Comments (19)

Can Rev. Carroll Pickett be trusted?
Dudley Sharp, Justice Matters, contact info below

Rev. Pickett is on a promotional tour for the film "At the Death House Door", a film partially about the Reverend's experience ministering to 95 death row inmates executed in Texas.

Rev. Pickett's inaccuracies are many and important.

Does Rev. Pickett just make facts up as he goes along, hoping that no one fact checks or is he just confused or ignorant? He is, certainly, unreliable.

Some of his miscues are common anti death penalty deceptions and the Reverend is an anti death penalty activist.

Below are comments or paraphrases of Rev. Pickett, taken from interviews, followed by my Reply:.

Pickett: "A great majority of them (the 95 executed inmates he ministered to) were black or Hispanic." (1)

Reply: The "great majority" were 47 white (49%) with 32 black (34%), and 16 Hispanic (17%).

Pickett: "Out of the 95 we executed only one that had a college degree. All the rest of them their education was 9th grade and under." (1)

Reply: Not even close. In a review of only 31 of the 95 cases, 5 had some college or post graduate classes and 16 were high school graduates or completed their GED. Partial review (Incomplete Count) , below.

Would Rev. Pickett tell us about the educational achievements of all the innocent murder victims and those that weren't old enough for school?

Pickett: spoke of the Soldier of Fortune murder for hire case, stating the husband got death, while the hired murderer got 6 years. (1)

Reply: In this well known case. John Wayne Hearn, the hitman, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Sandra Black.

Pickett: speaks of how sincere hostage taker, murderer Ignacio Cuevas was. Rev. Pickett states that "between 11 and midnight (I) believe almost everything" the inmates say, because they are about to be executed. (1)

Reply: Bad judgement. Cuevas lied when on the gurney, stating that he was innocent. This goes to show how Rev. Pickett and many others are easily fooled by these murderers.

Pickett: I knew (executed inmate) Carlos (De Luna) didn't do it. It was his big brown eyes, the way he talked, he was the same age as my son (transference). I felt so sympathetic towards him. I was so 100% certain that he couldn't have committed this crime. (Carlos) was a super person to minister to. I knew Carlos was not guilty. Fred Allen a guard, said "by the way he talks and acts I don't believe he is guilty, either. (1)

REPLY: Experienced prison personnel are fooled all the time by prisoners, just as parole boards are. This is simply Rev. Pickett's and Fred Allen's blind speculation. It means absolutely nothing.

Pickett: believes that, no way, could someone, so afraid of lightning and thunder, such as Carlos De Luna, use a knife (in a crime). (1)

Reply: Rev. Pickett talks about how important his background is in understanding people and behavior and he says something like this, destroying his own credibility on the issue. If the lightning and thunder event occurred, we already know what De Luna was capable of. In 1980, "De Luna was charged with attempted aggravated rape and driving a stolen vehicle, he pleaded no contest and was sentenced to 2 to 3 years. Paroled in May 1982, De Luna returned to Corpus Christi. Not long after, he attended a party for a former cellmate and was accused of attacking the cellmate's 53-year-old mother. She told police that De Luna broke three of her ribs with one punch, removed her underwear, pulled down his pants, then suddenly left. He was never prosecuted for the attack, but authorities sent him back to prison on a parole violation. Released again in December of that year, he came back to Corpus Christi and got a job as a concrete worker. Almost immediately, he was arrested for public intoxication. During the arrest, De Luna allegedly laughed about the wounding of a police officer months earlier and said the officer should have been killed. Two weeks after that arrest, Lopez was murdered." (Chicago Tribune) Being a long time criminal, we can presume that there were numerous additional crimes committed by De Luna and which remained unsolved. Was De Luna capable of committing a robbery murder, even though he had big brown eyes and was scared of lightning? Of course. This goes to Pickett's poor judgement or something else.

And there is this major problem.

In 1999, after Rev. Pickett had left his death row ministry, he was asked, "Do you think there have been some you have watched die who were strictly innocent?"

His reply: "I never felt that." (3)

PIckett: "In my opinion and in the opinion of the convicts, life in prison, with no hope of parole, is a much worse punishment (than the death penalty)." "Most of these people (death row inmates) fear life in prison more than they do the possibility of execution." (2)

REPLY: That may be Rev. Pickett's opinion, but we know that isn't the opinion of those facing a possible death sentence of those residing on death row. This gives more support to my suspicion that Rev. Pickett is putting words into the inmates' mouths. His assertion is totally contradicted by the facts.

Facts: What percentage of capital murderers seek a plea bargain to a death sentence? Zero or close to it. They prefer long term imprisonment. What percentage of convicted capital murderers argue for execution in the penalty phase of their capital trial? Zero or close to it. They prefer long term imprisonment. What percentage of death row inmates waive their appeals and speed up the execution process? Nearly zero. They prefer long term imprisonment. This is not, even remotely, in dispute. How could Rev. Pickett not be aware of this? How long was he ministering to Texas' death row? 13 years?

Pickett: stated that "doctors can't (check the veins of inmates pending execution), it's against the law." (1)

Reply: Ridiculous.

