A Letter from Death Row

Dear Friend,

Recently I have read and heard many comments pleading for the enforcement of the death penalty more often and for more and more crimes. I have spent much time and effort in trying to answer some of the questions posed by the persons who made the comments. I now present my findings in love and honesty, with no malice whatsoever directed toward any of you who hold those views Please allow me the consideration of reading this letter thoughtfully and prayerfully.

Dear Friend, I would be the first person to admit that the crime of murder is a terrible thing, and I indeed feel sympathy for the victim and his/her family. This does not, however, change the teachings of our loving Savior Jesus Christ. As we look into God’s Word, let us remember that the murderer also has a family, who were also victims of the senseless killing of their loved one when the death penalty was carried out by the state, and that that family also is innocent of any wrongdoing themselves.

Often advocating the death penalty, you have mentioned that your Bible says “An eye for and eye, a tooth for a tooth,” but I seems that you failed to look to see what Jesus taught concerning this subject. In Matthew 5:38-39, “Ye have heard that it hath been said, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil; but whosoever shall smile the on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.” Now this is not to say that criminals should go free, but it indeed teaches forgiveness rather than vengeance.

Other scripture passages that show Jesus’ teachings on forgiveness include Romans 12:17-21, “Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place onto wrath: for it is written, vengeance is mine: I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink, for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”

In Hebrews 8:7-13, we read, “For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place seen sought for the second. For finding fault with them, the saith, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord: I will put my laws into their mind, and I will be to them a God, and they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. In that be saith, a new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.”

Also in Hebrews 10:26-31 we read, “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for if judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, and unholy in no and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a tearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

The apostle Paul said we are now under grace, not law. This is not to say that man should go on sinning, heaven forbid. As Romans 6:15 says, “What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.” But when we do sin, we are covered by the blood of Jesus; we need only ask forgiveness with true repentance to be forgiven. John 1:9 makes this clear: “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Again, this is not to say that a man should not be punished, because he should, but to execute a man is only to compound matters with another murder and thereby cheapen human life. Remember John 10:10: “The thief cometh not, bur for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” These are Jesus’ own words.

If a murderer comes to know the Lord, then he is forgiven. Although he may have struggled at times in forgiving himself, he will know that the Lord has already forgiven him. I only hope, as a child of God myself, that those who have been executed did know the Lord and are with the Father now. I feel as the Lord does in that I do not with that any man would perish. God says in Ezekiel 18:32, “For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves and live ye.” And in 1 Peter 3:9 “Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing, knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.” Verses often quoted by those who are in favor of the death penalty include Exodus 21:24, “Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot”: Leviticus 24:20, “Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again”; and Deuteronomy 19:21, “And thime eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.” All of these are part of the Israelite covenant or ordinances, also known as Moses’ law. This is not to be confused with “The Law”, which we know as the Ten Commandments. Those Israelite laws and ordinances were indeed harsh and exacting laws, designed to keep God’s chosen people pure in order to bring down the Word of God, to fulfill prophecies through these people, and for them to be the line through which the Messiah, Jesus Christ, was to come. When Jesus came, He same not to abolish “the law” but to fulfill it. He did, however, make a distinction between “the law” and the old ordinances by teaching that love and grace were to abound and that all foods were clean to eat (Remember Hebrews 8:7-13). Jesus also said, in Mark 7:14-19, “And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me me every one of you, and understand: There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile him. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him: Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the drought, purging all meats!!”

Let us now see what Jesus did when the scribes and Pharisees brought the adulterous woman to Him for stoning (execution) under the old ordinances (laws). John 8:1-11 tells this story of the woman brought into the temple to Jesus. Verse 3 says, “They say unto Him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?” After Jesus, not answering, but stooping to write on the ground, looked up, verse 7, “So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them. We that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. Verse 10: When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thime accusers? Hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.” Praise the Lord for mercy toward undeserving sinners such as if you see, the Lord Jesus taught never to repay evil for evil. The Old Testament laws teach that an adulteress must be put to death. Surely you don’t think Jesus’ teaching and God’s Word are mistaken. But let us look further at what Jesus says. Matthew 6:15-16, “But if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” The Lord says we must forgive in order to be forgiven. Very interesting! If you would like to look in the Old Testament also, see Ezekiel 33:11. “Say unto them, as I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked: but that the wicked tore from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?” That is pretty straight talk.

