Fri Nov 29, 2013

Editor: While some human rights organizations around the world, including here in St Vincent and the Grenadines, continue to call for the abolition of the death penalty, the Thusian Institute for Religious Liberty Inc.(T.I.R.L), a human rights education organization, wishes to reaffirm its support for the death penalty as the God-ordained punishment for the crime of murder.{{more}} We believe that the all-wise, Almighty God, who has endowed all human beings with inalienable and inviolable rights and freedoms, has the right to determine what should happen to the person who unlawfully kills another human being with premeditated malice. “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man”(Genesis 9:6).

We also believe that the death penalty deters a person from committing violent crimes such as murder, as explained below:

• When a person murders, he usually hides. So, the thought of death (as the punishment) deters.

• Nobody can ascertain how many criminals were turned away from murder by hearing of the death penalty being carried out.

• Jailing and fining a person for larceny does not deter some people from larceny. Does that mean that a person should not be jailed for stealing?

• When a person commits 1st degree murder, he or she has automatically forfeited his or her right to life, according to God. However, it must be proven and confirmed by trial.

• The public perception of injustice when murderers are given life sentencing, at the expense of tax- payers, pushes people for example, family members of victim to seek personal justice, not expecting to get it from the state. This multiplies lawlessness in a society.

• Those who present statistics to show that the death penalty does not deter murder, usually give statistics that have been juggled or structured by special interest groups in order to achieve certain agendas. These statistics are not reliable for influencing public policy on the death penalty.

As TIRL renews our call for the death penalty to be retained and implemented, we also call on our fellowmen to be more rights-respecting and to settle your differences in more rights-friendly ways remembering that “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”(Romans 13:10).

Thusian Institute for Religious liberty Inc (TIRL)