The statement that those who kill shall die may be understood in at least two different senses. First, all who commit sin diminish God's influence in their lives—a condition known as spiritual death. Second, serious offenses, such as murder, may also result in one's life being forfeited. Doctrine and Covenants 42:79 specifies that such punishment is to be meted out only by the law of the land. President Wilford Woodruff wrote: "The revelations of God to this Church make death the penalty for capital crime, and require that offenders against life and property shall be delivered up to and tried by the laws of the land" (Deseret Weekly, 12 Dec. 1889).
Elder B. H. Roberts acknowledged "an accusation to the effect that we believe in what is called 'blood atonement.' So, indeed, we do; and so also do the Christian world. Is it not the belief of the Christian world that they will be saved through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God? Most assuredly; and so, too, do we believe in the atonement of the Christ. . . . But the reputation has gone out . . . that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the 'Mormon' Church, arrogates to itself the right to take human life for apostasy from the Church, and for certain other sins. That is a slander; it is not true. We do not believe the doctrine; we do not claim for the Church that it has the right of capital punishment, or the right of executing vengeance" (Defense of the Faith, 2:452-53; see also Roberts, Comprehensive History, 4:129).
(Richard O. Cowan, Answers to Your Questions About the Doctrine and Covenants [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1996], 54.)
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2 comments:
Blood Atonement and capital punishment are two differnt things. The Church has come out clearly in favour of the principle of capital punishment for murder. The BoM teaches it is justified both in cases of murder and treason (Captain Moroni executed many for treason, at times he did this on the spot without a trial)
From the current BoM institute manual:
Alma 1:17–18. Capital Punishment
The law of God is, “Whoso sheddeth man’s
blood, by man shall his blood be shed” (Genesis 9:6).
In 1889 the First Presidency and the Quorum of the
Twelve Apostles prepared a declaration regarding the
Church’s position on capital punishment:
“We solemnly make the following
declarations, viz.:
“That this Church views the shedding of human
blood with the utmost abhorrence. That we regard the
killing of human beings, except in conformity with the
civil law, as a capital crime which should be punished
by shedding the blood of the criminal, after a public
trial before a legally constituted court of the land. . . .
“The revelations of God to this Church make death
the penalty for capital crime, and require that offenders
against life and property shall be delivered up to and
tried by the laws of the land” (“Official Declaration,”
Millennial Star, 20 Jan. 1890, pp. 33–34; emphasis
added).
In other words, we believe in the death penalty but not that the church should execute it, rather that the state should.
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