Once again, if you look in the “eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth” section of your Bible, you will find that it is the old Israelite covenant (Moses’ law). So if we are to base our beliefs on that, we must also read, for instance, the whole of that law in Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy. Where we will find all of the sins for which the death penalty was to be imposed under the old ordinances. Where are just a few from the twentieth chapter of Leviticus: Verses 9:15 read, “For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him. And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbor’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death. And the man that lieth with his father’s wife hath uncovered his father’s nakedness: both on them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. And if a man lie with his daughter in law, both of them shall surely be put to death: they have wrought confusion; their blood shall be upon them. If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. And if a man take a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness among you. And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death; and ye shall slay the beast.” And in Leviticus 20:27 “A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, they shall surely be put to death; they shall stone them with stones; their blood shall be upon thee.” These are only a few of the crimes punished by death but I think you see my point. If we are to base our death penalty on those old ordinances, then we must put to death all murderers, rapists, children who curse their parents, rebellious and unruly children (Deuteronomy 21:18-21 “If a man have a stubborn and rebellious  son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of the city, and unto the gate of his place, And they shall say unto the elders of his city, this our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones that he die: so shall thou put evil away from you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.”) all homosexuals, and all the other sinners listed in the ordinances.

I must believe that most of you who go along with the death penalty have probably not committed most, if any, of the sins listed; but you must admit that if everyone who has committed any of them were put to death, there would be thousands of executions daily, including many of the district attorneys who unknowingly quote the “eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth” passage from the Bible when convincing a jury to recommend the death sentence for someone. And thing of the number of young people who are stubborn, rebellious, gluttons, and drunkards. We cannot use one of these laws without using them all, can we?

We must also look at James 2:10-13, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, do not commit adultery, said also, do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.” This verse lets us know that if we have broken one of God’s laws, we have as good as broken them all. Does all this added together mean that everyone should be executed, because everyone has sinned? Certainly not! It does mean, however, that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), and that “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), but praise be to God we can all be forgiven and have eternal life with Jesus Christ our Lord! Romans 5:8-10 states “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from erath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” Romans 10:9-10 states, “But if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt-believe in thime heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

Dear Friend, assuming that you are a Christian, we must remember that the Lord wishes that we love all of His creatures, regardless of what they have done, just as He loved us. Let us look for a moment at what Jesus said about this in Matthew 5:43-48: “Ye have heard that it hath been said, thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thime enemy. But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hat you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven; for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not even publicans so? Do ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

Let us look further at 1 John 4:7 we read, “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born in God, and knoweth God.” In 1 John 4:20 we read, “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?” Then in 1 John 3:23 is God’s own thought on the matter: “And this is his commandment that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.”

As Christians we are to fulfill God’s wishes that we display the fruits of the Spirit of God, listed in Galatians 6:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no law.” A vengeful attitude is not pleasing to God, for His Word says again in 1 Thessalonians 5:15, “See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and is all men.” Remember that God said, Romans 12:19, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord,” and, Hebrews 10:30, “For we know him that hath said, vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.” We must also remember Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:7, “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.”

When proponents of the death penalty demand that the same thin be done to the murderer that he did to his victim, they fail to regard from the pages of God’s own Word what happened that has changed the course of history and our own lives when people who, under the old laws, deserved the death penalty were not executed. Let us consider just a few of those. Moses killed a man and buried him in the sand. In Exodus 2:11-14, the account is given. Had Moses been killed and buried in the sand also, then God would have had to choose someone else to lead His people out of bondage.

Kind David conspired to have Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, killed. II Samuel, chapter 11 records this series of events. Had David been executed for this murder, the whole Yessiamic line would have been disrupted! These men (and many like them) paid for their sins through chastisement of the Lord, and suffered greatly and in many ways, but they were not put to death. God still had great plans for their lives.

Dear Friend, I don’t know if you have taken to heart what I have said, but I hope you will read this again with much prayer and thought, and my the Holy Spirit lead you as you do. I must say this though: no matter how you feel at this time, I can honestly say that I love you … regardless of your feelings for me. I love you with AGAPE love, an unconditional love which the Lord Jesus showed for all of us. In John 13:34, He said, “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”

Dear Friend, you may have guessed by now that I am also a death row inmate. I also am a born-again Christian, and I am washed in the blood of Jesus, just as I hope you are. Praise the Lord! So I truly hope this letter will help to change your heart, if you approve of the death penalty. Let us look at what God’s Word says about our hearts. Ephesians 4:31-33 says, “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice. And be ye kind one to another, lenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

I could go on and on, but I believe this is what the Lord has given me to say, so I will close. I can truly say,

I love you in Christ Jesus,

A Death Row Inmate

Infamous Quotes of DP Fanatics

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fort Walton Beach, Florida), who sponsored the Timely Justice Act Bill in the house in Florida said: “Only god can judge, but we sure can set up the meeting.” After Gov. Rick Scott had signed the legislation, Rep. Gaetz took to Twitter, where he wrote, “… several on death row need to start picking out their last meals.”

