Any war involves the killing of innocents. It has always occurred and will always occur. The only folks who have room to argue against the death penalty on moral grounds are pacifists. The folks who rationalize why governments should be able to kill people in other nations when they themselves claim the right to label it "just," do not have any moral or intellectual consistency on the issue. They're usually following church dogma, and it is dogma that is not consistent with the Bible. Not only does the Torah make it clear that the death penalty is just in cases that are of appropriate severity, but Jesus also advocates the death penalty: "He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death." Jesus also rebukes Peter for trying to kill Malchus, but only slicing his ear, saying: "Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword." Jesus also states that anyone who would lead a child into sin may as well tie a millstone to his neck and jump into the sea rather than face God's retribution. That doesn't sound nonviolent and it certainly doesn't sound like Jesus thinks death is an unjust or inappropriate sentence, given the transgression. Finally, the Crucifixion would lose most meaning if Jesus opposed the death penalty. This is scholar Michael Pakaluk's take: "If no crime deserves the death penalty, then it is hard to see why it was fitting that Christ be put to death for our sins…."