ANSWERS: 100
  • The contradiction goes back to Biblical Times. When the Bible talks about the Ten Commandments, at the same time that "Thy Shall Not Kill" was being expressed and ordered to follow, those same guys were killing thousands of people from other civilizations and neighboring cultures...It is a contradiction we don't think too much about.
  • We don't have the right, but people do it anyway. Things like stealing, cheating, etc. I don't know many people who live by all 10 commandments. The world would be a much different place, wouldn't it?
  • Good question. People try and convince themselves that religion is not a part of war, thus they allow themselves not to consider it when it comes to 'the rules of engagement.' Strangly, thoughtout history, many battles have been won (and lost) in the name of God. The more I think about it, maybe this should be in the cunundrums section. lol :-)
  • Yah you're right pattijo. In ancient times the kings win the war on the basis of number of men left in their side. Only killing the opposing king means that we have won. Moreover our anger make us kill others in a war.
  • This is VERY good question. Under the Old Testament in the Bible, rule was an eye for an eye, tooth for tooth. Before we had our law passed down the mountain by Moses, we were doing pretty good job already killing each other. The Ten Commandments was given about 400 years after the first murder, (Cain killing Able.) After Law was introduced, killing only intensified. Reason was that the interpretation of the law gave justification for punishment – which often was death. Books of Deuteronomy and Leviticus have a many examples of deeds that were punishable by death. In the beginning, often killing was ordered by God. Fear of punishment and death became a guardian of our righteousness. Although God may have taught that the fear of death will keep us strait and narrow, obviously did not. On top of it, we decided to help God out in the applying the “Law” and clean up those “unrighteous” dirty believers, starting from Rome, to Crusaders, to Hitler, Mussolini Stalin etc… (we are still doing it in the name of God.) We just kept changing the Law a bit to meets our standard, placed Government in power to enforce it, and called it …. (Ha, you taught I was going to say it…) Well – God came up with plan “B”, its called New Testament. In that one, He decided on only one sacrifice, His only begotten son, Jesus Christ to die, for one and for all, and instead of Ten Commandments, he reduced it to two: In that, he has demonstrated His love for us – that while we were yet sinners, Jesus Christ died for us VOLUNTARILY, that whosoever believes in Him, will inherit eternal life. The two laws are: 1 – You shall love you God with all your heart and your soul. 2 - You shall love your neighbor as your self. In these two, all commandments are fulfilled. Problem for us with this “law” is that He wrote it in our hearts and in our minds. So we instinctively can tell right from wrong. We have no excuse. With the old Law, I am sure that there are nations that never herd of Ten Commandments, and yet – the killing of another human (other than by an accident) is always an extremely traumatic experience, one that stays in our conscience for a life time. Try to talk to people that were in the wars, and had a “right” to kill, and see if those events left their conscience, never…Most will actually not talk about it. So why – do we kill? We kill, in my opinion, because we are afraid to Love. In the Old Testament, God said – “Thou shall not kill” In the New Testament, God said, “Love your neighbor” It’s a scary thing to think where, in what situations one would apply these “laws” Not for the good times for sure, but probably for the darkest and toughest moments in our life. I think we will stop killing when we learn to Love Luke 6:32
  • Whether or not your beliefs include the Ten Commandments, killing one another cannot be justified. The problem occurs when the politicians rear their ugly heads and play war games with the young men of the world. I think the ones that want to wage the wars should be the ones that go out on the battlefield and fight the wars. If that ever were to occur, you can bet that there would be no more wars.
  • It seems that when our government issues some camoflauge, M16s and some hazardous duty pay we feel all of a sudden above the 10 C's. If we were to survey all the countries in the world, you'd find that most people want peace. So it's funny that just a few will be the demise of us.
  • This is not an answer, but I always wondered, does it perhaps apply to animals too? Since it does not say, "thou shalt not kill people", it just says "Thou shalt not kill." Period. Just curious on a similar topic.
  • Saying that leads one to assume that you believe EVERYONE on earth is Christian, and follows the ten commandments. That simply isn't true. Even so, doesn't the bible say that even a murderer can be forgiven if they repent?
  • I assume that the commandment only applies to those who believe in it, and that, in that sense, Athiests are fair game.
  • This bothered me as a child. And if you continue reading Exodus (chapter 24 as I recall), it actually give justification for people to kill people. That is why after Vatican II, and starting with the King James II revision of the bible, it was changed to not committing "murder".
  • What gives us the right? Well its fairly simple... Many people ignore the Holy Bible, 10 Commandments for other beliefs or philosophies... As a former soldier I was trained to kill to stay alive... There was no argument... You die or live... An example of this, would be... Sept 11, 2001 What would be better to allow the Terrorists to rule over us by more frequent attacks by planes, cars, backpacks & more or shouldnt the US Soldier go into terror compunds & waste any threats? As an American I perfer to live longer than the terrorists hating my freedom loving self... Peace is only possible when EVERYBODY agrees.... So far ALL OF HUMANITY isnt up to that challenge...
  • Good point. That's what the Buddists believe.
  • Some scholars say that the commandment is actually, "Thou shall not murder." But I think it's just splitting hairs.
  • While we don't have a right to kill one another, in some cases killing is justified. Murder is never justified which is really what the "Thou shalt not kill" commandment is saying. War is sometimes a necessary evil in this world. You can't deny that stopping a tyrant who is responsible for killing thousands, tens of thousands, and even millions is worth giving our lives and taking other's lives. War should always, always be the last resort and even then it should be considered only after every other method has failed. Now military action could be and should be used in cases like Rwanda, but it wasn't, and look at the tragedy there. If one commits to taking a military action they must also be prepared to see it through till a better situation can be arrived at. I'm not saying one country should just go about bullying others to do things their way; but, countries that can help should help when hostilities reach such a degree that things like genocide occur. It would be wrong to sit by and let that occur and say, "Give peace a chance."
  • Killing is a great evil. The only excuse for doing a great evil is to prevent a greater evil. If killing one person saves two - such as stopping a rampaging serial killer - then it is the right thing to do. No set of commandments can give you a perfect answer to every question. It was right to use war to stop the Holocaust - it was the greater evil. Some other recent uses of force have been, in my opinion, definitely correct - Sierra Leone, for wxample, and I think force would definitely be justified to end the killings in Darfur. But may have not.
  • Like mentioned above I've heard that in the original language of the bible this commandment was not thou shall not kill but thou sall not murder. The two are very different things.
  • When God said thou shalt not kill,he ment just for the fun of it. Even God sent armies against his enemies and distroyed whole cities...
  • Because it is the nature of mankind. It is just one of the things we do.
