--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a Christian, as an individual, as a…" description: "\"As a Christian, as an individual, as a doctor, I am absolutely opposed to the death penalty.\" — Joycelyn Elders" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/298/joycelyn-elders-12167_christian_as-a-christian-as-an-individual-as-a-doc_1209758.png" --- # As a Christian, as an individual, as a doctor, I am… ![“As a Christian, as an individual, as a doctor, I am absolutely opposed to the death penalty.” quote by Joycelyn Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/298/joycelyn-elders-12167_christian_as-a-christian-as-an-individual-as-a-doc_1209758.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/298/joycelyn-elders-12167_christian_as-a-christian-as-an-individual-as-a-doc_1209758.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/298/joycelyn-elders-12167_christian_as-a-christian-as-an-individual-as-a-doc_1209758.png) > “As a Christian, as an individual, as a doctor, I am absolutely opposed to the death penalty.” [Joycelyn Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She opposes capital punishment from moral, religious, and medical perspectives, viewing it as incompatible with healing and sanctity of life. **In simple terms:** Opposes death penalty for moral and professional reasons. Key Takeaway Advocate for humane justice. Themes ethics medicine human rights religion justice Mood determined compassionate Type ethical advocacy When to use this quote - hospital policy - court sentencing - public health advocacy Key Concepts sanctity of life medical oath moral duty Questions to Reflect On - How does your medical oath influence your stance on legal punishments? - Can personal faith coexist with professional ethics in policy debates? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Death penalty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death-penalty/) [Doctors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctors/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Penalties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/penalties/) [Penalty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/penalty/) ## Related quotes > [I'm opposed to the death penalty not because I think it's unconstitutional per se-although I think it's been applied in ways that are unconstitutional-but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-sekulow/i-m-opposed-to-the-death-penalty-not-because-i-think-it-s/) [Jay Sekulow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-sekulow/) > [I was personally opposed to the death penalty, and yet I think I have probably asked for the death penalty more than most people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-reno/i-was-personally-opposed-to-the-death-penalty-and-yet-i-think-i-have/) [Janet Reno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-reno/) > [My personal view is that I am opposed to the death penalty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-brown/my-personal-view-is-that-i-am-opposed-to-the-death-penalty/) [Kate Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-brown/) > [As one whose husband and mother-in-law have died the victims of murder and assassination, I stand firmly and unequivocally opposed to the death penalty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coretta-scott-king/as-one-whose-husband-and-mother-in-law-have-died-the-victims-of-2/) [Coretta Scott King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coretta-scott-king/) > [I am passionately opposed to the death penalty for anyone . . . I think, myself, that it is an obscenity . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/i-am-passionately-opposed-to-the-death-penalty-for-anyone-i-think/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [I'm actually really opposed to the death penalty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-paxton/i-m-actually-really-opposed-to-the-death-penalty/) [Bill Paxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-paxton/) > [As one whose husband and mother-in-law have died the victims of murder and assassination, I stand firmly and unequivocally opposed to the death penalty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coretta-scott-king/as-one-whose-husband-and-mother-in-law-have-died-the-victims-of/) [Coretta Scott King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coretta-scott-king/) > [Almost all the early Christian Fathers were opposed to the death penalty, even though it was of course standard practice across the ancient world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/almost-all-the-early-christian-fathers-were-opposed-to-the-death/) [N. T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/) > [Europe believes that providing clear labelling for genetically modified food is a consumer right, but such practice is absolutely opposed by the vast majority…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zac-goldsmith/europe-believes-that-providing-clear-labelling-for-genetically/) [Zac Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zac-goldsmith/) > [There's a very big difference between people deciding to absent themselves from a shared space in order to make a point, which I support,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-weinstein/there-s-a-very-big-difference-between-people-deciding-to-absent/) [Bret Weinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-weinstein/) > [My husband is absolutely opposed to any negative campaigning at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-mccain/my-husband-is-absolutely-opposed-to-any-negative-campaigning-at-all/) [Cindy McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-mccain/) > [Fascism is definitely and absolutely opposed to the doctrines of liberalism, both in the political and economic sphere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benito-mussolini/fascism-is-definitely-and-absolutely-opposed-to-the-doctrines-of/) [Benito Mussolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benito-mussolini/) > [I support the death penalty and will continue to do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/i-support-the-death-penalty-and-will-continue-to-do-that/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [The death penalty system is fundamentally flawed - it is inequitable, ineffective, and it has no place in this Commonwealth or this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-northam/the-death-penalty-system-is-fundamentally-flawed-it-is-inequitable/) [Ralph