Commandment Number 6
My son brought up a valid point on the way to school this morning. Steadfast, born again Christians are renown for adhering to the literal word of the bible. The ten commandments are a foundation on which the fundamentalist Christian builds his house of faith. Yet one commandment, Thou Shalt Not Kill, is repeatedly ignored, overlooked, dismissed for some areas yet applied with a swift hand to others. The commandment does not have an appendix or amendments. It does not have fine print. Thou shalt not kill is it. Now, if I were to take this literally I would have to apply it to ALL living things – not just unborn babies and upstanding citizens. I would have to apply it to my enemy, perpetrators of crimes, minorities and ANIMALS. That’s right. It doesn’t say Thou Shalt Not Kill…people. It literally means you can’t kill anything living. The death penalty? Sorry! Breaking the commandment. Casualties of war? Oops. Broken commandment. Senseless slaughter of creatures of this planet? Busted commandment. God gave the creatures of this planet, all the creatures, entitlement to live in their environment unimpeded by outside forces. He applied this commandment to us because we have reason. Animals, especially carnivores, kill to live. God knew that, inevitably, we would end up trying to justify the imprisonment and slaughter of billions of animals. He put this reminder upon us in the hope that we would abide by it. Not just applying it to ourselves and each other, but to those in our care as well.
So. How we doin’?

Comments

Anonymous said…
"Thou shalt not kill." Exo.20:13
What does it mean? A proper understanding of the sixth commandment should come from the Bible & your pastor. The living Word invites investigation. Do not fall in the trap of relying on your own understanding. STUDY!!
[tools: Bible (NKJ, NAS, NIV); Dictionaries (Vine's, Unger, Nelson's); Concordance (Strong's, Young's); Atlases (MacMillan); Study Guides ("Living by the Book" by Howard Hendricks); Commentaries (Victor Books, Wierbe); Basic Bible doctrine ("Basic Theology" Charles Ryrie). Hope that helps!]

There are ten different words in the OT that are translated "kill." They have various meanings (i.e. to kill, to slay, to pierce through, to slaughter, to make die, to smite, to cut around, to strike deep so as to wound, to murder).
The verb used in Exo.20:13 (rasach) is used 49 times in the OT, and in every relevant use means "to murder." This terms occurs 36 times in the Pentateuch & Joshua and all are referring to murder and manslaughter. The term is used abstractly 2 times in Psa.42:19 and Ezk.21:22. The term is used 2 times quoting the command in Jer.7:9 and Hos.4:2. The remaining 9 times the term rasach is used are all references to murder.
The sixth commandment does not prohibit the killing of animals. The term rasach is never used of killing animals. The Mosaic Law also contained provisions for killing & sacrificing certain clean animals (Exo.29;32;Lev.3-13).
There is a general principle laid down before the law, applicable to all mankind, and unchanged by NT teaching found in Gen.9:3. Speaking of animals, God told Noah, "Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you." The Bible does not prohibit hunting & fishing. In fact, the Lord commanded Peter to kill and eat (four-footed animals, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air...Acts 11:7).
The sixth commandment does not prohibit killing enemies in battle (a war). The term rasach is never used of killing soldiers in a war. Since rasach is never used in the context of war, no one can legitimately condemn engaging in a war on the basis of the sixth command.
The sixth commandment does not prohibit capital punishment. Capital punishment is commanded by God in Gen.9:6. This principle is laid down before the law, applicable to all mankind, and unchanged by NT teaching. According to Gen.9:6, murder is to be punished by death. The reason for this command is that man was made in the image of God, and murder is an outrage against God and a violation of the sanctity of life.
5:12 PM
Penny Barrett Hornsby said…
Oh dear! Someone needs to get out a little more often. You can slice it and dice it up any way you want, darling, thou shalt not kill means exactly that. I don't care to complicate something that is so blissfully simple.
But there is always going to be a need for all of us on this earth, and the special gifts each of us has to offer. So rock on, research guy!
9:16 PM
Not relevant said…
Straight up! Thanks for superb clarification!
11:00 PM
Not relevant said…
Not "caring to complicate" is equivalent to zero research. I'm sure our Father has more in store for the "research guy" than educating those who don't care to complicate.
Just saying...
11:03 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Post Easter Musings I’ve been thinking about this whole legalistic point of view the right has been taking on immigration. And the thing that keeps getting stuck is how they (the hate radio guys) keep saying repeatedly that they want to get the guys that “cut in line” that “jumped in front of everyone else who is going through the process”. Now, believe me, I hate cutters. I have always hated cutters. There’s an entitlement issue there that really leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. I have no problem, none whatsoever, in letting people who cut know that it is not acceptable. But let’s switch tracks here. Cody fell down the stairs at school. He was in a lot of pain and after calling his pediatrician, I was instructed to go to the emergency room. We went in. I spoke to reception. I filled out paperwork. I elevated his foot. Got him something to drink. Went into the triage nurse, got vitals, went back into the waiting room. Filled out more paper work. And sat. And sat. X came with loud
Read more
All Aboard…. Is Rosie O’Donnell’s documentary on HBO about a cruise ship she chartered for 2000 gay and lesbian family members and it aired last night. I only saw it today as we had recorded it. I have to say that I was tearful through at least 80% of the film. I don’t know if it is something innately a part of who I am, how I’m wired or just simply what I believe through life experiences that are the driving force behind my feelings on this subject. Over and over as I saw loving parents care for their kids, overcome incredibly obstacles to fulfill their desire to nurture and raise children, it just revolved in my head – love is love is love. Isn’t there enough hate running rampant in this world? I mean, given the opportunity to allow love to flourish don’t you think as humans that is our goal? To allow love to dominate? I know that’s what Christianity is all about. I know that when presented to Jesus, he said that love was the most important thing. This cruise wasn’t a gay pride,
Read more
This is from the site : www.gopauctionhouse.org Pretty revealing stuff..... How The GOP Auction House Hurts You Health Care Under Republican rule, millions more Americans have gone without health insurance, even as health care costs continue to skyrocket. The Republican Medicare bill, which barred Medicare from bargaining for lower prices, kept re-importation from Canada illegal, and punishes seniors with an enrollment cost hike for every year they do not sign up, also provides for an estimated $139 billion in windfall profits for the big drug companies. And despite minimal savings for seniors, it puts the federal budget in the red as far as the eye can see. The Medicare bill is the perfect demonstration of how the Republican Culture of Corruption comes at a cost to the American people every day. $139 Billion in Windfall Profits for the Pharmaceutical Industry Blocks Medicare from Collective Bargaining for Lower Prices Prevents Re-importation from Canada "The Medicare drug benefi
Read more