Pickett: Pavulon (a paralytic) has been banned by vets but we use it on people. (1)

REPLY: This is untrue and is a common anti death penalty deception. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA): "When used alone, these drugs (paralytics) all cause respiratory arrest before loss of consciousness, so the animal may perceive pain and distress after it is immobilized." Obviously, paralytics are never used alone in the human lethal injection process or animal euthanasia. The AVMA does not mention the specific paralytic - Pavulon - used in lethal injection for humans. These absurd claims, falsely attributed to veterinary literature, have been a bald faced lie by anti death penalty activists.

In Belgium and the Netherlands, their euthanasia protocol is as follows: A coma is first induced by intravenous administration of 20 mg/kg sodium thiopental (Nesdonal) (NOTE-the first drug in human lethal injection) in a small volume (10 ml physiological saline). Then a triple intravenous dose of a non-depolarizing neuromuscular muscle relaxant is given, such as 20 mg pancuronium bromide (Pavulon) (NOTE-the second drug, the paralytic, in human lethal injection) or 20 mg vecuronium bromide (Norcuron). The muscle relaxant should preferably be given intravenously, in order to ensure optimal availability. Only for pancuronium bromide (Pavulon) are there substantial indications that the agent may also be given intramuscularly in a dosage of 40 mg.

Just like execution/lethal injection in the US, although we give a third drug which speeds up death.

Pickett: said an inmate said "its burning" "its burning", during an execution. (1)

REPLY: This may have occurred for a variety of reasons and does not appear to be an issue. It is the third drug which is noted for a burning sensation, if one were conscious during its injection. However, none of the inmates that Rev. Pickett handled were conscious after the first drug was administered. That would not be the case, here, as the burning complaints came at the very beginning of the injection process, which would involve a reaction where the burning would be quite minor. Has Rev. Pickett reviewed the pain and suffering of the real victims - the innocent murdered ones?

Pickett: "Most of the inmates would ask the question, "How can Texas kill people who kill people and tell people that killing people is wrong?" That came out of inmates’ mouths regularly and I think it’s a pretty good question to ask." (2)

REPLY: Most? Would that be more than 48 out of 95? I simply don't believe it. 10 out of 95? Doubtful. I suspect it is no coincidence that "Why do we kill people to show that killing is wrong" has been a common anti death penalty slogan for a very long time. I suspect that Rev. Pickett has just picked it up, used it and placed it in inmate's mouths. Furthermore, we don't execute murderers to show that murder is wrong. Most folks know that murder is wrong even without a sanction. The murder is wrong and there are various sanctions for committing that wrong, including execution.

------------
Incomplete count
this is a review of 31 out of the 95 death row inmates ministered by Rev. Pickett

21 of the 31 below had some college or post graduate classes (5)
or were high school graduates or completed their GED (16)
-----------
1) Brooks 12
3) O'Bryan post graduate degree - dentist
41 james russel 10th
42 G Green sophomore college
45 David Clark 10th and GED
46 Edward Ellis 10th
47 Billy White 10th
48 Justin May 11th
49 Jesus Romero 11th and GED
50 Robert Black, Jr. a pilot (probably beyond 12th)
55. Carlos Santana 11th
57 Darryl Stewart 12th
58 Leonel Herrera 11th and GED
60) Markum Duff Smith Post graduate College
33) Carlos De Luna 9th
95 Ronald Keith Allridge 10th and GED
93 Noble Mays Junior in College
92 Samuel Hawkins 12th
91 Billy Conn Gardner 12th
90 Jeffery Dean Motley 9th
89 Willie Ray Williams 11th
86 Jesse Jacobs 12th
85 Raymond Carl Kinnamon 11th and GED
84 Herman Clark sophomore college
83 Warren Eugene Bridge 11th
82 Walter Key Williams 12th
72 Harold Barnard 12th
73 Freddie Webb 11th and GED
75 Larry Anderson 12th
77 Stephen Nethery 12th
79 Robert Drew 10th

Dudley Sharp, Justice Matters
e-mail sharpjfa@aol.com, 713-622-5491,
Houston, Texas

Mr. Sharp has appeared on ABC, BBC, CBS, CNN, C-SPAN, FOX, NBC, NPR, PBS , VOA and many other TV and radio networks, on such programs as Nightline, The News Hour with Jim Lehrer, The O'Reilly Factor, etc., has been quoted in newspapers throughout the world and is a published author.

A former opponent of capital punishment, he has written and granted interviews about, testified on and debated the subject of the death penalty, extensively and internationally.

Pro death penalty sites

homicidesurvivors(dot)com/categories/Dudley%20Sharp%20-%20Justice%20Matters.aspx

www(dot)dpinfo.com
www(dot)cjlf.org/deathpenalty/DPinformation.htm
www(dot)clarkprosecutor.org/html/links/dplinks.htm
www(dot)coastda.com/archives.html
www(dot)lexingtonprosecutor.com/death_penalty_debate.htm
www(dot)prodeathpenalty.com
www(dot)yesdeathpenalty.com/deathpenalty_co
yesdeathpenalty.googlepages.com/home2 (Sweden)
www(dot)wesleylowe.com/cp.html

1) "Chaplain Discusses 'Death House' Ministry", Interview, Legal Affairs, FRESH AIR, NPR, May 19, 2007.

