BY DAVID CLOUD
SEE: https://www.wayoflife.org/friday_church_news/18-43.php;
republished below in full unedited for informational, educational, and research purposes:
(Friday Church News Notes, October 27, 2017, www.wayoflife.org,
fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - Speaking to an audience convened to
mark the 25th anniversary of the New Catholic Catechism
on October 11, Pope Francis denounced the death penalty as “an inhumane
measure” and “contrary to the Gospel” (“On the death penalty,” Boston Globe,
Oct. 18, 2017). He said that “church doctrine” has been wrong on this
issue for “2000 years.” In 2016, the pope called for “a world free of
the death penalty” (“Pope Francis calls for,” Crux, Jun. 21, 2016). Instead of renouncing the papacy itself and a thousand other Roman Catholic heresies that are stated in the New Catholic Catechism,
the misguided pope chooses to renounce something that is plainly
supported by Scripture. The Catholic Church long abused the death
penalty by putting Bible-believing Christians, Jews, and others to death
under the Inquisition, but an abuse of a good thing does not destroy
its value. The death penalty for heinous crimes is both justice and a
deterrence. “Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man” (Romans 9:6). “But
if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword
in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil” (Romans 13:4).