  • nothing does. but then again, the ten commandments is a part of faith, so that determines, but in human sentiment, noting, as much as we use it as a "justice" factor it still doesn't make it right.
  • The same thing that gives them the Ten Commandments. Themselves.
  • there was never meant to be any killing. the world was perfect under God's rule. After the Fall(rebellion against God), murder was one of the first things that turned up. A classic case of "I don't like you, so get out of my way-permanently". Eventually this led to people getting together to plan attacks on others, which is war. The "Thou Shalt not Kill" actually translates better as "You shall not murder" ie is don't take it into your own hands to extinguish a life. But, with humans the way they are, some will be agressors.Therefore it is inevitable that wars will take place. I would like to think that the nation I live in MIGHT try only to defend, either itself or someone else in need, but I think I am giving too much of the benefit of doubt. At least I know that one day, death will be no more when Jesus returns. 1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away Rev 21
  • No-one has the right to kill. Someone here mentioned how much different the world would be if we followed the Ten Commandments... I am certian things here on earth would be much more peaceful. There would be no war because no-one would have the wicked desire to kill another person. Many, many things would be different.
  • Killing and blackmail by your government are two completely different things.
  • "as long as the danger of war persists and there is no international authority with the necessary competence and power, governments cannot be denied the right of lawful self-defense, once all [reasonable] peace efforts have failed." "The strict conditions for legitimate defense by military force require rigorous consideration. The gravity of such a decision makes it subject to rigorous conditions of moral legitimacy. At one and the same time: -- the damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave, and certain; -- all other [reasonable] means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective; -- there must be serious [reasonable] prospects of success; -- the use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated. The power of modern means of destruction weighs very heavily in evaluating this condition. ___ These are the traditional elements enumerated in what is called the "just war" doctrine." Source: http://www.trosch.org/not/page2.htm
  • When discussing The Bible it is always important to understand the difference between what is written and what is meant. We must get to the meaning of the words to understand the underlying concepts. And the only inteligent way to interpret and understand "Thou shalt not kill" is "You must not unlawfully take a human life." If we were to take "thou shalt not kill" literally then God himself would be in violation of His own commandment when he encouraged people in The Old Testament to kill their enemies. 1 Sam. 15:18 So, in discussing this commandment we must understand that for killing a human being to be a sin it must be conditional and the operative word has to be "unlawfull." Was the killing a "lawful" killing or "unlawful" killing. That's the question? Case in point: Supposed a couple is returning home after a night out and they're attacked by a bandit who shoots and kills the husband and is about to kill the wife when he's shot and killed by a police officer who witnessed the incident. If ALL killing is wrong then that cop should be prosecuted for killing the bandit shouldn't she? If this is what God intended by "Thou shalt not kill" then in my opinion He wouldn't be a very inteligent God would He? Of course that's NOT what He intended at all. Police Officers are authorised to take life in the "LAWFUL" performance of their duties, as it should be and so it is with soldiers in a situation of war. One more illustration: It's 3am and you're asleep in your bed, suddenly you feel a hand over your mouth, a knife to your throat and a weight prressing you into the bed - I'M GOING TO KILL YOU - A voice whispers in your ear! You struggle for the knife and manage to gain control and stab your assailant. He dies from the wound. Should you spend the rest of your life in jail as a convicted murdered? Your obvious justification is "self defence" - You were defending your life. Right? So, if a soldier kills someone in defence of her country and it's citizens isn't she more noble than you? You're killing to defend one life - YOURS! She's killing to defend an entire country and it's way of life. She's killing in defence of people she may never meet, people who sit comfortably in their houses thousands of miles away and have the liberty to ask philosophical questions on websites about whether she's right or wrong! Interesting!
  • Jumble of fact fiction and side-tracking in the answers. The Hebrew Bible/OT shows us a fact of life, God deals with humans as we are where we are. The Laws of Moses were in fact substantially taken from the pre-OT Bible Code of Hamurrabi. Jesus stood most of both on their heads by replacing both Codes and Moses' commandments with the BEATITUDES and commentaries in matt5-7, Luke 4-6. We are slowly catching on that they work, because the opposites do not work, just look at the whole Middle East today, with its own ciitzens and the foreign invaders from the three Monothesistic Faiths, all branches of each represented! Moral devlopment will get us to see that War is hell as Sherman said in the Civil War here, and we will build, love, share, set aside FEAR which is the opposite of LOVE, hate arises from fear!
  • Post Script to my answer, pattijo. The OT which said not to kill allowed for killing in several circumstances, some barbaric by our standards but still practiced in the Middle East, allowing for the killing of a virgin who had been disgraced the family name. Some tgranlsate that commandment as not murdering, either way the rest of the answer I gave is valid, Jesus and most of the Holy Men of other Faiths see the cmmon sense of not allowing killing or revenge as he taught. The Ku'ran (Koran) is all over the lot about it, so there is justification for those who tink they get to heaven for killing "infidels" (they are met by ten Virginians, Washington, Jefferson and co,NOT ten virgins! - recent joke floating the internet).
  • IMO- NOTHING gives us the right to kill others. Wars are over greed, jealousy and pride. That is NO reason for a war. The only way (in this day and age, where people DO kill) I would kill, is if someone tried to hurt me or mine, and it was in self defense. I'm not interested in taking someone's life- that's not for me to do. But if they take mine, I'm sure as hell gonna try and take theirs first.
  • The Bible also says in Ecclesiastes 3 verse one; To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. Verse 3; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up.
  • Nothing GIVES us the right to kill ... it is just something that is TAKEN, along with the lives that are killed. There are those who say that might is right and the strength to do so is all the rights one needs ... until they themselves are dying at the hands of one stronger. I reccommend peace, if possible ... but in my self defense classes I teach "Never Kill", but ALWAYS destroy your attacker's abillity to continue attacking ... so broken arms or legs are OK in my opinion, because it stops the attacker from attacking more, but I am a firm follower of "Thou shalt not kill."
  • God dosen't listen to his own commandments. He kills people left and right in the bible. Having a poor example to follow would be my guess.
  • Nothing gives anybody the right to kill, ever. that is why i find religious wars so hypocrite...
  • It's simple. We don't have the right to kill anyone. Just remember that we have been given the ability to choose the path we walk. The 10 commandments are laws to help us understand what is the right path. We must still make the choice. Responsibility it making right decision for the right reasons. We kill because we can. We shouldn't kill because it is the right thing to do.