2) THE FAILURE INTERVIEW: REVEREND CARROLL PICKETT—AUTHOR OF "WITHIN THESE WALLS: MEMOIRS OF A DEATH HOUSE CHAPLAIN" Interview, by Kathleen A. Ervin
www(DOT)failuremag.com/arch_history_carroll_pickett_interview.html

3) "The Execution: Interview with Reverend Carroll Pickett", PBS, FRONTLINE, 1999
www(DOT)pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/execution/readings/pickett.html

I find it interesting that people confuse the physical blind and lame to the spiritual blind and lame. The physical, as I have revealed is not condemned.

And Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

“Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet.”
“it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame”
“And his name was Mephibosheth.”

David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.
In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah.
And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot come in hither.
Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the city of David.
And David said on that day, Whosoever getteth up to the gutter, and smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind that are hated of David's soul, he shall be chief and captain. Wherefore they said, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.
So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward.
And David went on, and grew great, and the Lord God of hosts was with him.
And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons: and they built David an house.
And David perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel's sake.
And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and daughters born to David.
And these be the names of those that were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon,

“Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot come in hither.”
“the lame and the blind that are hated of David's soul”
“David built round about from Millo and inward.”

And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan's sake?
And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he.
And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet.
And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar.
Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lodebar.
Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant!
And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.
And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?
Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said unto him, I have given unto thy master's son all that pertained to Saul and to all his house.
Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master's son may have food to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king's sons.
And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micha. And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth.
So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king's table; and was lame on both his feet.

“Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet.”
“David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake”
“thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.”
“but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread alway at my table.”
“As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king's sons”
“Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king's table; and was lame on both his feet.”

The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.
Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.
Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.
As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.
The Lord standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people.
The Lord will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people, and the princes thereof: for ye have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses.

“declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not”
“Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him:”
“for the reward of his hands shall be given him.”

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:

“Woe unto them that call “evil good good evil”

And this is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised; for to build the house of the Lord, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer.
For Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up, and taken Gezer, and burnt it with fire, and slain the Canaanites that dwelt in the city, and given it for a present unto his daughter, Solomon's wife.

“build the house of the Lord”
“his own house”
“and Millo”

“David built round about from Millo and inward.”

But Pharaoh's daughter came up out of the city of David unto her house which Solomon had built for her: then did he build Millo.
And three times in a year did Solomon offer burnt offerings and peace offerings upon the altar which he built unto the Lord, and he burnt incense upon the altar that was before the Lord. So he finished the house.

“her house which Solomon had built for her: then did he build Millo.”
“three times in a year did Solomon offer burnt offerings and peace offerings upon the altar which he built unto the Lord”

And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to prove him with hard questions.
And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.
And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not.
And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built,
And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the Lord; there was no more spirit in her.
And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom.
Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.
Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.
Blessed be the Lord thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the Lord loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice.
And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.
And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees, and precious stones.
And the king made of the almug trees pillars for the house of the Lord, and for the king's house, harps also and psalteries for singers: there came no such almug trees, nor were seen unto this day.
And king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants.
Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold,

Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son.
He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.
The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.
He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.
They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.
He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.
In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.
He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.
They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.
The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.
For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.
He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy.
He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.
And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised.
There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.
His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.
Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things.
And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.
The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.

rcg, it is very clear you love your mother with all your heart and soul, the children of the living God, and keep her word. you should really read the first psalm

“Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.”

“Eve; because she was the mother of all living.”
“whatsoever Adam called every living creature”
“out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field”
“the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field”

And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.

"I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets"

“the sinner shall be taken by her.”

And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.

“Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.”

“the days of vengeance”
“until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.”
“sinners of the Gentiles”
“Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led”
“Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils”

“the sinner shall be taken by her.”

“Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.”

“Eve; because she was the mother of all living.”
“whatsoever Adam called every living creature”
“out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field”
“the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field”

birds
“So went Satan forth smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.”
“the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot”
“blessings of the deep that lieth under”
“the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills”
“David my father, the wars which were about him on every side, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet.”
“all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet”

, fourfooted beasts
“deliver my soul from the wicked”
“which is thy sword”
“Deliver my soul from the sword”
“from the power of the dog”
“the blood of thine enemies”
“the tongue of thy dogs in the same”
“swords are in their lips”

creeping things
“out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field”
“the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field”
“Eve; because she was the mother of all living.”
“whatsoever Adam called every living creature”

My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:

“if sinners entice thee, consent thou not”
“swallow them up alive as the grave”
“as those that go down into the pit”

Psalms 1

1. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
4. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
5. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

quoting
Harold:
Cite your texts. It looks like you're pulling verse from the book of Genesis, but I cannot be sure as once again, you offer no citation.

you claim to be an ordained minister, you should know or be willing to research it yourself. the orginal Word was not written in chapter and verse. you said "This proves my point about interpretive bias." I used as little of my own words as possible, i let what is written speak for itself. i remember someone said "Only speak the word". you said "The Word itself, however, is just words, and without action" this is the action, every curse of the book was put upon you.
you said "Just ask any teacher that graded my papers throughout school." this is a clear indication of he blind, deaf and dumb teaching the same.

