirsty, they don’t care that they will be given Nidal Hasan exactly what he seeks, a very public martyr’s death. They are all part of the same brotherhood of people who celebrate the power to cause death, and who want a world that is unstable and unsafe, where people will seek the protection of strong men. A world where people care about each other and take care of each other is very scary for them.
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Richard Graziano
I truly believe that in this government's actions in this matter as well as other situation is not following any Word, nor any true morality.
The idea that We The People are having this done in our name, in the name of Christians, those of Jewish faith, those who are Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, agnostic, atheist or other faiths or the lack thereof truly is not a way to punish anyone, any offender in a way that leads to true justice. And those who are proponents of this as a method of deterrent, capital punishment has never stopped any person from taking the life of another living, breathing human being. If it were, we would have eliminated any intentional murders.
Sadly, I see this as an attempt to show a horrific form of governmental power, that this is being used to slack a bloodlust that has been planted and has been inflamed in the nation and in some parts of society. This is the wrong path for us to go down, and it's going to damage the nation and the world.
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Robin Ouellette
You have very concisely said everything that I feel about this. We have apparently lost all of our connection to decency. It is a tragic indicator of the direction that our society is moving in and it is terrifying and repugnant. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
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Robin Ouellette
You are so right. It is a perverse form of sadistic pageantry. If we can go this low, I have little faith in humanity left.
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Robin Ouellette
Precisely. I even wonder if they would find a way to monetarily profit from it by charging $$$ on a pay per view basis. I don’t think there is a low that they would not sink to.
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Douglas Robert Spindler
Jesus witnessed his own execution as did his father who allowed it to happen.
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Bishop William Dusenberry, DD
Without a public execution (by torture) of the Christian God’s one and only child, there would have ever been Christianity. Ergo; believing Christians must support the use of the death penalty— the very basis of their Christian faith requires it.
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Richard Graziano
The Word of Jesus very much seemed to point in a different direction. By his words, he allowed himself to be tortured and executed as the means and symbol for his death not to be condoned, nor being acceptable.
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Theresa M Gilroy Nielsen
Comment removed by user.
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Theresa M Gilroy Nielsen
Exactly, Richard. I think Jesus wasn't condoning it. He was hoping he wouldn't have to die, but knew it was a possibility. In Gethsemane he knew it was a probability. Because Humans are a fickle lot. Riding the donkey in on Sunday, he was their Hero. But being bribed by a few coins (I assume) they needed to eat. And the whole populace turned against him. Did anyone ever ask Grok 4 why the people turned on a dime like that? But would he watch it? I don't think he'd want to, but he would. And I think he'd take notes!
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Rev. BH
You're all in favor- I'm disgusted. Maybe you'd like a reality show of weekly executions of "the worst of the worst"
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Robin Ouellette
Agreed. I do not believe that a televised execution is in line with any gnostic teachings. There is nothing righteous about it. At its very essence, it would be akin to a government sanctioned snuff film which would be approved by an amoral, corrupt, and lawless government. Obscene and deplorable. Period.
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Colleen McAllister
I have changed my opinion on the subject many times since I was young. Finally today I think I finally have an answer I can live with. (No pun intended). The biggest reason for executing wrong doers is to deter anyone else from committing crimes. Well, after several thousand years of executing criminals there is no evidence that any crimes have been deterred.
And, no, I will not watch it should it be broadcast.
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Father Frederick
The pros and cons all have merit, but in the end, execution is a method of deterrent for people to see the consequences of crime. And of course the question comes up, what is cruel execution.
A big, (now elevated to name-calling and swearing), discussion on Facebook talked about how Christa Pike's execution was unreasonable on all levels. So what do you do when you have a murderer, child rapist, or someone guilty of mass maiming and death. According to the moral depravity of Facebook we give them comfort, and leave them in a cell for life.
The problem with humans is that we all face a different level of complicity in wanting a death sentence. Some would chose to forgive, and just live out their life behind bars. Others would like to be the person who pushes the button to kill the person. So who is right?
Not to detail the thread, but I find the State's thought that death by injection of lethal drugs is the least cruel. I'm sure some bureaucrat thinks it's like putting down a sick animal at the vets.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
But according to studies the death penalty doesn’t deter murder.
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ServantOfJudgement
Dead men can't murder.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
I didn’t say that I was always against it. I said that it doesn’t deter the crime. And I guess when Singapore starts instituting the death penalty for spitting on the sidewalk that, well, tourism will go down.
