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No one made a rule of don't kill. Killing is necessary to an ordered world. Don't murder. Don't wantonly take an innocent life. Don't kill for pleasure.
That's because most things don't fit neatly into a rhetorical box. Clearly they mean pro-life to stand for not wanting to needlessly kill other human beings, thus there's no conflict between wanting to preserve vulnerable human life and eating tasty animals.
No, they realize that there are circumstances in which it is permissible to kill, NOT murder. That's what the commandment in the Hebrew actually says, do not murder. You do know that, right?
Is a fireman a hypocrite because he's allowed to break a car's window to get to a fire hydrant but you're not? Is a father a hypocrite because he tells a toddler he's not allowed to touch the stove at all, then turns around and cooks dinner on the same stove? I say no, your standard would say yes.
OF COURSE, God has different standards that apply to Him. He's the creator, we are the creation. He has no more restrictions on removing lives from earth than you do removing ants from an ant farm you built.
The difference is the killer. Killing does not make you God and He is not bound by the laws He makes for man to follow. Ultimately murderers want to be God. To have the power of life and death over living things.
Because animals are given to us for food. That's basic. Other humans are not.
He says for us not to murder. As I've said before, a mother or father can tell a toddler, "Don't touch the stove", then turn around and cook dinner on that same stove. They're not hypocrites, they just have greater authority than the toddler does. Why don't you want to address that?
We don't have God's authority, just like a toddler doesn't have authority to play with a stove or a knife, but the parents do.
One difference is the innocence vs guilt of those being deliberately put to death. A murderer can legally be put to death by a government, an innocent child, not so much.
More like I'm God and you're not. God doesn't do anything evil. You might judge God's acts as evil but they aren't. After all, that might be the basis of warning people not to judge. Even one another.So, God is a hypocrite?
Do what I say, not what I do?
So, essentially God is evil? He has a certain power to do something evil, and he could choose not to do evil, but instead he chooses evil....
More like I'm God and you're not. God doesn't do anything evil. You might judge God's acts as evil but they aren't. After all, that might be the basis of warning people not to judge. Even one another.
Can't resist going a little off-topic here. People write about what mankind, as a whole, knows. Books are written, books are read, and books sell because people find the topic interesting. We all find the issues of God and morality interesting. People who do not know what morality is would find books on morality the ultimate bore. While the Bible--or any book about God and/or morality--is not needed, God and morality universally remain topics that interest people, and therefore are sought-after for both reading and discussion.Sorry, I don't need a book to know what morality is.
Read more closely we learn that mankind brought evil down upon themselves. This appears to be a constantly repetitive and persistent occurrence in human history...bringing evil upon ourselves. Why do yo suppose that is?But the Bible says God did something evil.
I can recognize that my moral principals align with most other people without an indepth study of morality. Closer study would certainly be interesting, but not required for individual practice.Can't resist going a little off-topic here. People write about what mankind, as a whole, knows. Books are written, books are read, and books sell because people find the topic interesting. We all find the issues of God and morality interesting. People who do not know what morality is would find books on morality the ultimate bore. While the Bible--or any book about God and/or morality--is not needed, God and morality universally remain topics that interest people, and therefore are sought-after for both reading and discussion.
But the Bible says God did something evil.
If killing loads of people isn't evil, then you're justifying Nazis and the like.
People look to the Bible for their morals, and I can see why Christianity has a HUGE murder rate problem.
Ordering the slavery and rape of your enemies women and children is pretty evil.Nazis aren't Gods. They might have thought they were but no. You wanted to test religious belief up against your lack of religious belief. God does nothing that is evil. Although he allows evil to exist.
The Bible is not all about an in depth study of morality, but rather people's experiences with God and morality. Morality is pretty much the Ten Commandments--not long at all. Then there commentaries on the best way to follow the original Ten. But mostly, the Bible contains stories.I can recognize that my moral principals align with most other people without an indepth study of morality. Closer study would certainly be interesting, but not required for individual practice.
I'm aware of what is in the bible.The Bible is not all about an in depth study of morality, but rather people's experiences with God and morality. Morality is pretty much the Ten Commandments--not long at all. Then there commentaries on the best way to follow the original Ten. But mostly, the Bible contains stories.
It is certainly evil for human beings to do to one another.Ordering the slavery and rape of your enemies women and children is pretty evil.
Of course it is, but what of a god that ordered that behavior? Is such a god worthy of being a god?It is certainly evil for human beings to do to one another.
Of course. There is no equality here.Of course it is, but what of a god that ordered that behavior? Is such a god worthy of being a god?
I never would have guessed!I'm aware of what is in the bible.
He gave 120 years for people to learn that the flood was coming and secure a seat on the boat. They ignored Him. I say that's pretty good due process.That "pro-life" isn't pro-life at all is another issue. The point, however, was made.
What's the difference between killing and murder? The difference is, as you've said before, about authority. However authority tends to try and justify its killing. In the US executions must go through due process. Wars must be voted for by Congress. The US govt can't just kill people for no "legitimate reason"
However, when God killed people with his flood, did he do so as a result of due process? No. He just went "fuck you all assholes, I'm killing all of you".
It doesn't have to be killing. Even if you think your neighbor is committing a crime, you cannot grab and restrain him for the weekend until a judge takes his seat while a policeman can do just that.People can break car windows if there's a legitimate reason. Many countries feel there is NO legitimate reason to kill people, except for self defense.
No, while God CAN do whatever He likes (at least you acknowledge that), He does not act capriciously or precipitously. There are reasons why people are killed, and God is SLOW to anger. All of those "atrocities" you're so upset about in the Old Testament were done after generations of people turned against God and let evil grow. The Egyptian firstborn were killed after God's people were enslaved for hundreds of years and 9 previous escalating plagues were ignored. The point is, you don't really have standing to complain that judgement has come when you've ignored the warnings. Whose fault is it when you drive around multiple "Stop, the bridge is out" signs, then plunge into the river and die?So what are God's standards then? When it comes to killing, God can simply do whatever he likes. And you, as a worshiper can't question that? That seems rather hypocritical.
Not at all because God does not arbitrarily kill humans. He has reasons and purposes. The point is that we cannot comprehend the infinite mind any more than a toddler can comprehend why he's not allowed to touch the stove, but his parents can use it routinely.(one might say that Trump is attempting to be like this. He seems to think there should be no consequences to actions and his supporters, many of whom have learned the Bible, seem to be able to accept this. Not something we need to get into, but it's a thought.)
