The internet is awash with gazillions of stories and opinions about the horrific murder of Turning Point USA founder, Charlie Kirk. We shall present here only the salient points as regards the situation vis à vis biblical law.
We expect all Christians know the Sixth Commandment:
Exodus 20:13 Thou shalt not kill.
Further, most probably understand that the word “kill” is better translated “murder.” There is a distinction and we have expounded that in our lectures on Murder, Manslaughter and Sanctuary Cities. [4 CDs in an album; $20 plus $7 s & h.]
But there is another law of God which is also in play in this situation. First, though, here are some pertinent facts—as we know them now—which we have excerpted from a reliable on line news source. We have emphasized important words or phrases.
QUOTE: Steven Crowder Obtains Leaked Utah County Sheriff’s Office Internal Docs About Suspected Charlie Kirk Assassin Tyler Robinson
Conservative podcaster Steven Crowder has obtained leaked internal documents from the Utah County Sheriff’s Office regarding suspected Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson. …
The documents reveal that Robinson had become “more political in recent years,” with a family member recounting a dinner conversation where he expressed hatred for Kirk, accusing the conservative activist of “spreading hate.”
On the evening of September 11, that same family member contacted authorities through a friend, claiming Robinson had confessed or implicated himself in the shooting.
Investigators also interviewed Robinson’s roommate, who showed them Discord messages from a contact named “Tyler” discussing retrieving a rifle from a bush, engraving bullets, wrapping the weapon in a towel, and changing outfits to evade detection. END QUOTE
Here is the link to that much longer story. Next, a brief excerpt from another story on the same on line news outlet.
QUOTE: Charlie Kirk Assassin Tyler Robinson Threatened to Kill Himself After Father Confronted Him About Murder: Report
Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson, 22, was taken into custody on Friday morning after his father confronted him about the murder….
Robinson’s father, a veteran police officer, confronted him after Utah authorities released new photos of the suspect on Thursday.
According to The New York Post, Tyler Robinson threatened to take his own life rather than turn himself in. The New York Post reported:
“Accused Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson threatened to kill himself rather than surrender to authorities after his father confronted him about the sickening murder, according to law enforcement sources.
“The father recognized his 22-year-old son from photos of the suspected shooter that were released by authorities Thursday, leading the parent to confront his son when he returned home, sources said.
“Robinson ‘fessed up to the horrific shooting when his dad asked if he pulled the trigger — but originally refused to turn himself in to law enforcement, according to sources.
“He told his father he’d rather kill himself, leading the parent to convince his son to speak with their youth minister, who also happens to be a US Marshals Service fugitive task force officer, sources said.” END QUOTE
The full article is here.
In our view, the portion of God’s law which is possibly or probably in play here is this: (My emphasis)
Deuteronomy 21:20 And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.
19 Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place;
20 And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.
21 And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.
The biblical principle here is a rebellious child. (This is obviously not speaking of a young child but one who is old enough to know right from wrong and be a drunkard.) It would take a really wicked and incorrigible child for parents to come to the point of turning him over to the authorities for capital punishment!
The sins of drunkenness and gluttony are not sins which require the death penalty. But rebellion against God-ordained authority is a capital offense.
Nor are we concerned here about the manner of the death prescribed. The State of Utah has the death penalty and still has a firing squad. Without getting deeper in the weeds on a discussion of that issue, we will only opine that torture, whether over hours or days—as was cruelly applied by both Catholics and Protestants against each other in the Dark Ages—should be out of the question.
We would also suggest that the Scriptures seems to indicate that the execution should be public, (verse 21) … so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.
If the public only reads about the execution, it may not have nearly the preventative impact that witnessing the execution in person (or even on TV or social media) will have. God clearly states in that verse that this will have a deterrent effect, so I am all for that.
I personally saw the TV news clip of Charlie getting hit, but they cut the video just before we saw blood. I was aware that much more was visible on social media, but I chose not to view it.
Same with the clips I saw of the brutal slaying of the 22-year-old Ukrainian woman on the light rail train in Charlotte last week. The clip I saw ended just as the murderer had his arm raised with the knife ready to come down and plunge into her neck. I knew that I could view the whole bloody death, but I chose not to watch it.
I do not want to have those tragic images burned into my mind. I feel sorry for the social media addicts who play the gory murders over and over again, as reported by (I think it was) the governor of Utah this morning. Don’t do that, people! You will become ever more desensitized to it and gradually become “immune” to the horror of taking a human life.
I could write a book about the terribly harmful mental and spiritual effects of playing some of the video games out there which do exactly that (desensitize), but a web search will give you more than you might want to know.
In conclusion, we can only imagine the soul-searching the parents (or at least the father, by these reports) must have undergone before essentially turning his son in to the “elders of his city.” But from what we know at this point, it was the right thing to do.
Meanwhile, we can also only imagine the horrendous pain being suffered by Erika Kirk, but we have read reports that, like her husband, she also has a very strong faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And we join in prayers for her and Charlie’s family.
~END~