My problem with the death penalty is that innocent people end up losing their lives. guilty people have been put on death row, but also innocent people have been put on death row, and all of them say they didn’t do it. Put yourself. in the place of a person that has been falsely accused of murder, found guilty, sentenced to death, and now you’re walking toward the execution chamber.
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Michael Hunt
It's generally pretty difficult for people serving life sentences in high-security facilities to commit murder as well. Indefinite detention gives the murderer a chance to atone for their crime(s) and find ways to do good in the world while still being punished and prevented from committing more crimes.
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Lester
... You have heard nothing of the killings that happen in prison?
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Michael Hunt
I never said people aren't murdered in prisons. I said it is "generally pretty difficult" and, frankly, in a better run prison system we wouldn't see anyone murdered in prison.
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Donald G Magel
It only inflames the next dozen beliers!
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Dr Dennis Chevalier PhD, DDvin
interesting,
Dr. D
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Keoni Ronald May
Jesus was publicly tortured, on his way to being crucified, and publicly died very slowly on the cross.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
Ahh, but you didn’t answer the question!
Hey, why is the sky blue? I chose to paint my mailbox blue because it’s one of my alma mater’s colors.
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Robert James Ruhnke
If it were Pete Hegseth’s maybe through his fingers. Rotten jokes aside. I don’t think Jesus would condone the execution being televised. That’s just evil.
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Dr Dennis Chevalier PhD, DDvin
A Personal Reflection on Justice, Faith, and Forgiveness
Two of my friends were killed that day at Fort Hood.
I will be watching the televised execution of Nidal Hasan.
Call it what you will; at this stage of my life, I am not particularly concerned with the labels others may place on me. What matters to me is knowing that justice has been served for the murders of members of our U.S. Army family.
As a Catholic, I struggle with the death penalty. The Church teaches that capital punishment is inadmissible and works toward its abolition. Yet I find myself torn between man's law and God's law when confronting this particular case. I suspect this struggle will become a significant topic in the confessional in the coming months.
The toxic empathy demonstrated in some recent cases, including one involving a mother who murdered her children, and in other situations where people offer what they consider legitimate excuses for their actions to avoid responsibility, seems to be becoming increasingly commonplace. What surprises me is how readily such thinking is sometimes accepted as mainstream.
Scripture reminds us repeatedly that judgment and vengeance belong to God (Hebrews 10:30; Romans 12:19, among other passages). I have often used the expression that "God subcontracts." While it might sound humorous in certain circumstances, the sentiment behind it can be dangerous if taken too lightly, even when expressed as a joke.
But this is no joke.
I am human, and I am flawed. I need my Lord's forgiveness in this matter, yet I remain troubled by the conflict within me.
The article asks us to consider a question: Would Jesus attend an execution?
I find myself wondering whether Christ's judgment is ultimately a personal encounter between Him and the transgressor, rather than something for us to watch as spectators. It is a question I continue to wrestle with.
Man's law versus God's law.
No matter how strong our faith in our Creator may be, we are human beings who struggle with difficult questions. We will always need God's mercy, forgiveness, and grace.
I pray that the Lord will forgive me for the feelings I am struggling with in my heart. I seek justice, yet I cannot separate that desire from the grief I still carry. I miss my friends. I miss members of my Army family who should still be here.
Part of my reasoning is the hope that the consequences of such actions might deter future atrocities. Yet there is another troubling dimension to this case: the possibility that Hasan views death through the lens of his own religious beliefs as a reward rather than a punishment. That thought makes this situation even more difficult to reconcile.
I also hope that this tragedy will lead to a serious examination of policies and procedures for responding to such attacks as they unfold. In my view, there should be a renewed discussion about the use of deadly force to stop an active killer and prevent further loss of life, rather than a response focused on incapacitation when lives remain in immediate danger. We owe that discussion to those who died and to those who may face similar circumstances in the future.
The following words are directed to those here who believe in the Creator of the universe, whom we know as God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Please pray for me as I struggle with this matter. I do not claim to have all the answers. I am simply a man of faith trying to reconcile grief, justice, mercy, and forgiveness before my Lord.
Dr. D
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Robert S. April
You and me both!
April
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Barbara Harris
I understand your grief and anger. I am not a Christian, I am a Pagan. I too value life and do my best to not harm other living beings. I cannot accept executions but I can understand why it exists. I would be honored if you would allow me to sit with you in Spirit, and share your grief and honor those you have lost.
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Dr Dennis Chevalier PhD, DDvin
Yes ma'am.
Dr. D.
