During this Friday’s episode of the 700 Club, televangelist and host Pat Robertson was incredulous when a viewer asked him if there’s a “scriptural bases” for the death penalty. According to Robertson, all one has to do is read the Old Testament to see there’s a clear mandate for the death penalty — as well as a whole litany of other atrocities.

During the latter part of his show, Robertson takes questions from viewers, one of which came from Donna, who asked the following question:

It seems the death penalty is a topic at state and national levels. Why is it that the Christian stance seems to support the death penalty? Is there a scriptural basis?

“Are you kidding?” Robertson bellowed. “Read the Bible. Read the Old Testament. I tell you, if a son is ungovernable and will not listen to his parents, the parents can bring the son before the authorities and the son will be executed.”

At that point, Robertson’s co-host chimed in and asked him how that squares with the New Testament, where Jesus prevented a woman from being stoned for adultery.

“Yeah, but that, by the way, is non-scriptural,” he replied seemingly brushing her off. Robertson then suggested that the story did not appear in the original text of St. John’s Gospel, adding that it nevertheless “sounds good.”

“Jesus said, ‘I don’t condemn you, neither should anybody else condemn you,'” Robertson continued. “But I think the whole idea of forgiveness is absolutely there, but in terms of — the Apostle Paul said, ‘He that wields the sword wields it not in vein but he’s a minister of God to execute judgment on the unbeliever’ — those who are disobedient. He’s a minister of god wielding judgment. … I mean, the death penalty is certainly biblical, absolutely biblical, alright?”

Watch the video below. The relevant portion begins at around 28:10:

[Friendly Atheist]

Featured image via screen grab