Spare the rod?

Re-watched a thought-provoking episode of West Wing last night about capital punishment, hate crimes and gay rights (Season 1 of course, after Aaron Sorkin left the show became so shallow).

Some thoughts:

1. Capital Punishment: are there crimes so terrible that the perpetrator be punished with death? Everyone's misdeeds will be accounted for on the Day of Judgement so shouldn't we take the high road and forgive people on earth, and pray for God's justice instead? I thought about this for a while, and then decided - how can one expect a devasted family will be patient and forgiving? I would be vengeful, why shouldn't anyone else feel otherwise? So I decided that I'm in favor of capital punishment for heinous crimes (pre-meditated murder, rape, sexual abuse) but I may have to think about it for other types of crimes (drug dealing, for instance).

2. Gay rights/hate crimes: Of course, all hate crimes are serious offences and should be punished. There's no difference between a message of religious hate or sexual prejudice, it's all evil and needs to be legislated against. But should gays have rights? Should they be allowed to marry and be recognized that way?

This question is hard for me to resolve. I believe all people should have equal rights, black or white, gay or straight.

But then I am held back by the staunch belief I have that being gay is, well, wrong. Now, don't get me wrong - I don't discriminate in my behavior towards gays - every human being deserves respect and honor, as long as they don't injure or threaten you in any way - and I have no prejudiced pre-conceptions about them.

However, I do personally believe that homosexuality is an aberration of nature. It is not how we were intended to be. So by no measure is marriage between them acceptable.

I believe that some people are born gay and can't help how they feel, and I believe that some people choose to be gay, for the thrill of experimentation or for the physical pleasure (and I'm perfectly ok with the counter-theory that some people choose to be straight). Either way, the experience is God's way of testing a person's ability to choose the right path.

Of course I'm not lumping my personal opinion on anyone else, and neither am I doing anything about my opinion - I'm just voicing it here. I hope I haven't offended anyone's sensibilities! Open to a discussion on this.

Whoops, gotta run. My ride is here.

l8rz.