I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I am sick of your love.
9. What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? what is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us?
10. My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand.
11. His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven.
12. His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set.
13. His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh.
14. His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires.
15. His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.
16. His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

'I am sick of your love."
"beloved is white" the pope dresses in white
"His head is as the most fine gold"
"His eyes are as the eyes of doves"
"this is my friend"

beatification
(Latin: beatus, blessed; facere, to make) The declaration by the pope as head of the Church that one of its members deserves for saintly life as confessor or heroic death as martyr, to be entitled Blessed, that is, regarded as dwelling in the happiness of heaven.

martyr
A person who, for the Christian faith, freely and patiently suffers death at the hands of a persecutor. A martyr chooses to die rather than deny his faith by word or deed.

Spirit of the beast – false doctrine
Beastiality the blessing of beasts.

"And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven."

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him"

"creature that hath life"
"God created man in his own image"

And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.

“out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field”
“and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them”
“whatsoever Adam called every living creature”
“that was the name thereof”

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

“the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field”

And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.

“Eve; because she was the mother of all living.”

“out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field”
“the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field”
“Eve; because she was the mother of all living.”
“whatsoever Adam called every living creature”

And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.
So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.

“So went Satan forth smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.”

Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground;
But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark.
And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark;
And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.

“the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot”

Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:
The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:
But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)
Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb:
The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.

“blessings of the deep that lieth under”
“the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills”

And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying,
Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the Lord his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet.

“David my father, the wars which were about him on every side, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet.”

The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious.
The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee; The city of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations.
Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.

“all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet”

“So went Satan forth smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.”
“the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot”
“blessings of the deep that lieth under”
“the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills”
“David my father, the wars which were about him on every side, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet.”
“all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet”

When you see a sinner creature preaching from the cross, you know that this is the dog.

“the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom”

But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly.

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

“I send you forth as sheep”
“ye therefore wise as serpents”
“harmless as doves”

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

“the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”

Arise, O Lord, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword:

“deliver my soul from the wicked”
“which is thy sword”

Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.

“Deliver my soul from the sword”
“from the power of the dog”

That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies, and the tongue of thy dogs in the same.

“the blood of thine enemies”
“the tongue of thy dogs in the same”

They return at evening: they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city.
Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords are in their lips: for who, say they, doth hear?

“swords are in their lips”

Then said the Lord unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.
And it shall come to pass, if they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith the Lord; Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for the captivity, to the captivity.
And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the Lord: the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and destroy.

“I will appoint over them four kinds”
“the sword to slay”- “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”
“the dogs to tear”- “from the power of the dog”
“the fowls of the heaven”- “harmless as doves”
“the beasts of the earth”- “I send you forth as sheep”
“to devour and destroy”- “ye therefore wise as serpents”

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

“Love your enemies”
“bless them that curse you”
“do good to them that hate you”
“pray for them which despitefully use you”
“and persecute you”

A martyr chooses to die rather than deny his faith by word or deed.

“bless them that curse you”
"Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves."

“do good to them that hate you”
"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."

“pray for them which despitefully use you”
"And the gospel must first be published among all nations."

"But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come."

For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

“the days of vengeance”

And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

“until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.”

We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,

“sinners of the Gentiles”

But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.

“Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils”

Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.

“Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led”

“the days of vengeance”
“until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.”
“sinners of the Gentiles”
“Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led”
“Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils”

My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:
Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:

“if sinners entice thee, consent thou not”
“swallow them up alive as the grave”
“as those that go down into the pit”

Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever.

beatification

“worshipped and served the creature”

"Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves."

"corruptible man, birds, fourfooted beasts,and creeping things"

"creature that hath life" “living creature”

“Eve; because she was the mother of all living.”
“whatsoever Adam called every living creature”
“out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field”
“the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field”

And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.

“the sinner shall be taken by her.”

And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.

“Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.”

“the days of vengeance”
“until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.”
“sinners of the Gentiles”
“Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led”
“Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils”

“the sinner shall be taken by her.”

“Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.”

“Eve; because she was the mother of all living.”
“whatsoever Adam called every living creature”
“out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field”
“the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field”

birds
“So went Satan forth smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.”
“the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot”
“blessings of the deep that lieth under”
“the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills”
“David my father, the wars which were about him on every side, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet.”
“all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet”

, fourfooted beasts
“deliver my soul from the wicked”
“which is thy sword”
“Deliver my soul from the sword”
“from the power of the dog”
“the blood of thine enemies”
“the tongue of thy dogs in the same”
“swords are in their lips”

creeping things
“out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field”
“the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field”
“Eve; because she was the mother of all living.”
“whatsoever Adam called every living creature”

beatification
heroic death as martyr, to be entitled Blessed
“the sinner shall be taken by her.”
“the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field”
“Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.”