  • This is something that has been controversial for some time. However, many believe that the correct translation of that commandment is thou shalt not murder. The fact of the matter is that God commanded Israel to kill under a number of circumstances. Therefore the translation as it being an injunction against murder makes a lot more sense. Another point is that evil people like it when people are unwilling to fight back. When people don't fight back, it makes the imposition of evil much easier. The classic example of this is the Nazi regime. Had no one been willing to stand up to them, then Nazi Germany would have overrun the world and all of the so called "mud races" would have been enslaved and/or exterminated. Passivism did not stop the Nazis. It took the use of massive armies to stop them. So, sometimes, in order to stop evil, it is necessary to kill. Remember the old adage, "Evil wins when good men do nothing."
  • Kill in terms of murder. You shall not premeditatedly take a human's life. The bible acknowledges that in this fallen world, it will sometimes be necessary, in defence of one's land or family, or one's own life, to take another. This is not seen as a good thing, just inevitable in a fallen world. An accidental death is another possibility, which the bible also took into account and provided places of refuge where an accidental killer could go while his case was being investigated.
  • Because it is a form of hypcrosity,like do as I say and not do as I do.
  • My favorite response to the claim that the correct translation of the 6th Commandment is "Thou shalt not murder" comes from an early-1970s movie called "The Mechanic" (Charles Bronson, Jan-Michael Vincent). This question comes up and Bronson notes "Murder is only killing without a license....and everybody kills". . .
  • I like your question. I've wondered too. Also if adultery is a sin, why then are some given a blessing of a baby? Sorry I asked a question on the answer space.
  • you sound like you are turning JW Pattijo!
  • Killing in war is for the protection of your homeland, your country, your lord... basically a cause other than solely for one's own benefit. Killing to avenge a wrong committed against you personally or for your own benefit is murder which is considered morally different as it is inexcusably selfish.
  • The “just war” doctrine requires rigorous consideration to determine if defense by military force is legitimate. Offensive war is never justified. All the following considerations must be true to justify war: 1. The damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave, and certain; 2. All other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective; 3. There must be serious prospects of success; 4. The use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated. For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 2309: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt3sect2chpt2art5.htm With love in Christ.
  • It has been argued that the commandment should have been interpreted as "Thou shall not Murder," Because murder requires malicious intent, whereas killing can be done in self-defense.
  • This is a tough question; unfortunately the answer is not easy to hear for people that love peace. But if you are looking to the same source that gave the commandment, the answer is plain: Because there are always going to be those who will wrongfully take life and liberty from others, the principle of retribution was established. So, based on Romans 13:4, "But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it [the governing authority] does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil," governments have been ordained to defend their citizens with lethal force. For each man individually, the obvious objection is that an individual is not a governing authority; but the principle of men visiting righteous violent retribution on their fellowmen is well established by this statement. The only question left is: when is an individual justified in standing in for the governing authority in this manner? Now if you're an American the answer comes to you this way: Based on Thomas Jefferson words, governments "derive their just powers from the consent of the governed;" therefore, it is reasonable that when the government is not present in an official capacity, it is the right, indeed, it is the obligation of citizens to act in its place, within the boundaries of what is just. So, again, unfortunately, it is the right of men to ‘kill’, when it is justified to do so.
  • I made a duplicate question, sorry. Anyways, I am with you. I don't believe humans have the right to kill another human. I don't judge others for killing whether they "serve" my country or kill out of spite, or for any other reason. I am not afraid to die because I feel that God will take care of me if I am struck down. While I don't want to be killed, I would much rather falter at the hands of an oppressor than live with the pain of killing one of God's children.
  • The actual words are "you shall not murder" which is very different to "thou shalt not kill."
  • Soldiers are physically and metally taught to look over what beliefs and morals they hold. Someone's got to fight, since peace seems to be completely out of the question. And so people do...
  • The commandment "thou shalt not kill" has the exception of self defense, that would include individual self defense or in time of war when defending your country (if they didn't die you would)
  • There are passages in the old testament declaring a "time to kill" as well as other things like the Just war doctrine which I have provided the link for you: http://www.catholic.com/library/Just_war_Doctrine_1.asp It is worth reading.
  • It's the reason behind it that matters. Murder is an act of pure selfishness while taking up arms in protection of your country or the ones that you love is an act of pure unselfishness since you put yourself at risk to protect others. Remember if you do not stand to defend yourself and those that you love no one else will.
  • A lot of people throughout history tend to misread the commandments and tend to tack on the phrase "except in the name of christ" to the end
  • We do not have a right to kill; notwithstanding, we have a right to ensure that all, every single child of God (every human being) have certain inalienable rights. There is an eternal law that rules war and those who engage in it, read Matthew 26:52. War began in Heaven see Revelations 12: 7-9 and as long as there is evil, there will be war. Not until Freedom triumphs and a just peace comes may we hope for “good will among men.” When a Marine sees his “buddy’s” body torn and mangled beside him, he madly desperately seeks revenge. Multiply that Marine or soldier by millions and you readily see how hate, not good will, governs the hearts and actions of mankind. War will be ended only by superior armed forces, by increased number of swifter and stronger planes, by more shattering bombs and other weapons of destruction; but Peace will be maintained only by nobler men and by Christ-like nations. That is why the big brother must always be there to defend and overcome the bullies of the world. When you remove God from your Country and all God stands for, you will have a bully because his name is Satan.