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Rev. BH
Barbara Harris, "I can understand why it exists" - why? Tell me. I don't recall the commandment Thou Shalt Not Kill or the Golden Rule coming with a list of exemptions.
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Clifford P. Davison
Sorry for your loss! We can pray for you too!
CP
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Dr Dennis Chevalier PhD, DDvin
Clifford, thank you.
Dr. D
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Ari Joseph Bertine
I am very sorry for your loss and pain, and I will pray for you. I have experienced that grief and rage and it eats at one's heart. If I may be so bold, I would like to suggest that you perhaps contact another minister or counselor that you can be with in person and perhaps visualize the scenario in your mind as to what you expect might happen and how you think you will feel as each step unfolds.
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Dr Dennis Chevalier PhD, DDvin
Thank you Ari I will consider it
Dr. D.
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Robert S. April
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Robert James Ruhnke
Barbarian.
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Thomas Denney
Your struggle is because you believe in death. You see the separation of spirit from the carcas as something final. Your friends are still very much alive, even moreso than here in the physical. Their transition was probably agreed to prior to birth as part of a life plan. I don't like this stuff any more than the next guy, and I plan to not reincarnate. Learning from the Gnostics.
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Dr Dennis Chevalier PhD, DDvin
Thomas thank you for your comment but you are wrong about how I view the separation of spirit from the carcass. Us Catholics look at going home with knowing full well the body is just temporary and we do not mourn the that body we have is shed.
My issue was over the deprivation of life here because that is a journey in exploration and learning in preparation or going home having a body doesn't matter in that regard.
Dr. D
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ServantOfJudgement
Jesus sees all executions, public and private. So far this century Jesus has watched well over 100k Christians get executed by Islam in Africa alone.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
Ahh, now we are mixing delusional thinking with one-sided facts. It’s a new mix. Slightly repulsive. But delusional people say the darndest things.
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Clifford P. Davison
Are you drunk?
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
Are you suffering from some compulsion to ask inane questions?
But, no, I’m not. AA says an alcoholic can’t stop without god. I proved them wrong.
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Patricia Ann Gross
Dr. Z.,
I believe the phrase that AA uses is "higher power" in order to stay out of the religion game, and rather than proving them wrong, you found a "higher power" in your own desire and gumption to quit drinking.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
Their ‘higher power’ is a power higher than yourself. If I had any higher power it was the group, if only because they were outside myself. Maybe the chance to listen what others went through and the realization that some people had been far worse off than myself…and quit.
But the religious nature of the organization required me to associate with people flaunting their religious delusions. There’s a line in a document they read before each meeting and one line states: Remember that we deal with alcohol…cunning, baffling, powerful! Without help it is too much for us. But there is One who has all power — that One is God. May you find Him now!
It’s a religious organization. They’ll claim it’s not but the 12 Steps, the basis of the program, shows otherwise. The first step ‘We admitted we were powerless over alcohol — that our lives had become unmanageable.‘ That’s non-religious and I could deal with that. But religion enters with the 2nd step with ‘Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.’ Capitalized ‘power’ so brace yourself. Then with the 3rd step they drop all pretense with ‘Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.’ They’ll say they’re not affiliated with any particular religion but the use of the CAPITALIZED first person masculine pronoun sure smacks of Judeo-Christianity.
Thing is only three steps I used. In my mind, I view it as admitting that I have a problem with my car. I’ve seen that check engine light come on and then it goes off and it comes back on, but I just told myself that there was no problem. But it’s become apparent that there’s a problem.
So in second step, haven’t admitted that there’s a problem on my car. I try to fix it. I try all kinds of things to solve that problem myself. But finally, I have to admit I can’t fix it.
So the third step is to take it to a mechanic take it to somebody specializes in working on cars. With cars that often starts with finding it necessary to contact AAA. (With drinking just drop one A.)
And that third step, for me, that I had to follow the advice of the mechanic. Without going into details I came to my own conclusions. For me, it’s not a matter of quitting drinking. Anybody that has a problem with drinking quit drinking all the time. Very often they stop drink because they lose a physical coordination required to continue drinking. Or they pass out. Or they run out of money. Or they run out of alcohol but it’s past 2 o’clock in the morning. Or 1 o’clock in the morning, depending on the time of year. At the point is people quit all the time. You the secret isn’t learning how to quit drinking. The secret is not starting.
