thou shalt not kill?

Question

why can people kill animals

Answer 1

The commandment "Thou shalt not kill..." applies to ALL LIVING BEINGS including human beings, beasts, fowl, insects, plants or trees.

Yet somehow, something got LOST in the TRANSLATION, and the HEARTS of men have equally HARDENED for generations and generations since the ancient times.

Look at what atrocities we've done --even in the last half-century alone-- and how we've messed up our Planet Earth so far! And it keeps on going, and going, and going...

Such a travesty indeed.

Peace be with you!

Answer 2

Great answer i came across:

The commandment "thou shall not kill" (Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17), is better understood to mean "you shall not murder," most modern translations of the Bible rendered it this way. According to the Bible not all killing, the taking of a life, is murder. Murder is the unlawfully taking of human life. The command not to murder applies to human beings, not to killing animals or plant life for food. God gave animals to mankind for his use (Genesis 1:26-30; 9:1-4). But, this does not mean that humans have the right mistreat animals and the environment (Genesis 2:15; Deuteronomy 22:6-7; 25:4; Proverbs 12:10). Under the Old Covenant God allowed the Israelites to kill other humans under very special circumstances such as punishment for certain sins, for example, murder (Exodus 21:12-14, Leviticus 24:17, 21) and adultery (Leviticus 20:10, Deuteronomy 22:22-24). God also allowed the Israelites to engage in warfare and even gave them instructions about waging war (Deuteronomy 20:1-20). God also recognized that humans might accidentally kill each other, and he made provisions for this (Numbers 35:9-34; Deuteronomy 19:1-13).

Answer 3

When read out of context I see how you come to such a clever question. However, the Ten Commandments are not organized according to a general rule of society in relation to the world. They are specifically guidelines in how humans should act with God and among other humans.

God said to subdue the earth and be a good steward. We recognize our superiority to animals. I'm sure you must as well, or else you should not even type back to me, become illiterate and regress quite substantially in your IQ. And of course, be rid of your soul.

However, with the command to subdue the world we are also asked to be good stewards. We are responsible for the world and must treat it with love. The world has no cause of it own. It merely exists just as the animals do. They do not have will any more than a tree has will. They merely do what their instinct and natural habit is. Humans have will and this is obviously demonstrated by our ability to rise above instinct. Therefore, as the only things on earth which can actually will something to change, we must do so in a responsible manner.

The life of an animal is not comparable to the life of a human. The difference is vast and you deny your humanity if you throw us on equal playing field with the worm or the grass.

Needless to say, many do just that. Throw away their humanity in a misled belief that we are no different from the animal. The irony lies in that it takes something quite distinct from an animal to even form and hold a belief.

So they are trapped living as they shouldn't. They believe that they shouldn't believe. That become stale and useless not only to humans, but to the animals upon which they are meaning to support. They accomplish nothing because they are humans which deny they are humans.

The morality involved in killing an animal should be obvious to all humanity. Indeed it is to most, until one begins to simplify things far too much and says that nothing is really different and thus what morals are binding to humans are binding to animals. But the worm just keeps creeping and the dog just eats his food. And they have no concept of the moral authority that they have just been given by those who are ridiculous enough to force it upon them. It is simplification to the point of insanity.

Answer 4

Actually, that is a translation issue. 'Kill" was translated from 'ratsach' which means to murder or assassinate. Yes, there is a difference in meaning.

As far as the justification of killing animals? That comes from Genesis 1:26 - which basically says that god wants man to have dominion over animals.

On a side note:
I need no dusty old book to tell me Killin' is wrong and animals are tasty - But, that is probably just me.

Answer 5

The actual translation of this commandment is "Thou shall not commit murder". So killing an animal is not murder because they have no souls. Doesn't mean they are loving caring creatures they just don't have souls. Mankind has dominion over the animals. We break no commandment by killing animals.

Answer 6

Translation error: From what I have read, it should translate as

Thou shalt not commit murder.

Murder does not = killing. Murder is a subset of killing. If you kill an attacker intent on killing you, that is not murder.

Murder is the unlawful killing of one human by another, especially with premeditated malice. By that definition, you can not murder an animal.

Answer 7

The only reason God made animals were for food. In Genesis, it actually says we're to eat the animals. It's only 'murder' if it has a soul- as with humans. Animals, however lovable and human-like at times, don't have conciousness at the same level we do. They function on instinct, don't experience emotion the way we do, and cannot sin or be redeemed.

Answer 8

Because the can.
They don't understand that without animal the human will be wiped from the face of the earth years later.
" Whatever happens to the animals, will soon happen to the humans"- Cheif Seattle.
SAVE THE ANIMALS!!

Answer 9

a very good question. and one that i'm sure vegetarians have dealt with *as they don't eat meat*. personally i could never actually kill anything but a bug. i get upset when i hear someone went deer hunting or even shot a bird. population dilemmas? that's the arguement. well i think God would take care of those. so leave it to God. have a great day and thanks for the thought provoking question. i'll be thinking about it. God bless you and take care. IM or email if you like.

Answer 10

In Genesis, man was given dominion over all of the beast of the land, sea, sky, etc. So killing them doesn't count as murder. Anyways, God likes us to burn cattle and other such farm animals - he likes the smell.