  • Short answer: Yes, in Exodus 20 God does command: "Thou shalt not kill" (KJV). Don't stop there. READ FURTHER! Long Answer: The Old Testament uses six separate words which in some instances (in various translations) are translated simply as "kill" or "slay". Tawbakh: to slaughter, butcher, slay, kill ruthlessly Nawkaw: to smite, strike, hit, beat, subjugate, conquer, kill, slay, scourge, blight, punish, send judgment upon, destroy, chastise, give a thrust, wound BUT ALSO: to applaud, clap Hawrag: to die, kill, slay, murder, destroy, ruin Shachat: to sacrifice, slaughter/butcher for food Muwth: to put to death, execute, dispatch, die prematurely, die prematurely as a just consequence of immoral or otherwise foolish behavior and Ratsach : to murder, slay, kill, assassinate The Decalogue commands, "Thou shalt not ratsach." Ratsach comes from a primitive root meaning, "to dash to pieces", i.e., to strike, scourge, crush, smite or beat, specifically "to beat to death", either with a prolonged beating or with a single fell blow. It was the type of death that would result from a brawl or a fit of anger; it was also the way robbers/bandits/brigands would dispatch their victims. But it could also result from an accident - a dropped or (blindly) thrown rock hitting someone on the head and killng them. In Bronze Age times, this was also, most importantly, regarded as "an UNCLEAN death", as opposed to a "clean death", like decapitation or being killed with a swift thrust to the heart of jugular. By extension, in Biblical terms, it encompasses ALL killing AND also all modes of killing APART FROM those authorized/mandated by God. In the OT, Ratsach is used used only in Exodus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. In the Decalogue, it simply states, "Thou Shalt Not Ratsach," without comment or exposition. But in every other instance where it is used in those three books, it always means one of the following crimes: 1) 1st degree murder 2) 2nd degree murder 3) manslaughter (all degrees) 4) wrongful death - killing by accident but with (arguable) culpable negligence 5) killing a thief/robber after-the-fact, as opposed to killng one caught in the act. (This counts as 1st degree murder.) 6) giving false testimony resulting in an innocent man's execution (Muwth) (Also counts as 1st degree murder.) 7) killing a murderer/manslayer in an act of personal vengence/vendetta. 1st degree murder (lying in wait to committ Ratsach) was always punishable, absolutely and inexorably, by "Muwth", capital punishment. 2nd degree murder, manslaugher, and wrongful death could also be punished either by Muwth or by "Ratsach by the Ratsacher of Blood" (vengence by the slain man's kinsman-avenger) UNLESS the murderer/manslayer had found sanctuary in the Tabernacle or a City of Refuge, at which point, killing him would be an act of (1st degree) Ratsach, not Muwth. The only case where Ratsach is in effect excused/redefined, is in that committed by the kinsman-avenger (the avenger of blood), when he Ratsachs the murderer/manslayer caught out of sanctuary: Sripture calls this Ratsach, but specifically says that the avenger shall not be held guilty of the blood of his victim - providing he played by the rules: he can't kill him in sactuary, and he can't drag him out of sanctuary so as to kill him outside. I think it's fair to say that this is not exactly the same thing as a Biblical authorization for Vendetta slayings; I think it's clear that God condemns vendetta slayings as ratsach, but puts them outside the jurisdiction of the State, providing they take place in open country. Most importantly, Ratsach is never used for capital punishment, for Kosher slaughtering of animals, for killing an enemy soldier in open combat, or for killng in self-defense. Neither is it the word used for Ehud's assassination of Eglon, nor for Phinehas' double-homicide of the Israelite man and the Moabite harlot, for Samuel's butchering of Agag, King of the Amalekites, nor for Israel's wholesale extermination of the Cannaanites -- the word for the last is Cherem. which means to consecrate in toto to God for destruction.
  • I think, as a Christian, that it is very sad that Patti Jo would think that someone would "bash her" for her question! Could that be an insight to what non-believers think of Christians because of how most "Christians" act??? Does that make anyone else want to cringe?? That's why I don't say I am a Christian anymore....I say I am a Follower of Jesus Christ, the Way, the Truth, and the Life! I'm sorry Patti Jo that you think because you have an honest question that needs answerd that you think you would be bashed on. May the good Lord forgive us all.
  • I think since the leaders are the ones who causes war, they should be the ones who deal with it without pulling others in the middle of it. I believe we should not fight with anyone but get along with everyone.
  • we don't have any right! one thing is self defense another is blowing away a bunch of innocent civilians.
  • lol simple, we don't have the right
  • This Doctrine should help U Distinguish between "Killing" & "Murder". Enjoy! John DOCTRINE OF MURDER A. Definition and Description. 1. Murder is the unlawful killing of another human being with malice of forethought, expressed or implied by the motivation of arrogance inside the cosmic system. The motivation comes from mental attitude sins, such as self-righteous arrogance, conspiracy arrogance, criminal arrogance, crusader arrogance, political arrogance, the arrogance of ignorance, the arrogance of unhappiness, or iconoclastic arrogance. 2. Hence, murder is both a sin and a crime related to cosmic involvement, and is often manifested in religion. All religions of the ancient world used human sacrifice. 3. Murder is the major attack on freedom and self-determination as a human issue in the angelic conflict. Murder is the invention of Satan and he is the motivator of murder. Murder is Satan's genius to invent a system to attack freedom and self-determination, Mt 26:52. 4. All killing is not murder. a. Capital punishment is taught in Rom 13:4 and Gen 9:5-6. (1) Animals that kill people as well as humans that kill people are to be executed. We are responsible for any decision we make to murder someone else. "Whoever sheds man's blood, by man [justice] his blood shall be shed [capital punishment]." (2) Man has the right to slaughter animals for food, Gen 9:3-4. But this does not give man the right to slaughter people. Man learned to kill man by watching man kill animals. (3) Capital punishment must be the result of due process of law, Num 35:30. There must be two witnesses. Homicide is first degree murder and must be punished by death, Num 35:16-18; Lev 24:17. b. Another area of legitimate killing is in battle. The soldier represents his country while functioning impersonally and professionally. It makes no difference who the object is (Christian or otherwise), you do your job and kill impersonally, not emotionally. A soldier functions impersonally and professionally to preserve the freedom of his nation, Josh 6:21, 8:24. 5. Israel, as the first client nation, was commanded to be prepared for war. Much of the establishment truth found in the Bible is first mentioned in relation to Israel. The bonified modus operandi of warfare is declared in Eccl 3:8, "There is a time for war." If you don't make time for war by being prepared, then there will never be peace. 6. Our Lord's rebuke to Peter in the garden was a warning against capital punishment because of criminal action (Peter's), not a warning about military killing. Mt 26:52, "Then Jesus said to him, `Return your sword to its scabbard, for all who draw the sword [in crime], shall die by the sword [in capital punishment].'" 7. Killing in battle is not murder. Ps 144:1, "Blessed be the Lord who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle." 2 Sam 22:35, "He [God] trains my hands for battle." 8. Jesus Christ Himself holds the record for killing in battle in Isa 37:36, when He killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. But our Lord will break His own record at the Second Advent when He returns to terminate the Armageddon campaign, Rev 14:20, 19:11, 15; Isa 63:1-6; Ezek 39:11-13; Joel 2:20. 9. God is the source of some wars. 1 Chron 5:22, "Because the war was from the Lord." B. The Origin of Murder. 1. Jn 8:43-44, "Why do you not understand what I am teaching you? It is because you cannot hear My word. [They were in the cosmic system and refused to listen to what He said because it condemned them.] You are from your father the devil, and the policies of your father the devil you wish to accomplish. He was a murderer from the beginning; furthermore, he [Satan] does not stand in the truth, because there is no doctrine in him. Whenever he communicates the lie, he speaks from his own person, for he is a liar and the father of it [the lie]." Those who reject truth are easily motivated to murder. 