The Garden of Eden, Death by Firing Squad, & Video Games

You might be unaware of this but as of right now there are two states out 50 that still allow death row inmates to be executed by firing squad – Utah and Oklahoma.  Death by firing squad was actually banned in Utah in 2004, but it is still allowed to be a chosen form of death by those who have been on death row prior to the laws conception.  

This morning a death row inmate was executed by firing squad in Utah.  His name was Ronnie Lee Gardner, and he was the first to die in Utah by this method of execution in 14 years.  He died at 12:15 am. 

Regardless of your view on capital punishment, for a Christian, death is never looked upon in the light.  Whether one is a victim or the one revenge is taken upon, death should always make us cringe.  To be honest, many of us have become complacent when we view death; death no longer affects us.  We watch death on TV and in movies and even play shoot em’ up video games.  I’m not saying any of the former examples are wrong in and of themselves, but for the Christian death should always be seen as a curse of the fall.  An interesting way to put this would be to ask if these games, TV shows, or movies would exist in the Garden, or before sin entered into the world?

I honestly don’t think so.  As Christians, we must always remember our redemptive state.  According to the Bible, we wait in joyous anticipation of the day when Jesus returns.  He will return one day and make all things new.  He will return one day and completely defeat sin and death.  When sin no longer exists then death will no longer exist.  We will no longer see death as a form of entertainment.  

When we walk in the light then death should always rub us the wrong way, whether we see a man executed for his wrong-doing, death in TV shows and movies, or even in video games.  It should always remind us of the current state of our world while always hoping and anticipating for the day when death will be no more.