thou shall not kill?

Question

correct me if im wrong, but after those words, thou shall not kill, does it specifically say HUMANS? Or just, thou shall not kill? Because that could imply not killing ANYTHING. Maybe vegans have the right idea but not eating meat or buying animal products, maybe they are the only ones following that actual commandment.

On the flip side, sure we need food, So thou shall not kill, except to feed yourself. How about all those people who kill for sport. Im pretty positive, that hunting is very very popular among the christian community, and less popular among the non christian community

So where does Thou Shall Not Kill end?

War? Thou shall not kill unless your defending yourself, or your country

Hmmm, looks like its open for more interpretation than some like to think.

Answer 1

Well, even Quakers who are among the most pacifist christians believed that they had the right to hunt to keep themselves alive, but killing for sport is not acceptable. Being that a lot of my ancestors were Quakers, I've kept a lot of their philosophy when it comes to pacifism and the need to kill. I won't even kill insects, I trap them and release them outside.

I would never hunt for sport - I consider that barbaric and I would never pick up a weapon and use it against another human being for the same reason.

Edit: Interesting how newer versions of the bible changed that passage. My 4x great grandmother's bible from the late 1700's states "Thou shalt not kill."

Answer 2

The God Yahweh has allowed and taught us to raise and kill or as He calls it "sacrifice" the "clean" or "healthy" animals, birds, fish and insects that He wrote down in the book of Leviticus chapter 11 for food. He doesn't consider this as murdering these creatures. Which vegetarians are wrong in thinking this way. I do believe however that He doesn't support humans killing any animal either clean or unclean for sport only with no intention on eating them. Which He mentions this to Noah after the flood. Those in His military that kill are not looked at and labeled murderers by the God Yahweh. Civilians that kill in self defense are not considered murderers by God. Those who really study Yahweh's word will learn how to understand the difference.

Answer 3

I interpret it as, though shall not kill unless other's health is protected. Religion is most DEFINITELY not a reason to kill...(Remember the Crusades? The Catholic Church's corruption?)

Hunting = wrong
Treating Animals Badly = Wrong
Not using the whole part of an animal = wrong
Not stopping global warming= wrong (sry, had to slip that in, but a lot of ppl are going to die if we don't do anything...yes yes we all know Al Gore is a hypocrite)

Answer 4

You'ere right.

It's only my opinion, but I think killing anything that you don't intend to eat or use to fend off the elements is a sin. That included hunting for sport.

Hanging animal heads with glass eyes in houses seems horrible and macabre to me.

War is killing. Today, war is less about defending your country than about getting oil and other valuables from a weaker country, so that is sin.

There was never any doubt in my mind that it is open to massive interpretation.

Answer 5

Most hunters kill for food. My father hunts deer and every time he gets one, we eat it. It is just like killing a cow, except the animals are raised in the wild and get to roam freely.

I believe it means that humans should not kill humans. Animals were created to serve mankind and that includes providing food.

If your life is threatened and there is no other way to get out of the situation, I believe you have a reason to kill the other person. I think people take the self defense case a little too far. If the person is holding a knife in your face, you don't really have a choice.

PS-You really need something better to do than ridicule people's beliefs.

Answer 6

The commandment of God, "Thou shalt not kill," is meant that a person doesn't have the right to release the other's soul from their body by murder, or even have thoughts of doing such. In scripture, God makes other references in detail on what he meant exactly by, "Thou shalt not kill." He did say after the flood that man was now free to eat the meat of other animals. Killing animals isn't a sin. But killing people is, unless they killed someone else and deserved death.

Answer 7

Well you have to look at the Jewish law and see two other things relating to this

1) The Jews were required a sacrifice (i.e. kill) an animal for atonement of sins.

2) War was permissible under Jewish law, but conversely they had to make an offer of peace before every battle.

Answer 8

Biblically, "Killing" is the first time "Sin" in mentioned in the Bible. It is when Cain murdered Able because he was jealous of the attention God gave Able. Yes, it applies to how we treat each other; humans.

There is a historic part in the Bible where God teaches us (mankind) to eat like vegans. However, do the the hardened heart of mankind, eating meat (from animals) is premitted (just like divorce later in history). Since what we eat nurishes us and sustains life, much of what the Bible teaches is very logical and leads to our survival. When Moses was lost ... they only ate bread (mana from heaven), and when they killed birds and ate them, they got sick & this killed 1/3 of 'em. Dietitians seem to indicate that a sudden change in diet like this will kill off many ppl.

War ... well, war in of itself is sin. Jesus teaches us to turn the other cheak 4 sure ... but he's also very stern about protecting what we love.

Fictional Lover, Don Juan (very religious charachter) broke it down to this: What is sacreed ... What is worth living for ... What is worth dying for??? Answer ... love.

So, if you look at killing, it all falls down to what you love.

Answer 9

Let me check the Egyptian book of the dead. Oh, everyone did know that that's where those commandments came from right? In fact the negative confessions are more explicit and detailed. The wording there is "I have not slain men or women."

I've always been curious why Moses left out the others?

The one I like is the one about "acting with arrogance" Why leave that out?

Imagine if Moses had just written out all of them? You might have thou shalt not
"Terrorize"
"Be angry without just cause"
"Eavesdrop"
"Stir up strife"

Answer 10

You are asking for interpretation from the bible? Good luck. It is one of the most back asswards books I've ever read. The bible, koran, torah and the rest of the archaic books with archaic rules that no longer apply to moder society are a dangerous and should be put to rest.