Northam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-northam/) > [Our legal system, including the police, is anti-Dalit and anti-poor. The death penalty laws' wrathful majesty, in blood-shot equality, deals the fatal blow on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-r-krishna-iyer/our-legal-system-including-the-police-is-anti-dalit-and-anti-poor-the/) V. R. Krishna Iyer ## More by Joycelyn Elders > [The best contraceptive in the world is a good education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/the-best-contraceptive-in-the-world-is-a-good-education/) [Joycelyn Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/) > [Once I had a professor say to me, "You know you have as much education as a lot of white people." I answered, "Doctor,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/once-i-had-a-professor-say-to-me-you-know-you-have-as-much-education/) [Joycelyn Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/) > [Handguns are a public health issue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/handguns-are-a-public-health-issue/) [Joycelyn Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/) > [ \[On masturbation:\] I think that it is part of human sexuality, and perhaps it should be taught. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/on-masturbation-i-think-that-it-is-part-of-human-sexuality-and/) [Joycelyn Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/) > [I think we should have a very, very heavy tax on handguns and on bullets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/i-think-we-should-have-a-very-very-heavy-tax-on-handguns-and-on/) [Joycelyn Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/) > [“We have a multiheaded dragon in our midst that for too long has been waging a domestic war on our young, our poor, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/we-have-a-multiheaded-dragon-in-our-midst-that-for-too-long-has-been/) [Joycelyn Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/) > [... black women have always found that in the social order of things we're the least likely to be believed--by anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/black-women-have-always-found-that-in-the-social-order-of-things-we/) [Joycelyn Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/) > [You can't keep an ignorant population healthy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/you-can-t-keep-an-ignorant-population-healthy/) [Joycelyn Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/) > [Everybody's got to die from somethin'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/everybody-s-got-to-die-from-somethin/) [Joycelyn Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/) > [ \[We must\] deal with all of the contributing factors to gun violence as a whole, because it's like a leaky bucket - if you've… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/we-must-deal-with-all-of-the-contributing-factors-to-gun-violence-as/) [Joycelyn Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/) > [You can't educate people that are not healthy. But you certainly can't keep them healthy if they're not educated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/you-can-t-educate-people-that-are-not-healthy-but-you-certainly-can-t/) [Joycelyn Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/) > [As long as I was in Washington I never met anybody that I thought was good enough, who knew enough, or who loved enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/as-long-as-i-was-in-washington-i-never-met-anybody-that-i-thought-was/) [Joycelyn Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/) > [I came there as prime steak and now I feel like low-grade hamburger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/i-came-there-as-prime-steak-and-now-i-feel-like-low-grade-hamburger/) [Joycelyn Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/) > [Health is more than the absence of disease. Health is about jobs and employment, education, the environment, and all of those things that go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/health-is-more-than-the-absence-of-disease-health-is-about-jobs-and/) [Joycelyn Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/) > [Health is more than absence of disease; it is about economics, education, environment, empowerment, and community. The health and well being of the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/health-is-more-than-absence-of-disease-it-is-about-economics/) [Joycelyn Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/) [Explore all 56 Joycelyn Elders quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/) ## More Christian quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. 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Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) [Browse all 14,306 Christian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As a Christian, as an individual, as a doctor, I am absolutely opposed to the death penalty.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joycelyn Elders" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/as-a-christian-as-an-individual-as-a-doctor-i-am-absolutely-opposed/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Christian" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/as-a-christian-as-an-individual-as-a-doctor-i-am-absolutely-opposed/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/298/joycelyn-elders-12167_christian_as-a-christian-as-an-individual-as-a-doc_1209758.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/298/joycelyn-elders-12167_christian_as-a-christian-as-an-individual-as-a-doc_1209758.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/298/joycelyn-elders-12167_christian_as-a-christian-as-an-individual-as-a-doc_1209758.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As a Christian, as an individual, as a doctor, I am absolutely opposed to the death penalty.” — Joycelyn Elders", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Joycelyn Elders", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As a Christian, as an individual,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/as-a-christian-as-an-individual-as-a-doctor-i-am-absolutely-opposed/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/as-a-christian-as-an-individual-as-a-doctor-i-am-absolutely-opposed/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```