Recently, the Pentagon announced that the Dec. 3 execution of Nidal Hasan, the former Army psychiatrist convicted of killing 13 people at Fort Hood in 2009, would be livestreamed — the modern manifestation of a “public” execution. So the central question is simple: should Christians watch it?

Some people will argue against watching because they oppose capital punishment. If you don’t believe that the government should put people to death, you obviously wouldn’t watch this. Thus, people who are wrestling with whether to watch it presumably don’t have a philosophical or theological problem with the death penalty.

There are plenty of people who will offer an opinion — usually a very strident opinion — on both sides of this issue. But one of the biggest challenges facing our society is the number of people who are ready to tell you what you can and cannot do or believe. Frankly, Scripture supports both sides of the issue, so Christians should review Scripture on all sides and pray for clarity before deciding whether to watch.

For example, the Old Testament contains several passages that establish capital punishment for a number of crimes. Murder is one of those crimes: “He who strikes someone so that he dies shall certainly be put to death” (Exodus 21:12 NASB). In the theocratic system of ancient Israel, though, other crimes also carried the death penalty — idolatry, witchcraft and some sexual offenses, to name a few. The typical way to carry out such punishment was by stoning, which clearly made it a “public” execution. For example, see Jesus’ discussion with the religious leaders in John 8 about the woman caught in the act of adultery.

Jesus’ teaching in the New Testament, however, offers another perspective. In the Sermon on the Mount, He made several statements contrasting “the way things have always been” with the way of His kingdom. “You have heard that it was said, ‘EYE FOR EYE, AND TOOTH FOR TOOTH.’ But I say to you, do not show opposition against an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other toward him also” (Matthew 5:38-39). It is important to remember, though, that there is a difference between what individual believers do and what governments do. Jesus’ teaching, therefore, does not contradict the Old Testament laws, a fact He Himself noted in Matthew 5:17: “I have not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets … but to fulfill.”

So what biblical principles should a Christian consider in determining whether it would be appropriate to watch a livestreamed execution? First, guard your heart. Christians have spoken out against violent entertainment and video games for many years because such media can harden our hearts and make us less compassionate toward others. As Paul wrote to the Philippians: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8).

In that same vein, examine your motivation for watching. Are you interested in seeing justice done? Is there some reason why this particular execution has meaning for you? For instance, if you were a family member of someone whom Hasan killed, you might believe that seeing his death would bring you some sort of closure or promote emotional healing. Perhaps you are an active-duty member of the military or a veteran; the horror of a military member carrying out mass killings on a military base hits close to home. Watching his execution may help you believe that justice has been served and provide strength to continue serving your country.

But the Bible does not only talk about justice. “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). Psalm 101 also reminds us about mercy and justice: “I will sing of mercy and justice; to You, Lord, I will sing praises. I will carefully attend to the blameless way. When will You come to me? I will walk within my house in the integrity of my heart. I will set no worthless thing before my eyes …” (Psalm 101:1-3).

So how do you decide whether to watch? First, study Scripture and pray for God’s wisdom and direction. Rather than listening to voices that say “You can’t do this” or “You have to do that,” listen to the Holy Spirit. Second, decide before December 3 whether you will watch — and why. Be prepared to explain your decision to your children, to friends and coworkers or to fellow believers. The more we ignore the question, the more likely we are to be swayed by emotional arguments when the time arrives. Third, pray for those affected by the shooting. Pray for the families who lost loved ones. Pray for others at Fort Hood who experienced the horror to some degree. And pray for Hasan — that he would recognize his need for God’s forgiveness and find it in his last days. The takeaway is to make your decision prayerfully, explain it clearly, and keep compassion at the center. If your conscience is unsettled, do not watch; choose the path that best guards your heart, keeps mercy in view, and honors God.

If you decide not to watch, take concrete steps to protect that decision. Stay off social media, or adjust your settings so that videos don’t automatically play when you scroll past them. If you have children with social media access, make sure their content controls don’t allow them to accidentally access violent content. If they’ve asked questions about it, don’t ignore the issue; help them understand your view and why you don’t think they should watch it. Ask them if they want to pray for those who were affected by the shooting. And remind them that Jesus loves everyone and wants everyone to come to know Him. We can acknowledge things that are evil while still seeking, as Micah 6:8 puts it, “to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” The takeaway is that Christians should respond with discernment, mercy, and prayer.