“Love your enemies”
“bless them that curse you”
“do good to them that hate you”
“pray for them which despitefully use you”
“and persecute you”

“Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools”
The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.
They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the Lord.
There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous.
Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the Lord is his refuge.
Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when the Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

“changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man”
Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.
O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee;
But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.
Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips.
The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.
The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.
I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.
I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.
For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Harold:
Cite your texts. It looks like you're pulling verse from the book of Genesis, but I cannot be sure as once again, you offer no citation.

You asked how I can be a minister if my views are personal. It's simple: when I'm asked what I feel, what I believe, I answer truthfully and without judgement. If asked for advice on an issue, I talk about the issue as it pertains to the people asking. I'm a minister because I believe in justice, mercy, cooperation, forgiveness and compassion above all. People who know me and my beliefs seek my opinion with that in mind. I undertsand that faith is a lot more complex than lockstep belief in a single text - ANY text - that has, can, and will be used and interpreted by man to their own biased needs. I understand that faith to be a combination of of your personal experiences and your interpretations of what you believe. To me, this makes a religion-as-singularity impossible. Your faith is as perfectly valid as mine, even if that means, in your eyes, I'm a condenmed man. You said, "Ears that hear, choose life or death." I feel there are more options than that. I chose mercy and compassion instead.

Harold said:
If you choose to challenge what I have written, then you are against the LORD. It is The Word.

This proves my point about interpretive bias. The Word comes in so many different forms, often contradictory stories, and is cherry-picked to support whatever beleifs the citer wants. The many, many rituals surrounding 'unclean' objects, women menstration and the like aren't followed these days, and I know there are tons of dishes with pork, shellfish and even rabit found in church dinners. Many of these (especially in regards to executing or banashing transgressors) would be seen as primative, barbaric or radically fundamentalist in modern societal context. The Holy Bible varies from one version to the next. I don't know if the Holy Quran or the Talmud or Torrah varries between editions, because I cannot read Arabic or Hebrew - yet. I sincerely hope to learn.

The lengthy passages you quote are laid out, as you said, "so only a fool would not understand them". I do understand them. I understand them to be stories that generations of people built a very strong faith upon, just as the ancient Greeks and Romans before Christianity built an intense faith - and system of civic governance and justice - on stories of Gods and Godeesses that we now call "mythology". The Word itself, however, is just words, and without action, without "your commentary to muddy them up" are empty and have no more meaning than any other. You can display them at me all you want, and if I don't get bored, will research my own texts to display at you. In your opinion, I'm sure to be condemned fool. Like an oppressive, murdering state stripping it's condemned prisoners of the simple label of human being, it makes it easier for you to choose your version of death FOR me. Fortunately, neiter of us live in a theocracy where we can be killed for our religion. Alteast, I don't.

None of this, however, has anything to do with Carroll Pickett's ministering to prisoners before execution. How do any of your citations of the stories of Moses or Job support or defend your opinion on Pickett's actions? If you (or anyone else) wish to continue a comparative religious discussion on topics NOT relating to this subject, feel free to email me at
bobcatarts(at)gmail(d0t)com

Be Warned: Large blocks of text WITHOUT citation- chapter, verse, page number, or (non biblical/religious) author, publisher, page number, etc, will be looked at as PLAGARISM. Just ask any teacher that graded my papers throughout school.

Ears that hear, choose life or death

Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:
The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:
But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)
Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb:
The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.

“Joseph is a fruitful bough”
“and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob”
“Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above”
“blessings of the deep that lieth under”
“blessings of the breasts”
“and of the womb”
“they shall be on the head of Joseph”

And this is the blessing of Judah: and he said, Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah, and bring him unto his people: let his hands be sufficient for him; and be thou an help to him from his enemies.
And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah;
Who said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own children: for they have observed thy word, and kept thy covenant.
They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law: they shall put incense before thee, and whole burnt sacrifice upon thine altar.
Bless, Lord, his substance, and accept the work of his hands; smite through the loins of them that rise against him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not again.

“Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one”
“They shall teach Jacob thy judgments”
“and Israel thy law”
“Bless, Lord, his substance”
“accept the work of his hands”
“smite through the loins of them that rise against him”
“of them that hate him”
“that they rise not again”

When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it.
And it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, that all the people that is found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee.
And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it:
And when the Lord thy God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword:

“When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it”
“then proclaim peace unto it”
“if it make thee answer of peace”
“all the people that is found therein shall be tributaries unto thee”
“they shall serve thee”
“And if it will make no peace with thee”
“when the Lord thy God hath delivered it into thine hands”
“thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword:”

And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.
Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.
So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.

“every man also gave him a piece of money”
“every one an earring of gold”

And Joseph fell upon his father's face, and wept upon him, and kissed him.

“Joseph fell upon his father's face”
“and kissed him”

And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.
Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:
And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.
And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.
And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.

“Jacob said unto his household”
“and to all that were with him”
“Put away the strange gods that are among you”
“be clean”
“change your garments”

“they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand”
“all their earrings which were in their ears”
“Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.”
“the terror of God was upon the cities”

And the Lord said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.
And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.
And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast.
Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh forth to the water; and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Let my people go, that they may serve me.

