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Real Answers™
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Copyright: ©2007 William E. Cripe, Sr.
550 words

SADDAM'S DEATH IS FOR COMMUNITY'S GOOD

By: William E. Cripe, Sr.

Saddam Hussein has been put to death, and even before he was dangling, there was a predictable wave of protest. It is somewhat surprising that the Roman Catholic Church came out opposing Saddam's execution.

Cardinal Renato Martino, head of the Vatican's Council for Justice and Peace, said "carrying out the death sentence would be an unjustifiably vindictive action." The Cardinal's statement may play well in our upside down culture of confused morals but it is disturbing that a high official of a Christian church seems either ignorant of the Biblical theology of capital punishment or simply chooses to ignore it. (He also needs to acquaint himself with the difference between that which is vindictive and that which is just.)

Fr. Michele Simone, deputy director of the Jesuit journal Civilta Cattolica, said, "opposing the death penalty does not mean accepting what the former leader has done." But, "certainly, the situation in Iraq will not be resolved by this death sentence."

The Father is oblivious to Biblical teaching. The death of a capital criminal was never intended to "resolve" a situation and therein lies the problem with this and many other social dilemmas.

Nothing I have read to date has been grounded in the Holy Scriptures but in an often confusing and inconsistent church tradition, or worse, personal opinion.

God implemented the sentence of death primarily for three reasons. Wise Solomon wrote, "When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, the hearts of the people are filled with schemes to do wrong." (Ecclesiastes. 8:11) That one little sound bite explains volumes about why our American brand of capital punishment is NOT much of a deterrent to crime. Never-the-less, it is a deterrent when carried out properly. Deterrence though was not the bottom line.

The higher goal was to remove the evil one from the community such that the quality of life of the innocent citizens of the community was enhanced. This was and is to be the focal point of any penal system. Under such a rubric even the extreme penalty of execution is not barbaric but is in fact, merciful.

The third reason God implemented capital punishment was to demonstrate the uniqueness of human beings in all creation.

"Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man." (Genesis 9:6) Therefore, to murder another human being—a being who bears the image and likeness of the Creator—is to offend the Creator himself. In removing the murderer by requiring his life, the intrinsic uniqueness and value of the human race at large is heightened.

Saddam Hussein was a mass murderer executing hundreds of thousands of men, women and children simply because he could. There is no clearer case in modern history that warrants the ultimate punishment.

The Justice system of Iraq has determined Saddam should be executed within 30 days and, unlike this country where there is an incessant avalanche of appeals, Saddam has already met his Maker. This was not vindictive; this was the state carrying out its Divine prerogative to "wield the sword," in the words of Paul to the church at Rome. Somehow, where this issue is concerned, the Church at Rome has lost sight of its Biblical moorings.

"Real Answers™" furnished courtesy of The Amy Foundation Internet Syndicate. To contact the author or The Amy Foundation, write or E-mail to: P. O. Box 16091, Lansing, MI 48901-6091; amyfoundtn@aol.com

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