Music is inherently political. To separate music from politics is to separate art from its soul. Lifeless, useless, and dead. Like Metallica... for instance.

Christ was executed. So were thousands of Christian martyrs. That's sufficient reason to question use of the death penalty. Then, I also add the fact that I don't believe the state can be trusted to fairly and justly execute its citizens.

Because Christians — whether Protestant, Catholic, or Eastern Orthodox — are not all on the same page on capital punishment, this discussion need not become adversarial or mean spirited. From my understanding of the New Covenant, there is in fact no dogmatic ruling that either requires or forbids the death penalty for murder. That said, as a theologically conservative evangelical Protestant, I am not in support of capital punishment. God knows whether I am out to lunch on this important ethical issue. First is the regretful reality of wrongful convictions. Since 1973, some 203 Americans who were sentenced to death have, years or decades later, been exonerated and freed. The Death Penalty Information Center also profiles 21 people executed in the modern era despite serious doubts about their guilt. (Source: Death Penalty Information Center) Second, before the giving of the Mosaic Law, murder was not always treated as a capital offence under God’s own judgment. Cain, who committed the first murder, received lifelong banishment from society, and even protection from being killed (Genesis 4). Moses, too, killed an Egyptian and was spared death (Exodus 2). Third, later, during the theocratic nation of Israel, capital punishment was expected and practiced for a host of crimes. (See attachment.) Yet even then, mercy was sometimes shown where the Law required death. David committed adultery and arranged a murder, and the sentence of death was lifted (2 Samuel 11–12). Fourth, following the fulfilment of the Law by Jesus, and with the spread of the Gospel to the Gentiles, many or most of these Old Testament “penalty by death” offences have ceased — at least in today’s Western world. Not many contemporary followers of Jesus argue for capital punishment for the roughly twenty other death-worthy Mosaic offences. The remaining primary debate among Christians is whether murder should be included in that abolition. I believe Christians can genuinely disagree on this difficult and profound matter. Some of us will argue from Scripture for execution. Others of us will argue from Scripture for lifelong imprisonment. If this is truly one of those “looking through a glass dimly” ethical dilemmas, which way should we err? Rightly or wrongly, my opinion is to err on the side of imprisonment — and throw away the key — and leave the eventuality of his or her soul to God.