“Say unto Aaron”
“Stretch out thy rod”
“Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh”
“This is the finger of God”
“Pharaoh's heart was hardened”

And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.
And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.
And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the Lord.
And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves:
They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
And the Lord said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:

“And Aaron said unto them”
“Break off the golden earrings”
“after he had made it a molten calf”
“And the Lord said unto Moses”
“I have seen this people”
“it is a stiffnecked people:”

Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian.
And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the Lord shall rule over you.
And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)
And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey.

“And Gideon said unto them”
“I will not rule over you”
“neither shall my son rule over you”
“the Lord shall rule over you”
“And they spread a garment”
“and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey.”

And Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the Lord, that he had done for Israel.
And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.
And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him in a hill that pertained to Phinehas his son, which was given him in mount Ephraim.

“the bones of Joseph”
“buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bough”
“it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.”

And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.
And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it, (for he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt;)
That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying,
Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.
And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.
And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?
And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.
But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:
And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter?
And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins.
And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

“Rehoboam went to Shechem”
“for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king”
“My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins.”
“my father hath chastised you with whips”
“but I will chastise you with scorpions”

Ears that hear, choose life or death

every one an earring of gold

“every man also gave him a piece of money”
“every one an earring of gold”

“Joseph is a fruitful bough”
“and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob”
“Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above”
“blessings of the breasts”
“and of the womb”
“they shall be on the head of Joseph”

“Joseph fell upon his father's face”
“and kissed him”

“the bones of Joseph”
“buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bough”
“it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.”

“Jacob said unto his household”
“and to all that were with him”
“Put away the strange gods that are among you”
“be clean”
“change your garments”

“Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one”
“They shall teach Jacob thy judgments”
“and Israel thy law”
“Bless, Lord, his substance”
“accept the work of his hands”

“When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it”
“then proclaim peace unto it”
“if it make thee answer of peace”
“all the people that is found therein shall be tributaries unto thee”
“they shall serve thee”
“every man also gave him a piece of money”
“every one an earring of gold”

“And Gideon said unto them”
“I will not rule over you”
“neither shall my son rule over you”
“the Lord shall rule over you”

“they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand”
“all their earrings which were in their ears”
“Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.”
“the terror of God was upon the cities”

“When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it”
“And if it will make no peace with thee”
“when the Lord thy God hath delivered it into thine hands”
“thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword:”

“blessings of the deep that lieth under”
“accept the work of his hands”
“smite through the loins of them that rise against him”
“of them that hate him”
“that they rise not again”

“Say unto Aaron”
“Stretch out thy rod”
“Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh”
“This is the finger of God”
“Pharaoh's heart was hardened”

“And Aaron said unto them”
“Break off the golden earrings”
“after he had made it a molten calf”
“And the Lord said unto Moses”
“I have seen this people”
“it is a stiffnecked people:”

“Rehoboam went to Shechem”
“for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king”
“My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins.”
“my father hath chastised you with whips”
“but I will chastise you with scorpions”

“And Gideon said unto them”
“I will not rule over you”
“neither shall my son rule over you”
“the Lord shall rule over you”
“And they spread a garment”
“and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey.”

Do you not understand prophecy. David converts the sinner, Solomon taught the convert.

Do you not understand I One

Do you still wish to live in the world, or on earth

I will divide Shechem

And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him.
But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.
Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure.
Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.
Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: I am the Lord.

“Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have”

And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.
And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the Lord heard it.
Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.

“Now the man Moses was very meek”
“above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.”

Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared, and was still,
When God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth.

“Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven”
“When God arose to judgment”
“to save all the meek of the earth”

Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.
That thy beloved may be delivered; save with thy right hand, and hear me.
God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth.
Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver;

“save with thy right hand”
“hear me.”
“God hath spoken in his holiness”
“I will divide Shechem”

Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.
The Lord lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.
Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God:
Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.

“Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving”
“who prepareth rain for the earth”

My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.
The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
For the kingdom is the Lord's: and he is the governor among the nations.
All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.
A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.
They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.

“The meek shall eat and be satisfied”
“they shall praise the Lord that seek him”
“your heart shall live for ever.”
“A seed shall serve him”
“to the Lord for a generation”
“a people that shall be born”

Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O Lord.
Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.
The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.
All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.

David
“Good and upright is the Lord”
“he teach sinners in the way”
Solomon
“The meek will he guide in judgment”
“the meek will he teach his way”
“All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.”

For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.
But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.
The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.
Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.

“The wicked plotteth against the just”
“The wicked have drawn out the sword”
“Their sword shall enter into their own heart”

Can it be any clearer than this

“A seed shall serve him”
“to the Lord for a generation”
“a people that shall be born”
“Now the man Moses was very meek”
“above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.”
“Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven”
“When God arose to judgment”
“to save all the meek of the earth”
“save with thy right hand”
“hear me.”
“God hath spoken in his holiness”
“I will divide Shechem”
“Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have”
“Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving”
“who prepareth rain for the earth”
“Good and upright is the Lord”
“he teach sinners in the way”
“The meek shall eat and be satisfied”
“they shall praise the Lord that seek him”
“your heart shall live for ever.”
“The meek will he guide in judgment”
“the meek will he teach his way”
“All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.”

