DEATH AND ATONEMENT, Chapter 7 of Blood Atonement by OGDEN KRAUT

DEATH AND ATONEMENT, Chapter 7 of Blood Atonement by OGDEN KRAUT

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So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are; for blood it defileth the land; and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it. (Num. 35:33)

There are some crimes committed against the laws of man which are so serious that they are punishable by death, or capital punishment. Some sins against the laws of God are also serious enough to warrant the same punishment. Crime is against civil law, but sin is an ecclesiastical offense. In some instances a religious sin can be more serious than a civil crime. Murder is considered a crime in society, and also a sin against the law of God.

However, sometimes a sin against God is not a crime against society, such as swearing or profanity, or not keeping the Sabbath Day holy. And, conversely, there are times when a crime against society is not a sin against God; for example, exceeding the speed limit on the highway, plural marriage, or fishing without a license. Yet there are also certain transgressions which break both the laws of God and the laws of man. Murder is one of these evils, along with robbery, rape, assault, etc.