Living and dying in the US of A

The death penalty has been back in the news, with word of a failed execution in Tennessee and discussion of how to proceed, not to mention the announcement that the firing-squad execution of a mass murderer will be live-streamed. And horrifying crime is again in the news after a jury failed to convince one holdout that it’s OK to strangle your three young children to death if you’re in the throes of postpartum depression.

I am never OK with the forcible taking of human life. I believe only God has the right to decide who’s to live and die. I know that’s a song lyric, not a Bible verse — even the Bible contends there’s “a time for war” — but despite all attempts at rationalization or justification, I abhor killing humans under all circumstances, and I especially don’t want government proclaiming that sometimes it’s appropriate.

I was horrified from the start by the Supreme Court’s decision that condoned the slaughter of unborn children, and when accused of hypocrisy I could honestly reply, “No, I DO also oppose the death penalty,” and for good measure I might mention that I don’t condone war, to boot.

And so when the state botched the execution of an evil murderer, I was saddened in part because the state proved to be incompetent at yet another task. I have a somewhat inhumane reason for opposing the death penalty — since I believe in heaven even for those who sincerely repent of their sins and present their lives to Jesus late in the game, I believe in denying them entry into heaven for as long as possible until God decides he’s good and ready to take that once-evil soul. That makes me a big fan of life without parole for the most heinous crimes.

I do hope never to second-guess a person who defends herself and causes the death of someone who wants to kill her, but I do regret whenever a human dies, even a deranged would-be killer.

But I will not second-guess a decision to put a bungie cord around the necks of three defenseless children and squeeze the life out of them. There is a woman who must be put away in a place where she can never harm another human. Don’t waste your time trying to tell me “what drove her to it.”

I surrender the burden of choosing who lives or dies to my Lord and my Redeemer. And so, here is another day that Lord has made, and off I go to rejoice.

Allen the Alien, Chapter 10

Spicee and Margaret were best friends, even though they didn’t agree on much of anything.

“Edgar Allen Poe,” Margaret would say.

“Absolutely not. R.L. Stine,” Spicee would counter.

“Bluegrass,” Margaret sighed happily.

“Punk rock,” insisted Spicee.

But they agreed about October.

“Apple cider,” said Spicee.

“The colors on the trees,” said Margaret.

“Halloween!” they shouted as one.

“What is Halloween?” asked Allen.

“Are you from Mars?” Margaret cried.

“Something like that,” he said.

“Halloween is our favorite,” Spicee said.

“Why is that?”

Spicee screamed with delight. “Oh, all the candy and the decorations and the costumes and the ghosts and goblins and dancing skeletons and the Monster Mash and the parties and the unicorns and ten thousand princesses and everything!”

“I’m surprised you like ‘Monster Mash,’” Margaret said.

“It’s a graveyard smash!” Spicee said with glee.

“You look unhappy, Mr. Alien,” Margaret said suddenly. “Are you OK?”

“You can call me Allen,” Allen said, taken by surprise. “What makes you think I’m sad?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “Maybe you just look thoughtful.

“No, I thought he looked unhappy, too,” Spicee said. “What’s the matter?”

Allen said. “Fearless Leader is not convinced that Earth is ready to join the interplanetary federation. And even worse — oh, never mind. I don’t know why I’m telling you this.”

“Well, it wouldn’t be the end of the world,” Margaret said.

Allen started to reply, but chose not to.

“You should come to our Halloween party!” Spicee said. “It will cheer you right up.”

“And your little dog, too,” Margaret added.

“I don’t have a dog,” Allen said.

“That’s just something Margaret says,” said Spicee. “I’ve never figured out why.”

The fierce happiness of the two friends did shake Allen out of his funk.

“When is this party?” he asked.

“Yay!!” they cried together.

“This gives me goosebumps!” Spicee said.

“Nevermore,” Margaret said.

This planet might be backwards, but it was not beyond hope. Allen decided then and there that he would not let Fearless Leader make any hasty decisions about its future.