“I will divide Shechem”
“The wicked plotteth against the just”
“The wicked have drawn out the sword”
“Their sword shall enter into their own heart”

rcg said "My personal religious views are simply that: personal" if you religious view is personal, how can you be a minister. I only know what I feel to be right and true, and that Truth

here is truth, it's spiritual

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

“darkness was upon the face of the deep”
“Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters”

And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.

“firmament in the midst of the waters”
“let it divide the waters from the waters.”

And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.

“divided the waters which were under the firmament”
“from the waters which were above the firmament”

And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.

Do you see, in God’s eyes creatures have life
“Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life”

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness

Do you see, God did not give them the breath of life neither a soul. This time period is when the Neanderthal ruled the earth.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Do you see, it is said a man is known by his fruit.
And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

“I have given you” “every tree” “in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed”

These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens,
And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.
But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.
And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Look
“heavens and of the earth, earth and the heavens”

Do you see
“for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth”
“there was not a man to till the ground.”

Look, this is a spirit only one has
“But there went up a mist from the earth”
“and watered the whole face of the ground.”

“the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground”
“breathed into his nostrils the breath of life”
“and man became a living soul”

Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:
Because I will publish the name of the Lord: ascribe ye greatness unto our God.

Do you see
“My doctrine shall drop as the rain”

Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.

“I will rain bread from heaven for you”

But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven:
A land which the Lord thy God careth for: the eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.
And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,
That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.

“drinketh water of the rain of heaven”

That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.

Look
“I will give you the rain of your land in his due season”
“the first rain”
“the latter rain”

Born of water and Spirit
“the first rain” “the latter rain”
“But there went up a mist from the earth”
“and watered the whole face of the ground.”
“the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground”
“breathed into his nostrils the breath of life”
“and man became a living soul”
“I will rain bread from heaven for you”
“drinketh water of the rain of heaven”
“My doctrine shall drop as the rain”

Look, this is a spirit only one has
“But there went up a mist from the earth”

All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers.
And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.

“he humbled thee”
“suffered thee to hunger”
“fed thee with manna”
‘he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only”
“but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.”

Here is the secret, it is not the physical bread but the spiritual bread and water
“but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.”

“My doctrine shall drop as the rain”
“I will rain bread from heaven for you”
“drinketh water of the rain of heaven”

Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.
Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for My name is in him.
But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.
For mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off.
Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images.
And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and He shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.

“ye shall serve the Lord”
“He shall bless thy bread, and thy water”
“My name is in him”

Look, sickness is evil in the midst.
“and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.”

Why is the evil in the midst you say, to fulfill.
“I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.”
“For mine Angel shall go before thee”
“I will cut them off.”

Do you see, in God’s eyes creatures have life, this water does not come from above
“Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life”

“But there went up a mist from the earth”
“and watered the whole face of the ground.”

“the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground”
“breathed into his nostrils the breath of life”
“and man became a living soul”

now look at the words of Solomon

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain

Do you see
“heavens and of the earth, earth and the heavens”
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

God is evil and good
and a time to hate; a time of war
a time to die, a time to plant (hell)

the first rain and the latter rain
“heavens heavens”
“A time to be born” “a time to pluck up that which is planted”
“A time to love and a time of peace.”

Now study this
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
It is a spirit the does not ascend; it is a spirit that only goes down.

Look, this spirit never leaves the earth
earth, earth
god god

The Spirit of the Lord starts in Heaven and returns to Heaven.

that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.

“ye shall serve the Lord”
“He shall bless thy bread, and thy water”
“My name is in him”
“My doctrine shall drop as the rain”
“I will rain bread from heaven for you”
“drinketh water of the rain of heaven”

not contributing to the discussion either from your own personal beliefs

The Words I quote are that of the Lord, what I might say of my own may muddle the meaning of the Creator. It is this Word that matters, it is up to you to have a heart to perceive, eyes that see, ears that hear. I just try to put it in context and in a order where only a fool would not understand.

If you choose to challenge what I have written, then you are against the LORD. It is The Word.

Harold:

If you're asking me of what churh I am, I am an ordained minister through the Universal Life Church.

If you would like to learn more about it, you are welcome to visit
www.ulc.org

My personal religious views are simply that: personal. I would not suppose to enforce them upon anyone through threats of condemnation - physical or spiritual. I only know what I feel to be right and true, and that Truth, I see in a LOT of different places.

If you were NOT directing a question at me, then you were putting up block after block of uncited text, and not contributing to the discussion either from your own personal beliefs, or through specific citations of texts that you hold dear to you heart.

DUDLEY SHARP seems to make the case that the execution of potentially innocent, no matter how statistically improbabble is acceptable in the face of potential deterrent with a ratio of atleast 18:1. He does not argue that the taking of a life of an unarmed, restrained individual will bring back the lives that person took. Nor does he make the case that the taking of a life (again, outside the bounds of self-defense) is not in and of itself murder, and those that commit it themselves criminals. He has also failed to demonstrate that the death penalty saves anyone time or money; both things quantifiable when compared to the preciousness of a living, breathing person.

