What does Christianity say about the death penalty?
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In Genesis 9:6, as part of the Noahide covenant, God tells Noah "Whoever sheds the blood of man through man shall his blood be shed, for in the image of God He made man." Rashi says that there must be two witnesses of a murder for a murderer to receive the death penalty, because murder destroys the image of God.
Correspondingly, what does the church say about death penalty?
Church teaching The Church teaches that the commandment "Thou shalt not murder" permits the death penalty by the civil authority as the administrator of justice in a human society in accordance with the Natural Law.
Secondly, how does religion affect death penalty?
Religious moral codes are often based on a body of teachings, such as the Old Testament or the Qur'an. According to the Kitab-i-Aqdas, the central book of the Baha'i faith, certain offenses such as murder and arson are punishable by the death penalty with the option of life imprisonment as an alternative.
Database of convicted people said to be innocent includes 150 allegedly wrongfully executed.