2. 1 Jn 3:12, "Not as Cain who was motivated from that evil one and consequently he murdered his brother with a sacrificial knife. And why did he murder him? Because his deeds [moral self-righteousness seeking to impress God] were evil, but the deeds of his brother were honorable." Gen 4:5-8 gives the historical account of the first murder. C. Murder, violence, and terror is always occur when man becomes involved in the cosmic system. 1. "The way of Cain" is the pattern for murder, violence and terrorism. Jude 11, "But these reversionists malign what they do not understand. Furthermore, what things they do understand by natural instinct [emotion] as unreasonable creatures, by these false doctrines, they receive corruption. Woe to them for they have gone the way of Cain. They have rushed for illegal profit into Balaam's error. They have been destroyed in Korah's revolution." 2. The rise of crime and violence indicates national degeneration and the approach of historical catastrophe in the form of the fifth cycle of discipline, Jer 4:31. 3. Murder is always preceded by the mental attitude sin of arrogance. Rom 1:29, "Having been filled with all unrighteousness [lack of integrity] evil, greed, malice, full of jealousy, murder, strife, conspiracy, deceit, slanderers..." 4. This pattern of degeneration is developed into the destruction of the client nation. Hos 4:1-6, "My nation is destroyed from lack of knowledge of doctrine. Because you have rejected the principle of knowing doctrine, therefore I reject you from being a priest nation to Me." D. Murder is the only overt sin listed in the classification of the seven worst sins, Prov 6:16-19. E. Murder is therefore prohibited, Ex 20:13. "You will not murder" is the qal imperfect of RATZACH, not QATAL. Deut 5:17; Mt 5:21. F. Believers in the cosmic system are capable of murder. 1. David murdered in 2 Sam 12:9. Murder is a sin parlayed into evil through the interlock of the cosmic systems. 2. 1 Pet 4:15, "By no means let any of you suffer as a murder, or a thief, or a doer of evil, or one who sticks his nose in the affairs of others." 3. 1 Jn 3:15, "Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer. And you know that not every murderer has eternal life in him." Believers are murderers, but not all murderers are believers. G. Where guilt is established, the penalty for murder is death, Gen 9:6; Rom 13:3-4; Num 35:30-31; Mt 26:52. 
  • Men having been killing in the name of god since the Crusades. Its easy to make the connection that religion and church have been about power from the beginning.
  • While I'm certainly not pro-war... no one can honestly look at the Bible and say that God abhors war either. He sent Israel on several rampages and many lives were lost. While this is indeed tragic, and a pitiful result of sin, it is very different from what is being described in the Ten Commandments. Someone already pointed out that the Scripture says murder (Hebrew ratsach: related to "avenger") and not kill (Hebrew qatal). God commanded killing under certain circumstances, but killing whether it be through capital punishment or war was a corporate action. Murder is when one person takes justice into their own hands and takes the life of an innocent person. This is unjust and sinful to God. The death penalty and war are different entirely because this is a corporate entity exacting justice upon either a group or an individual, this is a process that, if led by God, can be just and merciful.
  • Sitting here in front of this computer monitor and having the freedom to converse with total strangers, is a right that was given to us by the people and more importanly the soldiers of 62 years ago. They fought and killed and killed some more, and did a good job of it. And made sure that they would never have to do it again. lebesrealm living space was thrust upon the world, and that meant someone was going to loose their way of life, and someone was going to die for it,you take someones land away and there you go, the loser is as good as dead for you took his land. The west is the template for western civilization and there's only so much to go around in our world, and every one wants a piece of our pie. We'll share, but not enough to make us hungry. Though shalt not kill. That question is difficult but it is a good one. We would kill to keep harmony in the civilization that we have made.
  • Killing is never a good thing and I can see why so many are indisbelief and appauled that our young men and woman are at war. Where they have to resort to taking a life. Please dont get me wrong--there is nothing pleasant about war or murder. But America's freedom is based on war's. We fight to maintain our way of life---protecting ourselves is not murder. America is protecting. No one is forced to join the branches of the military. Its a volunteer bases and lots of our men and women young and old are doing a courage work while most of us are free to work and sleep peacefully. Where is not for brave volunteers to protect us ---I'd hate to see what the USA would be like. We are exercising the right to protect not murder.
  • i honestly think that there is rarely a valid reason to ever kill. if i am being attacked, in self defense should i kill? or are their ways to disable instead of killing? in the case of war, are there not ways to disable instead of killing? but as with the environment, it seems that what is the cheapest or least time-consuming is the best. there are situations when death is unavoidable (something happens too fast adn the reaction causes death). there are situations where death is preferable to someone (such as suicide or assisted suicide). who am i to say what is right for someone else?
  • The Ten Commandments says "Thou shall not MURDER" it does not say thou shall not kill. There is a difference, because sometimes it is neccessary to kill, such as to defend freedom or to protect yourself from an attacker, etc. However, it is never acceptable to murder, which is simply killing for no reason or out of anger.
  • If the commandment is translated correctly, it should state Thou shalt not murder. (As in lying in wait and planning to murder someone.) I don't consider people dying in War in the same category, Have you ever read of David in the bible? He was a great warrior and also a man after God's own heart? I am not bashing you and hope you don't think so.But that is how I think of it. Hope this helps in some way.
  • Im atheist, and not killing is simply a means of decent society. Youll find that the bible is quite contradictory, and do as I say not as i do. the jewish/christian god has(in theory, and in the bible) told numberous poeple to slaughter entire villages in aweful ways(sodom) that rivals what Stalin did. also dont worry about the bashers haha I just attracted them.
  • I don't think we have the right to kill. I think it is sometimes more of a responsibility to stop evil. Is a society suppose to stand idoly by why other people are abused? How do you stop the killers if you are not willing to kill. No sane person likes the idea of war, or violence.But just as a police office has the obligation to stop the person with the gun, we as a people have a moral obligation to stop those who would choose violence toward us or for that matter those who would choose violence toward any people. First They Came for the Jews First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Communists and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist. Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me. Pastor Martin Niemöller
  • The phrase “Thou shalt not kill” sounds familiar to most persons for that is how some popular Bibles render Exodus 20:13. (Deut. 5:17) If, though, you look up this text in many modern translations, you will likely find “You must not murder” or “You must not commit murder.”
  • The Ten Commandments say "Don't _Murder_". The word in the original language of Exodus 20:13 has more of the connotation of murder rather than a killing in self defense. However, in the Bible - from which the 10 commandments originates - no death is taken lightly, and death, even in self defense, is an indication that things are not as they should be. The question about killing in war is still legitimate, though When is war or even self defense truly self defense? The concept of a "Just War" is a human attempt to wrestle with our sinful motivations and our faulty logic on what is truly self defense or protecting another person. For good discussion check out http://www.justwartheory.com/
  • God created us with free will so that we wouldnt be like robots. It is not right to kill. But humans have free will
  • I also cannot comprehend this concept. Some religious folks are so dead set against abortion or euthanasia (because that's murder in their opinion) but it's ok to allow our sons and daughters to be killed, or have them kill other people for the sake of war. It just doesn't make sense.
