Why is killing in a war not considered a violation of the Fifth Commandment?

Question

After all, war is just institutionalized murder, IMO.

Does a king or president have some sort of Divine Right to over-rule the Fifth Commandment simply by formally declaring war? If I first declare war on my neighbor, is it then OK to kill him?

Answer 1

Murder is murder no matter why it is committed.

Answer 2

In the same book of the Bible as the Ten Commandments (Exodus or Deuteronomy) God also commands the Israelites to wipe out every man, woman, child, and animal in Canaan when they reach it.

The Israelite law also describes several offenses that are punishable by death, including working on the sabbath (Numbers 15:32-36), blasphemy (Leviticus 24:10-23; also the crime that Jesus was crucified for), or being a rebellious child (Deuteronomy 21:18-21).

The commandment reads "You shall not murder", but is often misquoted. Also, "You shall not bear false testimony" is often shortened to "You shall not lie", which changes the meaning some.

Granted most wars are stupid, yes. And yes, people used to believe that a king did have a divine right to declare war. Our president cannot declare war; our constitution specifies that "War" can only be declared by congress. But your question is one that man has been struggling with for a long time, and I don't know if anyone has a satisfactory answer yet (I haven't seen it yet).

Completely unrelated Confession: I had to read your question about five times before I figured out what you were asking. For some reason my brain was processing it as the fifth Amendment, not Commandment.

Answer 3

Beause if we discuss what is legal vs. illegal, there are different reasons for killing, and different crimes involved. If you get into a barfight and get beat up; so your response is to go out to your car and get a gun and go back in and shoot the guy who beat you up in the back 11 times in front of 15 witnesses, you will be charged with premeditated murder.
Now if you are in a blinding snowstorm, and going a reasonable speed down the Highway and some guy has run his car off in a ditch, and he is walking in the middle of the highway and you don't see him until it is too late to avoid him, but you nevertheless TRY to avoid him, and you hit and kill him, you may or may not be charged with involunatary manslaughter.
If there are 5 guys with knives or other weapons on a dark parking lot who attempt to beat me up and rape my wife, and I shoot and kill 1 or 2 and the rest flee, the prosecutor may or may not charge me with a crime. Self-defense is an allowed form of killing under the law, and is legal.
Killing in war is something we honor and decorate and promote those who are good at it. Here are some examples for you, if you click on Superman:
http://www.homeofheroes.com/hallofheroes/2nd_floor/opportunity/hero_entrance.html

BTW the Fifth Commandment is Honor thy Father and Mother

Answer 4

Evil is all around us in the world and there are times when that evil threatens the good. When this happens war breaks out to destroy the evil. This doesn't break the 5th Commandment. Murder is what the commandment forbids.

Answer 5

In obedience to both the ten commandments and Jesus' request to ' love your neighbour", all J.W's throughout the whole world will not join any armed forces or even any organisation that is involved in policing their neighbour.
The cost of doing this, especially in countries where military service is required, has been for some , time spent in prison.
If everybody did this, politicians could not conduct war at all.

Answer 6

War is an interesting study... I don't know the answer to the question.

I would hazzard a guess that it is different than murder in that the moral context has been somewhat removed. But like I said, I don't know. That is why war should be taken seriously.

Answer 7

The fifth commandment is "Honor your father and mother."

The sixth commandment is "Do not murder."

The Ten Commandments are part of the larger Law of Moses. We must interpret the Ten Commandments in the context of the whole Law. The Law did allow killing in war and execution of criminals. Neither were considered murder.

In the US today, the execution of criminals in not considered murder. We don't arrest and try prison guards who execute criminals.

In the US today, we don't consider killing in war to be murder. We don't charge our soldiers with murder.

Answer 8

It depends I'd suppose,ultimatly it's God who judges,but I don't see anything wrong with a war to defend your country,or to start a war against someone who opressing people.

As far as war for power and/or loot is just wrong,also some people are forced to the battlefield.

Answer 9

God didn't consult you on your opinion when He wrote the Ten Commandments. He specifically means that one cannot go out, and maliciously murder another in cold blood. God Himself has ordered warfare, and to say that warfare is murder, in the degree that you describe, claims that God is commanding us to sin, which He is not. Warfare is necessary at times to accomplish an end. Premeditated murder, on the other hand, accomplishes nothing.

No you cannot "declare war" on your neighbor. You misunderstand the concept of war.

Answer 10

no, but the bible does say you can kill to defend your country/land...The Hebrew word (murder) literally means “the intentional, premeditated killing of another person with malice.” sometimes the only way to prevent sinful people from doing great harm is by going to war with them.

http://www.gotquestions.org/war-Bible.html

Answer 11

Because some religions pick and choose. It's apparently okay to kill in the name of God, but if you're killing for yourself it's wrong.

Just a double-standard, don't let it bother you too much.

*drink*