Following the horribly botched execution of Pedro Medina, in Florida’s electric chair, this was the glib response by Bob Butterworth, the State of Florida’s Attorney General at the time: “… People who wish to commit murder, they better not do it in the State of Florida, because we may have a problem with the electric chair.”

Orlando attorney, John (“For The People”) Morgan, pitch man for his law firm Morgan & Morgan, months after the Medina debacle, purchased a mock electric chair that resembled Old Sparky at an amusement park trade show, and placed it at Wonderworks attraction in Orlando. Morgan, who “says”, he personally opposed to the death penalty, said it was all in good fun … “I’ll tell you, what people really loved was watching their friends in it.” A Wonderworks press release had stated that the chair “shocks guests as they strap in for a jolting experience.” To more closely replicate Mr. Medina’s  fiery denouement, the chair emitted smoke.

Humanity yearns so desperately
to equal God’s great creativity.
In some creations, how we shine:
music, dance, storyweaving, wine.

Then thunderstorms of madness
rain upon us, flooding sadness,
sweep us into anguish, grief,
Into despair without relief.

We’re drawn to high castles,
where old hunchbacked vassals
glare wall-eyed as lightning
flares without brightening.

Laboratories in high towers,
where the doctor wields power,
creating new life in a dark hour,
in the belfry of the high tower.

Source: The Book of Counted Sorrows

i am strong and i am weak
a tough outer shell with warm empathic insides
not like a hard shell candy, but more like a goliath beetle
an exoskeleton that is not impervious to pain
with heart on sleeve, an introvert,
when others in need, an extrovert

to be strong you must be weak
knowing when to be tough let …
compassion prosper on the outside
born in the womb, my position fetal
with bones supporting me as i walk in the rain
my heart beats in rhythm, knowing not why it hurts.

strength perceived as weakness
compassion makes empathic insides tough
as i lay fetal in the womb of a beetle
when i am gone, my bones support life
hearts beat in unison loves waiver with distance

help me to help you, help me to help myself
i am strong, no longer weak
compassion my strength, empathy …
smothering them with kindness
i am born to this world incognito as my name is revealed
carry me bones on life’s long journey,
carry me bones, i’m in no hurry
my heart skips a beat with the wonders i see,
i see you each day as my heart skips a beat

author unknown

Love was not enough for us ,
though we were much in love.
We started down the well worn path,
but it was not to be.

Delight was not enough for us,
nor tenderness that moved
through years of angry dissonance
towards some dark, bitter sea,

Our differences were far too great,
our lives too far apart.
We didn’t like each other much,
but put that truth aside

until one day it was too late
to reunite the heart.
One told the other, who agreed
at least that it had died.

But then, ah, then! We felt our loss
as unremitting pain,
as deep and inconsolable,
unbearable regret.

and all alone we had to cross
that desert once again
that we might know that we had loved
too much to soon forget.

author unknown

In the Roman Catholic religion, the priests say, “no meat on Friday, don’t eat meat on Friday.” Fish that’s okay, jello mold, that’s okay. But no meat. But guys done it. Lots of guys.

Sometimes you’d slip up or something. You’d be eating steak, then you’d say yourself, what day is this? Sometimes it would be on purpose. Catholic students all over would go for burgers just on Fridays. They would sit in a booth in the window and wave to the sisters when they would walk by.

Then all of a sudden the priests changed their minds. It’s okay now, have whatever you like, no problem. But what happened to all the guys burning in hell for eating meat on Fridays? You thing they got out? The priests would know, did those guys get out? Oh no, they say, the rules are the rules, you don’t fuck with them.

So, that’s this here thin-it’s Friday time. It’s bullshit. I didn’t do nothing. I cross my heart. But maybe I’ve done something before. So, that’s how it works out it’s Friday time on account of what I’ve done before. So, what can you do? I do not control the universe, but merely understand a few of it’s rules.

author unknown

Goodbye, my love, the object of my fury!
Opening this door may bring me peace.
Of you, my rage has been both judge and jury,
Determined not to grant you your release.
Be well, my love! I hope you find a lover
You can deceive. For me, there’ll be no other,
Except all hearts be pure and lying cease.

Author unknown

THE TIME IS NOW

If you are ever going to love me,
love me now, while I can know,
the sweet and tender feelings,
which from true affections flow.

Love me now, while I am living.
Do not wait until I am gone.
And then have it chiseled in marble,
sweet words on ice cold stone.

If you have tender thoughts of me,
please tell me now.
If you wait until I am sleeping,
never to awaken.

There will be death between us,
and I won’t hear you then.
So if you love me even a little bit,
let me know it while I’m living,
so I can treasure it …

Author unknown

it is you
when i breathe
it is you
when my heart beats
it is you
when my blood flows
it is you
when the sun rises
when the stars shine
it is you
it is you

Author unknown