The Execution of Gary Graham

Jay Horsley

In this week's paper were numerous stories on the execution of Gary Graham. While most of the coverage was overtly political (a great part of the excitement occurring because of the politics of our governor's run for President), there were religious aspects to the controversy, and that is what we wish to consider.

The Opposition of “Religious” Men

The first thing noticed in all the coverage of the opposition to the execution of Mr. Graham was the prominence of “religious” leaders. Four notable men made sure that they were out front in leading the criticism. The “Reverends” Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton were both present. The hateful, worldly tactics of these men over many years of protestations should have long ago disqualified any claim they make to religiosity and their appropriations of the “moral high ground.” Sharing the podium with them were two Muslim leaders, “Ministers” Robert Muhammad and Quannel X. The carnal intimidation tactics of Minister X, marching at the head of a gun toting group in downtown Houston and in Huntsville, is especially unbefitting of anyone claiming religious authority. Yet all these men use religious words, titles, and reputations as a cloak for their evil and promotion of self.

These men are specifically condemned by the words of Jesus. “But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men...And they love the place of honor...and the chief seats...respectful greetings...and being called by men, Rabbi. But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.” (Matt. 23:5-9)

The Hatred of Law

On the good side, I do suppose that we now know what will unite these “Christian” and “Muslim” “leaders” – hatred of the carrying out of the laws of the state of Texas. It is no accident that these men united with every communist and anarchist group in the state to oppose the execution of our laws. The authorities of our state have very clearly spelled out what acts are legal or illegal, and what the punishments shall be, if you are a law breaker. Mr. Graham knew murder to be wrong, yet he killed. Mr. Graham knew armed robbery to be wrong, yet he admitted to doing it 10 times in a week. Mr. Graham knew rape to be wrong, yet he committed it -- his crime spree only ending when he was arrested in the very bed of his victim as he awoke from a drug and alcohol induced stupor. Even though laws of Texas do not conform in every way to the will of God (promotion of gambling, etc.), it is obvious that the prohibitions against murder, and punishment by death for it, is exactly as God intended when He instituted civil government. What Mr. Graham did was truly worthy of forfeiture of his life by the laws of God and the laws of Texas. But the critics speak only of it's unfairness. Why? They literally hate the law (and all restraint) and will attack it anytime that they can promote themselves. Paul gave a warning to Timothy that exactly fits these men: “For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers...who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach, for the sake of sordid gain.” (Tit. 1:10,11)

What God Said About the Death Penalty in the Old Testament

The sanctity of life begins with the fact that God created man in his “own image.” (Gen. 1:26) As the author of life He is the only one that can take it. That is why there have always been prohibitions against murder, both before the law of Moses and codified in it. And the punishment for this egregious crime has always been the same. “Whoever sheds man's blood, By man his blood shall be shed, For in the image of God He made man.” (Gen. 9:6) And, “You shall not murder.” (Ex. 20:13) In fact, under the Law of Moses murder was not the only crime worthy of death. Eleven offenses in all were worthy of stoning. (Ex. 21:12-29; 22:18-20; Lev. 20:3-16; 24:15,16; Deut. 22:25-27) When God directly set up the laws of an earthly kingdom He instructed that a person should die for all of the following: murder, manslaughter, kidnapping, cursing parents, witchcraft, idolatry, adultery, homosexuality, beastiality, cursing God, and rape. Were Mr. Graham an ancient Israelite he would be worthy of death at least 3 times over. We wonder if his supporters would campaign so fervently against God Himself. I am afraid that they would.

What the New Testament Says About the Death Penalty

Thankfully, in many ways, we do not live under the old testament system. But is the forfeiture of life for serious crimes one of the things that has been changed? It seems not. Paul told the Romans that “Therefore he who resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath upon the one who practices evil.” (Rom. 13:2-4) Notice that the “sword” is not borne in vain. The government has the sword (and more modern equipment) to use - to use against evil doers. Honest men have nothing to fear when government does it God given duty, but people like Mr. Graham do. Notice also the warning that those who resist the government - in doing it God give duty - resist God, whether they wear religious titles and garb or not.

The Dangers of Radicalization: Black vs. White, White vs. Black

One of the worst fruits of this entire episode is not that murders will not longer be executed, public support for it is simply to strong for it to be repealed. (In fact two-thirds of all Americans and three-fourths of Texans support it.) The real danger of the fight over this execution is the racial tensions that are brought out, in fact, that are intentionally played up. The opponents of the execution claim that the law is racist, the courts are racist, the juries are racist, the governor is racist, everyone and everything in Texas is racist. To intentionally pit groups against each other is exactly the fleshly works that Paul condemned as those keeping you out of heaven: “[E]nmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions...those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Gal. 5:20,21)

Groups like the New Black Panthers intentionally play up fear by marching with guns and using provocative rhetoric. Their main point seems to be, “We're angry black men with guns,” in order to scare others. Of course if some blacks do it, some reactionary whites seem to think that the only way to save “white America” is do the same thing - to be “angry white men with guns.” So the Klu Klax Klan marches. This of course only strengthens the paranoia of the NBP so that they get more people and more guns, which plays into the paranoia of the KKK so that they get more people and more guns, etc. and ad nauseum. Never mind that we can “all be one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal. 3:28) I think many of these people would be happy only if every white person and every black person were armed and marching against each other in hatred. So neither group of the hate mongers can resist trying to use every tragedy for their own narrow advantage. They actually take pleasure in wickedness. We might take their claims of outrage more seriously if they would better contain their glee at having something to get mad about.

These hateful people had to be physically restrained from getting at each other by the law enforcement officers of the state of Texas. Police officers, Sheriff deputies, DPS troopers, Prison guards, and Texas Rangers – men of every race – stood, at threat to their own safety, between these groups of carnal minded people to protect life and property and law. Don't think that this sin doesn't effect us. 1.) We paid for this, and 2.) Relatives of our own members had to stand in that line to keep the peace. Make sure you say prayers for our rulers and their subordinates who do God's work in this. (1 Tim. 2:1-3)

Finally, on the point of race, the bitterest irony for these race baiters must be that the one area in which Mr. Graham did receive shabby treatment was in the conduct of his lawyer. His lawyer (the lawyer with more clients on death row than any other) was chosen for him largely because he was black. When you choose partisanship over competence you will reap what you sow.

Conclusion

In light of the confessed crimes of Mr. Graham, one is hard pressed to figure why his case drew such attention. He was clearly guilty -- a credible witness watched the entire episode of his killing another man in an attempted armed robbery. His crime spree was notorious even in Houston's early 1980's boom in lawlessness. But somehow he became a favorite of celebrities and advocates. They made claims of how Mr. Graham was wronged every step of the way, even though the whole process was appealed over 20 times and rejected by over 40 judges in all. But eventually, the overwhelming fact of his guilt won out. Now he is dead, as he should have been long ago. Finally, let us remember the admonition of God concerning murderers: “But if there is a man who hates his neighbor and lies in wait for him and rises up against him and strikes him so that he dies, and he flees to one of these cities, then the elders of his city shall send and take him from there and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die, you shall not pity him, but you shall purge the blood of the innocent from Israel, that it may go well with you.” (Deut. 19:11-13)