by Matthew Pasalic
The media reported that Gov. Martin O'Malley took his campaign against Maryland's death penalty to the streets Wednesday, praying and marching with clergy in opposition to capital punishment ("O' Malley marches against death penalty," The Washington Times, February 26th, 2009). The governor observed that he has 22 Senate votes to repeal the death penalty, but the "Holy Spirit might have 24, so let's give him a shot." The governor correctly identified the masculinity of the Holy Spirit, but I think that he is grossly mistaken to claim that the Holy Spirit is against the death penalty especially since death is the natural curse from God for all of sinful humanity. Death was the outcome for Ananias and Sapphira for lying to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5). However, if the governor is not interested in wasting “one instant, one day, one cent, one dime, serving death,” he needs to practice his faith as a consistent Catholic and defend the great multitude of babies who are about to be born, but are instead butchered in the name of choice at area abortion clinics. It is hypocritical, irrational, and illogical that Gov. O’Malley, who arrogantly defies basic Catholic theology by supporting abortion on demand, chooses to uphold his Church’s position in opposing the death penalty. Many Christians are cognizant of the notion of a salad bar or buffet style Christianity. This increasingly popular brand of Christianity allows believers to pick and choose what is most appealing to them. Has it ever occurred to liberal Christians that God, who never changes, supports the death penalty as it was His will for the Lord Jesus Christ to die for the sins of humanity? Therefore, had liberals like Gov. O’Malley had his way 2000 years ago, there would be no remission for our sins.
Other opponents of capital punishment contend that there is a disproportionate number of minorities on death row. Do we need to satisfy a racial quota for executions in America? There is also a disproportion number of minorities in prison. By using such logic, we should ascertain that our jails are diverse and well-represented demographically. Perhaps we should just abolish prisons altogether as they are likewise expensive and outdated.
Furthermore, when I first heard of the governor aligning himself with religious leaders in Annapolis, I was perplexed as to the overt silence from activist groups such as the Americans United for Separation of Church and State, People for the American Way, and the American Civil Liberties Union. When it comes to championing political causes of the left, it is permissible for government elected officials to invoke their faith and attend marches. These groups aggressively silence and intimidate Christians more so than other faiths with the mendacious notion that there is an impregnable wall of “separation of church and state” in the US Constitution. Many Americans have been deceived into believing that the words appear in the Constitution when the fact is that they do not.