  • People take that right upon themselves. They're small and backwards.
  • No thing gives us that right. As you say, "Thou shalt not kill" (the sixth commandment in the 13th verse of the 20th chapter of Exodus). It clearly is evil.
  • Did anyone read the Old Testament? All of the land the Israelites took was obtained through much war and much bloodshed, and it was God Himself who gave Israel the power and ability to have victory in these battles. God gave Israel the 10 commandments, and He knows all about those commandments that He gave to Moses, and throughout all of Israel's military conquests, they were defending their God among the heathen nations. Even in our day, murder (even in great numbers)is not murder if it is self-defense, which is what this is and was in their day. If you remember, Cain killed his younger brother Abel, and Cain was told to flee for he knew that to take a life a life must be taken to break even, and that was why God put a curse on him, so that no one would touch him. If he was killed, all of his future children that would have become a people in their own right would have never existed.
  • No "Bash" Just the Facts from Scripture!!! Enjoy! John DOCTRINE OF MURDER A. Definition and Description. 1. Murder is the unlawful killing of another human being with malice of forethought, expressed or implied by the motivation of arrogance inside the cosmic system. The motivation comes from mental attitude sins, such as self-righteous arrogance, conspiracy arrogance, criminal arrogance, crusader arrogance, political arrogance, the arrogance of ignorance, the arrogance of unhappiness, or iconoclastic arrogance. 2. Hence, murder is both a sin and a crime related to cosmic involvement, and is often manifested in religion. All religions of the ancient world used human sacrifice. 3. Murder is the major attack on freedom and self-determination as a human issue in the angelic conflict. Murder is the invention of Satan and he is the motivator of murder. Murder is Satan's genius to invent a system to attack freedom and self-determination, Mt 26:52. 4. All killing is not murder. a. Capital punishment is taught in Rom 13:4 and Gen 9:5-6. (1) Animals that kill people as well as humans that kill people are to be executed. We are responsible for any decision we make to murder someone else. "Whoever sheds man's blood, by man [justice] his blood shall be shed [capital punishment]." (2) Man has the right to slaughter animals for food, Gen 9:3-4. But this does not give man the right to slaughter people. Man learned to kill man by watching man kill animals. (3) Capital punishment must be the result of due process of law, Num 35:30. There must be two witnesses. Homicide is first degree murder and must be punished by death, Num 35:16-18; Lev 24:17. b. Another area of legitimate killing is in battle. The soldier represents his country while functioning impersonally and professionally. It makes no difference who the object is (Christian or otherwise), you do your job and kill impersonally, not emotionally. A soldier functions impersonally and professionally to preserve the freedom of his nation, Josh 6:21, 8:24. 5. Israel, as the first client nation, was commanded to be prepared for war. Much of the establishment truth found in the Bible is first mentioned in relation to Israel. The bonified modus operandi of warfare is declared in Eccl 3:8, "There is a time for war." If you don't make time for war by being prepared, then there will never be peace. 6. Our Lord's rebuke to Peter in the garden was a warning against capital punishment because of criminal action (Peter's), not a warning about military killing. Mt 26:52, "Then Jesus said to him, `Return your sword to its scabbard, for all who draw the sword [in crime], shall die by the sword [in capital punishment].'" 7. Killing in battle is not murder. Ps 144:1, "Blessed be the Lord who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle." 2 Sam 22:35, "He [God] trains my hands for battle." 8. Jesus Christ Himself holds the record for killing in battle in Isa 37:36, when He killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. But our Lord will break His own record at the Second Advent when He returns to terminate the Armageddon campaign, Rev 14:20, 19:11, 15; Isa 63:1-6; Ezek 39:11-13; Joel 2:20. 9. God is the source of some wars. 1 Chron 5:22, "Because the war was from the Lord." B. The Origin of Murder. 1. Jn 8:43-44, "Why do you not understand what I am teaching you? It is because you cannot hear My word. [They were in the cosmic system and refused to listen to what He said because it condemned them.] You are from your father the devil, and the policies of your father the devil you wish to accomplish. He was a murderer from the beginning; furthermore, he [Satan] does not stand in the truth, because there is no doctrine in him. Whenever he communicates the lie, he speaks from his own person, for he is a liar and the father of it [the lie]." Those who reject truth are easily motivated to murder. 2. 1 Jn 3:12, "Not as Cain who was motivated from that evil one and consequently he murdered his brother with a sacrificial knife. And why did he murder him? Because his deeds [moral self-righteousness seeking to impress God] were evil, but the deeds of his brother were honorable." Gen 4:5-8 gives the historical account of the first murder. C. Murder, violence, and terror is always occur when man becomes involved in the cosmic system. 1. "The way of Cain" is the pattern for murder, violence and terrorism. Jude 11, "But these reversionists malign what they do not understand. Furthermore, what things they do understand by natural instinct [emotion] as unreasonable creatures, by these false doctrines, they receive corruption. Woe to them for they have gone the way of Cain. They have rushed for illegal profit into Balaam's error. They have been destroyed in Korah's revolution." 2. The rise of crime and violence indicates national degeneration and the approach of historical catastrophe in the form of the fifth cycle of discipline, Jer 4:31. 3. Murder is always preceded by the mental attitude sin of arrogance. Rom 1:29, "Having been filled with all unrighteousness [lack of integrity] evil, greed, malice, full of jealousy, murder, strife, conspiracy, deceit, slanderers..." 4. This pattern of degeneration is developed into the destruction of the client nation. Hos 4:1-6, "My nation is destroyed from lack of knowledge of doctrine. Because you have rejected the principle of knowing doctrine, therefore I reject you from being a priest nation to Me." D. Murder is the only overt sin listed in the classification of the seven worst sins, Prov 6:16-19. E. Murder is therefore prohibited, Ex 20:13. "You will not murder" is the qal imperfect of RATZACH, not QATAL. Deut 5:17; Mt 5:21. F. Believers in the cosmic system are capable of murder. 1. David murdered in 2 Sam 12:9. Murder is a sin parlayed into evil through the interlock of the cosmic systems. 2. 1 Pet 4:15, "By no means let any of you suffer as a murder, or a thief, or a doer of evil, or one who sticks his nose in the affairs of others." 3. 1 Jn 3:15, "Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer. And you know that not every murderer has eternal life in him." Believers are murderers, but not all murderers are believers. G. Where guilt is established, the penalty for murder is death, Gen 9:6; Rom 13:3-4; Num 35:30-31; Mt 26:52. 
