Chris: The problem with the humility of making mistakes is the assumption that there is not already a system in place for said mistakes. While often lauded as a strike against the death penalty (due to costs), the appeals process is designed to ensure that mistakes are not carried out to the level of killing the inmate. If you added a fully Christian system with the current appeals process, would the definition be humility or milquetoast?

Ronald: While I agree with the point that the tower of Babel shows us God’s grace, I am not sure that it is keeping a person from sinning as much as keeping a person from sinning further. Small distinction, I know. The sin had already been committed in the mind, which Jesus told us was the starting point of sin. (Don’t worry, I am not going to say Racca in here. ;>) I am not sure I agree with everything that Edwards espouses, but I can go along for the ride. I have also heard the correlary between eternal damnation and God’s grace: by being consumed by an eternal fire, the focus of the individual is on blaming God rather than himself. Plus, he does not have to realize that he is eternally separated from God. Very powerful thought that God would rather have us experience eternal pain for which we could blame him than the far worse pain to realize we are eternally separated and it is our fault.

Eric: Chunky or crunchy is my favorite, except when cooking. ;> ... and briefs. Boxers bunch up with jeans. Although boxers are nice when you can run around in your underwear.

On a light note, here is a story about a man that wants to change his name to “god” (lower case, of course). His reasoning is to get himself out of a life of perfectionism.

Michael: The death penalty is first mentioned, as you mention, in Genesis, where it is a life for a life. Additional reasons for the death penalty (primarily by stoning) include bodily sins (adultery, homosexuality), which fit into the body as a temple idea, and for blasphemic acts. There were other acts that were abominations (AV), which always made one unclean, but did not always bring death. The primary use of the death penalty, by man, was taking a life, however.

Jesus was quite plain on being a fulfillment of the law, rather than a replacement, so it would require taking Christ’s message way out of context to suggest that Jesus abolished the death penalty. The modern church does use this form of “hermeneutical gymnastics” to do all sorts of things. I have even seen a treatise on how the bible teaches abortion is both moral and acceptable (admitedly not yet endorsed by any mainline denomination).