The death penalty is something which requires great consideration. Everybody wants to live, no one wants to die.

Still, I feel the death penalty is wrong because I have heard of innocent people falling prey to this cruel act, while the guilty walk free.

One innocent individual should not see his or her life cut short by the death penalty. The youths should be tried as adults but they should not face death either. Violence only breeds more violence. These treacherous youngsters must be separated from mainstream society.

It is hard to convince me that all the people who were killed were really guilty. The rights of the individual is being violated when he/she is sentenced to death.

Forgive

In spite of the reality that they allegedly committed these horrendous crimes, what about forgiveness? Didn't Jesus tell us to forgive our brothers 20 times 10, and He and He alone, through His Father, is the bringer of all vengeance?

Vengeance is His. We cannot fool ourselves of this hard fact. People are disgruntled about the spate of killings in our country and fail to realise the importance of forgiveness. We get angry at times and sometimes lose our cool but, eventually, we all regret, sometimes even the very thought of how we felt.

I strongly disagree with pastors embracing the death penalty.

Jesus went all the way to Calvary to forgive us of our sins. It seems that He went to Calvary for nothing at all. In His kingly character, He must be disappointed with his followers who should be fighting clean crusades for the benefit of all humanity.

I believe that pastors should be instruments of social change and should not be carried away by the worldly activities of their counterparts. How can we depend on violent men for the creation of a kinder and gentler society?

We need men of substance to bridge the great divide. I think these men of God should apologise for their utterance. They have all erred and it takes a big man to say I am sorry. Admit when you are wrong, it is a sign of maturity.

I am Paris Taylor,

Greater Portmore

St Catherine

bighot43@yahoo.com