  • Faulty Premise. (2 of them, in fact) Faulty Premise 1: The 10 Commandments do NOT say "Thou Shalt Not Kill" -- that's the unfortunate if poetic mistranslation of the King James Version. What the decalogue says is, "Thou Shalt Not 'Ratsach'" The Old Testament uses six separate words which in some instances (in various translations) are translated simply as "kill" or "slay", but actually have different meanings: Tawbakh: to slaughter, butcher, slay, kill ruthlessly Nawkaw: to smite, strike, hit, beat, subjugate, conquer, kill, slay, scourge, blight, punish, send judgment upon, destroy, chastise, give a thrust, wound BUT ALSO: to applaud or clap Hawrag: to die, kill, slay, murder, destroy, ruin Shachat: to sacrifice, slaughter/butcher for food Muwth: to put to death, execute, dispatch, die prematurely, die prematurely as a just consequence of immoral or otherwise foolish behavior and Ratsach : to murder, slay or kill wrongfully, assassinate In the OT, Ratsach is used used several time in Exodus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. In every instance where it is used in those three books, it always means an act of killing that encompasses any of the following crimes: 1) 1st degree murder 2) 2nd degree murder 3) manslaughter (all degrees) 4) wrongful death - killing by accident but with (arguable) culpable negligence 5) killing a thief/robber after-the-fact, as opposed to killng one caught in the act. (This counts as 1st degree murder.) 6) giving false testimony resulting in an innocent man's execution (Muwth) (Also counts as 1st degree murder.) 7) killing a 2nd degree murderer or manslayer in an act of personal vengence/vendetta. Most importantly, Ratsach is never used for capital punishment, for Kosher slaughtering of animals, for killing an enemy soldier in open combat, or for killng in self-defense. Neither is it the word used for Ehud's assassination of Eglon, nor for Phinehas' double-homicide of the Israelite man and the Moabite harlot, for Samuel's butchering of king Agag of the Amalekites, nor for Israel's wholesale extermination of the Cannaanites -- all of which were acts commended and in some cases commanded by God. Faulty Premise 2: No one is given "the right" to kill, but "the duty" to kill: In the OT, 1st degree murder (lying in wait to committ Ratsach) was always punishable, absolutely and inexorably, by "Muwth", capital punishment, and it was the duty of the authorities to carry it out, and a sin if they did not (assuming the guilty man was known, his guilt established by the testimony of two witnesses). 2nd degree murder, manslaugher, and wrongful death could also be punished either by Muwth or by "Ratsach by the Ratsacher of Blood" (vengence by the slain man's kinsman-avenger) UNLESS the murderer/manslayer had found sanctuary in the Tabernacle or a City of Refuge, at which point, killing him would be an act of (1st degree) Ratsach, not Muwth. The only case where Ratsach is in effect excused/redefined, is in that committed by the kinsman-avenger (the avenger of blood), when he Ratsachs the murderer/manslayer caught out of sanctuary: Sripture calls this Ratsach, but specifically says that the avenger shall not be held guilty of the blood of his victim - providing he played by the rules: he can't kill him in sactuary, and he can't drag him out of sanctuary so as to kill him outside. Many other crimes, including adultery, blasphemy, homosexual acts between men, beastiality, and willful profanation and sacrilege were all punishable by death (Muwth), and again it was the duty of the authorities to prosecute the crime and carry out the sentence when it was proved -- though some of these could be pardoned via confession, genuine contrition, and undergoing the appropriate rites of purification and atonement. Finally, God commands the Israelites to exterminate every last man, woman, child, slave, and animal among the Cannanites (with the exception of turncoats), and condemns and curses the Israelites when they flinch and faulter at this. Even 300 years after Joshua, God curses and abandons king Saul because he didn't butcher the Amalekites in toto, and blesses and champions David because faithfully and obediently slaughters God's declared enemies by the tens-of-thousands (Goliath was just the beginning.).
  • I couldn't agree with you more, it means only one thing, we have not evolved anymore then animals have, we humnans are not thinking for ourselves anymore, we are barabac, no other answer, untill we start using our brians and not follow the crowds and think for one self and bring love back to our lives we well go against the teaches of commandents and live wild and corrupt of selves in the end, it takes love, compassion and entellegence to make the world a better place for all. love all god created and find other ways to solve conflict then to take the easy way out, we have it in us to change, and show were all one big family and then well be living in heaven.
  • This is a great question and there are some excellent answers, so i will say much less than usual. (Points especially to Jack Wallace and Moosemose) Most of the wars fought by ancient Israel were at Jehovah's direction; they were just executions of people sentenced to death by God. The destruction of Sodom and Gommorah and the Flood are similar examples of executions using different means. When the Israelites fought to expand beyond their boundaries or as allies of pagan nations, they ran into trouble because these wars were not God ordained. Read Kings and Chronicles and you will see many examples. Today's wars are not commanded or even approved by our Maker. They serve nationalistic ends and are rarely truly justifiable. The majority are about land, resources or power. This killing incurs bloodguilt and those who fight them will have to answer to the God of justice. Many proclaimed Christians share in this bloodshed and try to justify it by many means, but cannot successfully do so from the Bible. Casual Bible readers will say, "Well, there were wars in the Bible", as if this rationalizes the matter. If you read carefully, you will learn exactly what it says about war, and it doesn't justify any national or civil wars today.
  • It also say's obey your king ,so if he goes to war and you are his protction and he tell's you to kill then the judgment fall's on him.
  • Because the punishment for breaking those commandments is death, friend. According to the Bible the penalty for stealing: death. The penalty for not respecting your mother and father: death. The penalty for not keeping the sabbath day holy: death. 8 of the ten commandments are enforced by capital punishment. Also, the Bible discusses quite openly that it is OK to kill heathens. Read Deuteronomy 13. Shocking stuff.
  • well I don't believe in Killing for any reason other then self defense but you have to know that the bible is speaking of in that commandment is "shall not MURDER" (Exodus 22:2) 2 (“If a thief should be found in the act of breaking in and he does get struck and die, there is no bloodguilt for him. here the Bible allows for "self defense"
  • God himself was a God of war. He sent the nation of Israel into battle many times against the powers that would oppress His people. This commandment is sometimes misinterpreted or misunderstood. The Hebrew word in that commandment transliterated is ratsach which is defined as murder or coupled with the act of premeditation. Personally, I do not believe we have the right to take human life unless directed to by God. I think that the wars that He led Israel in were for the protection and preservation of His people and His promises to them. I don't personally feel that God calls us into war any longer. I think it was a cultural and time bound instance in the Old Testament. In answer to your question, I feel that nothing gives us the right to kill one another. But I don't feel that war (if directed by God) is evil because God commanded his people to engage in it. Hope that makes SOME sense...