To be continued…
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
Cont…
Some people just can’t stop. That’s the crutch of the problem. Sitting in those meetings I realized others had done are exactly as I had. They came up with all different kinds of ways to stop drinking. Which is to say generally moderating their drinking. My most common example is that you stop drinking for quite a while and you decided that ‘See, it can be done.’ and you decide to have one drink. And then you don’t drink for several days. And that proves that you can have one drink. So you have another one wait another several days. Discontinues to at some point after having the first drink, you decide I could have two just this once. And then you go back to having a long time and only one drink. And another long time and only having one drink. And then you have those two drinks again. And this long draw drawn out process goes from one to 2 to 3 and each person has some kind of level there when you get that number of drinks and you you say fuck it and then it’s all over. AA addresses that and I give them credit for it. There are no half measures. Do or do not, there is no try.
And that’s my story. I went to AA meetings for quite a while, but the religious nonsense just irritated the hell out of me. I went to AA that was kind of open to atheist diagnostics, which is a one agnostic two atheist, and one atheist kind of disappeared. Leaving only me. Which being alone didn’t bother me. Being around religious people bother me. Actually not being around people that are religious bothers me. Being around people that talk about their stupid delusions bothers me. And for me, I think it’s important that I quit drinking without any deities because I lack belief in such. And I think that significant. Then why don’t I continue to go and share. Again when it bothers me to be around these people too I will not censor myself three and I feel that my ideas run contrary to AA and I don’t wanna be responsible for screwing up the sobriety of anybody in that group. I go no more than once a year. The last time I went was 3 1/2 years ago. Exchange contact information with one new guy because he had some questions about things other than AA. But when we started discussing those issues me not coming to meetings came up and he asked me about it. So I told him, but I also told him that I can’t recommend that he try what I tried bc that was me and batteries are not included, actual mileage may vary.
My mileage is 14 1/2 years.
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Patricia Ann Gross
Congratulations for making it that far - one. day. at. a. time.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
Thanks.
But it wasn’t one day at a time. That wasn’t part of my ‘plan’. The book Rational Recovery by Jack Trimpey worked for me. It's a totally different psychological model: instead of repeatedly renewing a commitment to sobriety, you make the decision once and recognize subsequent arguments against it as the Addictive Voice.
After reading the book I left it in the AA meeting on the bookshelf. He disappeared quickly. Although I like to think that somebody picked it up and read it, the fact that book has on someone would mean they would be likely to do the same as me and put it back with somebody else can find it.
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Patricia Ann Gross
Dr. Z,
We're a bit off topic here, but I totally understand. As someone without addiction but with a lot of it in my family, I have some reservations about Bill's theology, and the methods in his book. Even the "one day at a time" focus, while it may work for people trying to kick a substance, it doesn't work for people who try to make plans for the future. I totally get that for the addict, a "future" depends on staying clean and sober. I'm happy for you that you "got it together" by whatever method you used. Too many people's lives, marriages, and families are destroyed by intoxicating substances, whether for a weekend party, a nasty habit, or because of an addiction.
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ServantOfJudgement
Come now Dr Z, the question was a loaded one. What would Jesus do? The question assumes Jesus is real. If Jesus of the bible is real or he's a fictional person, my answer still is accurate.
For example, Would Santa clause give naughty kids their favorite toy? We can safely answer no even though he's fictional.
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Ari Joseph Bertine
There was nothing nasty at all about the comment you responded to that way, there was no call for that. Why attack a comment that actually addresses the article's question and is not attacking anyone else? Please chill.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
Comment made two statement - Jesus sees all executions, public and private. - So far this century Jesus has watched well over 100k Christians get executed by Islam in Africa alone.
My response addressed both. In order.. “now we are mixing delusional thinking with one-sided facts.” Delusional thinking- There’s no reason whatsoever to believe that a dead Jewish zombie sits up in the clouds and watches executions like some lurid Peeping Tom.
One-sided facts - Talking about xtians being killed while ignoring not only a similar number of Muslims killed by Israel but totally ignoring the millions killed in the Crusades by xtians.
It is a new mix, delusional thinking with cherry-picking facts. And it is repulsive. It’s repulsive to think that American citizens want to bring back public executions. Ever watch Monty Python’s Holy Grail? The scene where they want to burn the ‘witch’?
Or, especially for you….
https://youtu.be/wSGkBWYDmrM?si=NA765mDpv-37e8HY
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Robert James Ruhnke
God also watched as christians slaughtered millions of people who wouldn’t convert to their specific brand of Christianity. What’s your friggin point, SOJ?
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ServantOfJudgement
My point is Robert, if Jesus sees even his own get executed, he'll also see a murderer get executed.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
It begins with, or includes ‘‘If Jesus….’ is an unreal, conditional tense, and the statement/question need not be further addressed.
