I try to listen to your radio programme as much as I can. Your topic about hanging hit me in the heart. Jamaicans in agreeing with the resumption of hanging must remember the days of slavery and of our ancestors who were hung from the noose by the white man for not obeying his order. They must also remember that some ran away because of the bad treatment they received. Why would we want to enforce such a brutal act ?

Love more, hate less

We need to teach each other to love more and hate less. I think the killings are being done mostly by the criminals who return home from abroad and have been influenced by the movies on the television and movies that we allow to filter into our country. If each and every one of us would pray and be kinder to one another, we would then understand the Word of Jehovah and His commandment that "thou shall not kill".

G.W., Washington D.C., USA

Dear G.W.,

I am happy to hear that you listen to my radio show on Power 106 FM. I must admit that I was startled by the response some people gave to the topic "To Hang or Not to Hang -The Death Penalty". People are indeed angry, and angry people are not rational in their thinking.

There are those who claim to be God's people and teach that anyone who does not support the death penalty does not understand the Scriptures. Those who hold such opinion need to think again and ask themselves when and why was the death penalty instituted, and what authority do they have to condemn those who do not support their position? They should also remember that we are living under the dispensation of grace and we should be very careful how we apply Old Testament laws in this epoch.

This is not a time to quarrel with anyone or to curse folks who are against the death penalty. What I am trying to say is whether you are for or against the death penalty, we should try to understand each other and join in the fight against crime, instead of condemning each other.

I have very good friends who are in favour of the death penalty, and I also have very good friends who are against it. I respect their opinion but I do not allow them to influence what I believe, because I am an independent thinker and no politician or preacher can sway me from my position on the death penalty.

Pastor