Death Penalty advocates do something that many serial killers, tyrants and sociopaths also do: Dehumanize their victims. They are called "criminals", "condemned", "capital offenders", or simply "inmates". By taking away their names and issuing identification numbers, they take away one more piece of their humanity, making their murders that much easier on the concience. Pickett had the task - in the last moments of life he KNEW was being taken and could do nothing about - to restore that humanity to them. The impression Claire Hoffman's interview with the film makers seemed to give was that Pickett, in some ways lost his humanity as part of the process.

Imagine that:
Every day, your job is to help those are about to be murderd - and everyone knows it and chooses not to aknowledge it. To whom do you turn? How would any of you handle it?

Judge me, O Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the Lord; therefore I shall not slide.
Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.
For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.

For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.
This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not.

And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

“but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh”
“lord of all his house”

And the Lord said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.

“See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh”

Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,

“the anointed of the God of Jacob”

And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the Lord said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the Lord.
And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.
And Samuel did that which the Lord spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?
And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the Lord: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

“Samuel did that which the Lord spake”
“thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee”

“a law of the God of Jacob”
“See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh”
“Samuel did that which the Lord spake”
“thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee”

Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?
And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;
Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

“thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people”
“that I may discern between good and bad”
“I have done according to thy words”
“I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart”

Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.

And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.
And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.

Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.
O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.
Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.
They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.
Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.
For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.
I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.
The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.

“Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.”

Before the Lord: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.

Before the Lord
for he cometh to judge the earth
and the people with his truth
he cometh
he shall judge the world with righteousness

And the people said unto Joshua, The Lord our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey.
So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.
And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the Lord.
And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the Lord which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God.
So Joshua let the people depart, every man unto his inheritance.
And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being an hundred and ten years old.
And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathserah, which is in mount Ephraim, on the north side of the hill of Gaash.
And Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the Lord, that he had done for Israel.
And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.
And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him in a hill that pertained to Phinehas his son, which was given him in mount Ephraim.

And Joshua said unto all the people,
Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us;
for it hath heard all the words of the Lord which he spake unto us:
it shall be therefore a witness unto you,
lest ye deny your God.

And Joshua said unto all the people,
Before the Lord
Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us;
for he cometh to judge the earth
for it hath heard all the words of the Lord which he spake unto us:
and the people with his truth
I have walked in thy truth
it shall be therefore a witness unto you,
he cometh
lest ye deny your God.
he shall judge the world with righteousness
All the words of my mouth are in righteousness

“Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.”

Quoting “I am an ordained minister”

You shall not murder
No, eternel damnation in hell

Of what faith, are you a Levite, son of Aaron, the seed of Joshua

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
This is it that belongeth unto the Levites: from twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service of the tabernacle of the congregation:
And from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service thereof, and shall serve no more:
But shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charge.

This is it that belongeth unto the Levites: from twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service of the tabernacle of the congregation

And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God.

and his minister Joshua

And it shall be upon Aaron to minister: and his sound shall be heard when he goeth in unto the holy place before the Lord, and when he cometh out, that he die not.
And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.

These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest's office.

the sons of Aaron
the priests which were anointed
whom he consecrated to minister in the priest's office.

Testing post meant for Scientology blog

Democracy in Action - MoveOn(dot)org

takes on public causes they consider worthwhile

I cannot fathom being the last 'man of faith' that a condemned person sees.

Can any of you?

Does any one of you reading this column has the right to take the life of another?

Let's be clear about this: this is NOT self defense.
No matter how humane it might be made "like putting a stray dog to sleep" the life of an unarmed, restrained fellow human being is being taken on purpose.

I believe that's called Murder.

A life is a life is a life. They are somebody's child. Somebody's brother, or father.

What can be gained from taking a life? No matter how agonizing the execution, it will not bring back what was taken. If you worship a diety of vengance, that's one thing. Many people, however, claim to worship one of mercy.

A few examples of religious texts seem to agree:

The recompense for an injury
is an injury equal thereto (in degree),
but if a person forgives and makes reconciliation,
his reward is due from God,
for God loves not those who do wrong.
But indeed, if any do help and defend themselves
after a wrong done to them,
against such there is no cause of blame.
The blame is only against those who oppress men
with wrongdoing and insolently transgress
beyond bounds through the land,
defying right and justice.
For such there will be a penalty grievous (in the Hereafter).
But indeed, if any show patience and forgive,
that would truly be an affair of great resolution.
Qur'an 42:40-43

You shall not murder.
Exodus 20:13
Deuteronomy 5:17

An' it harm none, do what ye will
Wiccan Rede

"It happened with Rava: A man came to Rava and told him that the governor of the city had ordered that he (the man) slay a certain man or himself suffer death, and Rava said to him: 'Rather than slay another person, you must permit yourself to be slain, for how do you know that your blood is redder than his, perhaps his blood is redder than yours?'"
Talmud (in Sanhedrin 74a)

If Faith (as defined by a belief beyond - or instead of - logic) in a diety that demands mercy and forgiveness, shouldn't then the Faithful demand the same?

I am an ordained minister and against the death penalty for any reason, by anybody. Period. The comfort - and weight it carries - given by Pickett is immeasurable.

Peace be upon all the prophets, and all those who extol mercy and forgiveness.