  • "... A major problem with the Bible, is that there is too much in it. No wonder it has such wide appeal. You can make your case with it just about any way you want. Hate groups hold it high and hypocrites wave it in our faces. Religious leaders and theologians of various persuasions disagree on the meaning of many passages, especially in the Old Testament. In fact, there are many outright contradictions, so, depending upon their philosophy or theology, they select the passages they claim to be literal or expressive. Less schooled thumpers of this book respond to logical challenges with: “That may be what it says, but that’s not what it means.” Who’s being deceptive here? Is it God through ambiguity? Or is it the ego of man constantly ready to invade the most noble ideas with his own brand of justice and justification? We are all forced to interrupt this ambiguous compilation of articles and stories in a like manner. But, for example, when we choose “an eye for an eye” over “turn the other cheek,” in essence, we are saying: since this is what I think, it must be the way God thinks. We don’t actually say that, of course, but that’s the implication. We do this without the slightest inclination of the arrogance involved. Most Christians have been persuaded and subtly threatened that they must accept the entire Bible as the literal word of God. But much of the Old Testament is so opposed to the kinds of things Jesus said on the Sermon On The Mount and many other places, that to overrule His words and example with the Old Testament passages seem almost anti-Christ. The real problem is not with the nature of God, or even with the ambiguity of the Bible, but with the egotistical disposition of man..." --A Higher Good
  • Nothing. Nothing gives us the right to kill each other. Even if it wasn't a Commandment, we should be sophisticated enough by now as a species to understand this. Don't Kill - by Hamell On Trial God called down from the mountain, God called down from the sky He said: I told you, I told you, I told you. don't kill, don't kill, don't kill Don't kill for lovin', please don't kill for hate. Don't kill in my name, don't kill for heaven's sake. Don't kill, don't kill, don't kill. Once again you didn't understand me. or you disobeyed from all I can detect. From what I remember I did more than ask you, I commanded it, from what I recollect. Don't Kill, Don't Kill. What part of "Thou Shalt Not Kill" don't you understand? Was it the the "Thou" part that threw you? "Thou" means "you"! Was it the "Shalt not" part that confused you? "Shalt not" means "don't"! Don't kill, don't kill, don't kill. There are no divinely sanctioned murders. Who'd know better than me? I'm God, why don't you hear me? I've been saying the same shit for centuries. You say it's me that you worship. All you Christians, all you Muslims, all you Jews. I'm going to say it one more time, don't kill your neighbor. Jesus Christ this shouldn't be news. Don't kill, don't kill, don't kill. I thought I etched this in stone...
  • First you should know that the ten commandment does not say "thou shalt not kill". this is an english translation and a rather poor one at that. The comandment in the original language says "Thou shall not MURDER". It may be kind of like splitting hairs, but when you are dealing with the word of God it is very essential to be very accurate. The Bible teaches several principles about the taking of human life, and even commands it in several places. We always have the right to defend ourselves and our country. When in the situation of war you are not "murdering", you are fighting for the military of whatever country you are affiliated with. It may help to remember that God is always in control and no person ever died without God allowing it to happen. I hope this was helpful, God Bless
  • Many people seem to forget that english is not the original language of the bible, and that much may be a little off. If you look into other version of the bible, as well as some of the older languages, you see that the word translated as "kill" in the KJV is actually supposed to be "Murder". The jews of the Old Testament had soldiers, and even went to war. In those wars, it must not have been murder, or God wouldn't have commanded them to do it in the first place. Thus, as long as you kill only in duty, and not out of personal malice towards the one you kill, should be ok.
  • its actuly means not to comit murder god is constantly telln ppl to kill in the bibel he tells israilits to distroy house of judea nt 2 meantion he sent his only earth son to die for humen kinds bad deads. look closer to the first commandment witch is not to love any other gods for he is a vain god. i allways thort vainaty was distruction of the soul?
  • We as a species shouldn't have the right, and in my opinion don't.... but that doesn't stop us, and probably never will... we are ruled by greed above all else, and that gets in the way... this is just my answer, not based on religion (i am not a Christian)
  • Money & sanctimony trump humaneness? ;-)
  • Personally I don't think that we do have the right. Just as the death penalty. What makes the person who injects the needle, or pulls the lever, any better than the person who shot someone. I don't see how it does. It is not my place as a christian to kill for sins. Its Gods place to judge.
  • I have been wondering the same thing these days. See I have this Biblical-God-Problem. Where this Biblical,God says go and destroy all those other nations cause they don't believe in me,and they are my enemy. Then He sends Jesus who says, Love your enemy. Is there something wrong with the word of God? I think that there is a H**l of a lot wrong with it.
  • Don't know how many Indians lived in America when White-man set foot on the soil, But then we had our own American genocide but then we don't talk about that. And we still have Concentration-Camps but we call them Indian-Reservations, it sounds so much nicer, Don't you think?
  • Because they love to contradict themselves. Have you actually read the bible? It's like a big joke. "Do this but don't do this, Go there but stay here" Not much sense really...
  • Good question! It's usually called "survival". When that comes into question, priorities get re-arranged rather quickly, no?
  • Difficult question. The answer is in the Bible. David was told that he could not build God's temple becuase he had "shed much blood." So there is a cost. In the New Testament we find that, "The Magistrate does not wield the sword in vain." We also find Jeses saying, "soldiers, do not seek more than your pay" ( referring to the practice of looting from the local population by many Roman soldiers ). Note that he did not tell them to give up being soldiers, nor did he tell them it was wrong to kill in battle. Those are the only references in the Bible of which I am aware that refer to this question. Other than that slim guidance, each soldier must work out for him or her self what God would have them do, which is actually what we all have to do eventually.
  • the catholics have a detailed theory of "just war"
  • The more accurate rendering is "You should no murder", not kill. But I don't know how people justify killing people that could be of their same faith in some wars.
  • I'm sure "defending" comes into it somewhere in some context
  • Thou shalt not Murder ...as Cain murdered Abel.... War and Police officers etc...have not a choice but to kill or be killed....
  • The other answers I have seen are very accurate. The word in Hebrew is רצח (ratsach) which connotates premeditation, taking life as an avenger or in vengance, or to assassinate. If killing was a sin then God (who is sinless) cannot command the armies of Israel to kill their enemies or to kill the false prophets or stone the adulterer or whatever. Hope this helps! God bless!

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