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Sir Lionheart
If Jesus really was watching, he’s not doing much about it. If I was in his sandals, and if I was omnipotent, I know I’d do something, which makes me think it’s just wishful thinking that he’s alive watching it all happen having a very cunning plan in his head, but in reality we have to accept that no heavenly interaction is going to happen by him or his heavenly dad. 🤷
🦁❤️
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ServantOfJudgement
Lionheart, I think that's a bold statement to predict what you'd do if you were omnipotent. I'm confident that you'd not do then what you think you'd do now.
Very noble, kind and capable zoologists and biologists stand by, record, document and distribute terrible events they could prevent but do not. Events such as a male chimpanzee stealing a freshly born baby from the mother's crotch and eating it. Humans are killed and eaten by many different species regularly. We could easily prevent that also but we choose not to. I can find human on human atrocities that are permitted under the guise of benevolence such as allowing murderous illegal aliens to enter peaceful neighborhoods. Indeed, they're protected by citizens and given a "protected status" by governments.
Even we today as the superior intelligence and lords of the planet permit these things. We therefore judge God in hypocrisy, as the Bible says we will.
You're right though, I'm very hopeful that there is a creator and he's got a nice place to live for you and I after we kick it. I wish we knew if you're right or I'm right.
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Sir Lionheart
I think the very first thing I’d do if I held deity status would be to heal young children who are dying of Cancer, and also eradicate Cancer from the face of the Earth. I most definitely wouldn’t drown them. What deistic monster would do that and then expect everyone to bow down to it and insist it’s a god of love? 🤷
Even the Pope, who many think is gods mouthpiece for us all (being as the omnipotent god doesn’t seem able to speak to us), has that affliction. Let’s hope he gets well after his surgery.
Thanks for your comment. 🤗
🦁❤️
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Douglas Robert Spindler
What about the over $6 Million executions the Germans committed or the millions of excursions the Japanese’s committed during World War II? And as the Germans pointed out during the trials at Nuremberg, American Christians executed how many Native Americans as thet stole their land and food?
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Rev. BH
ServantOfJudgement, "100k Christians get executed by Islam in Africa alone". Where did you get that number? Reference please.
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ServantOfJudgement
That's the tally this century Rev BH. It grows daily.
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DP
He got it from the same place as all his other statistics and facts - the filthy brown file cabinet in the rear.
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ServantOfJudgement
I'm sorry facts are so painful to accept DP. A few simple searches will show you I'm right. Sorry about that too. The Armenian Genocide last century is a good example to study. This century the numbers are down because the total Christian population was reduced last century I suppose. The dead Christian done have babies. Fear not, Islam is well into Europe again so they might dwarf last century's numbers. We shall see.
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Rev. BH
Would you be so kind as to do the few simple searches for us and show us your numbers and where we might see them? Thanks, SoJ.
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Keith Graham Ainsworth
He's seen a greater number of Muslims killed by Christians too
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Sir Lionheart
I’m not a fan of public executions, but I can possibly see the need for those injured victims, and relatives of the victims involved, to seek closure by being present if they so wish.
🦁❤️
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Ari Joseph Bertine
Agreed, and that is available at normal executions, the victims' family is allowed to view if they wish. I don't know what I would do if someone in my family was killed, whether it would help me to watch the execution or if it would just put pictures in my brain forever to pop up in the middle of the night. But I think it should be the choice of the injured parties, as it currently is.
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Patricia Ann Gross
Ari,
There is also a big difference in the manner of execution. Lethal injection is just watching someone fall asleep and then the heart monitor flatlines. Hanging, firing squad, and electrocution are significant violent acts with gaudy scenes that can even traumatize those with iron stomachs.
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Minister for the Kingdom: It is true that our Lord Jesus Christ is like our Father God. He said," when you see me" you see the Father. We all understand that they, them are all knowing and all seeing. The Holy Spirit has lead me to teach you. And to understand. Further, that all one does and has done without repentance will be counted for destruction in the lake of fire. We know that we are to abide to the authority that is over us. God gives us the Law to do what is necessary in this life.
I asked,
Everyone of the faith, to all believers to search your hearts to what you hear and see in this life. Wether it be good or evil. Remember that salvation comes from what Jesus sacrafised at the cross. He loved everyone and gave his life for all sinners. On the third day rose again so the we all can have eternal life, for those who love Him. I love you all. Minister R. Rkrebbs, Minister for the Kingdom