Is it ok to kill?

[Bruno]

Does the Bible say that it is ever acceptable to kill a human?

 

[leecappella]

Bruno:

I don't think that the bible says that it is okay to kill. Personally, I believe we are to live by Christ's law of love, which is the only law we are to live by, and that is to love the Lord God and love thy neighbor as thyself. There are circumstances and situations that may led a believer to kill, as in self defense, but that is all I can think of. A car accident can lead to the unintended death of a person and other such cases, but that's all that comes to mind now. The commandment, Thou shalt not kill is actually means, Thou shalt not murder. If we are to seek the betterment of others, killing obviously does not do that unless we are protecting someone. Hope this helps. God bless.

Leecappella

 

[Susan]

No. It is never acceptable. In some rare cases (accidents, self-defense where no other option such as fleeing the situation or nonlethal methods could have been used), it can be argued that it was in some way inevitable, but it is NEVER acceptable and it is definitely not something God wants anyone to do now-and it is a grievous sin to take human life, which is made in His own image.

 

[Didymus]

if someone was hurting someone i loved--esspecially a child or someone old and feeble or otherwise unable to defend themselves. i would definetly try to kill them. and i would not regret it if i did--well maybe a little. Yes i think God accepts that sometimes there is a time to kill.

 

[Susan]

Oh, by the way, if this is tied to those debates in IDD or Apologetics, get out of there. You don't need to be thinking in such ways.

 

[Ryder]

? huh Susan, (I never read those debates)

I agree with you Didymus, if I saw some guy hurting/etc my little nephew, it'd be the last thing they ever did.

 

[Bsign24]

Today at 02:33 PM Didymus said this in Post #4

if someone was hurting someone i loved--esspecially a child or someone old and feeble or otherwise unable to defend themselves. i would definetly try to kill them. and i would not regret it if i did--well maybe a little. Yes i think God accepts that sometimes there is a time to kill.

In such circumstances, I do believe that we should leave up to God to pronounce judgement on those who would kill a love one.  Indeed it is our nature to take revenge on the matter, in truth I don't know what I would do.  But we must remember what is written in Romans 12:19 "Do not take revenge, my freinds, but leave room for God's wrath for it is written: " It is mine to avenge; I will repay," say the Lord." 

Therefore, let God do the revenge for us. 

 

[Didymus]

I meant if you came in my house and started hitting my child with a baseball bat for example i would grab my knives and do my best to kill them. if it happened such as an auto accident by a drunk driver i would be more apt to let the law handle it. but you are a young man and i am a she bear with cubs.

 

[Aaron11]

The highest principal of our law is love. All things hang on love. So if there is that rare situation where killing would be the only loving thing to do, then God would have you to kill. Yes, killing is wrong in MOST all cases, but actions are not judged based on the act, they are based on the higher principles of the law (love).

 

[Job_38]

Yesterday at 08:27 PM Susan said this in Post #3

No. It is never acceptable. In some rare cases (accidents, self-defense where no other option such as fleeing the situation or nonlethal methods could have been used), it can be argued that it was in some way inevitable, but it is NEVER acceptable and it is definitely not something God wants anyone to do now-and it is a grievous sin to take human life, which is made in His own image.

That is simply untrue. Read Ecclesiastes chapter 3 verses 1-8 (I think to 8) 

 The "God of the Old Testament" used war many many times. Killing even children(age could actually range into teenage years) and entire cities decimated. Since God is an unchanging God, we have to believe that He still condones killing, for just causes and done by the appropriate people such as the goverment and those in defense of them and their families or others.

 

 

 

[Aaron11]

AMEN

 

[Bsign24]

8th April 2003 at 09:39 PM Job_38 said this in Post #10




That is simply untrue. Read Ecclesiastes chapter 3 verses 1-8 (I think to 8) 

 The "God of the Old Testament" used war many many times. Killing even children(age could actually range into teenage years) and entire cities decimated. Since God is an unchanging God, we have to believe that He still condones killing, for just causes and done by the appropriate people such as the goverment and those in defense of them and their families or others.

 

 

That is true that God has at times war to pronounce judgement on the nations.  But that does not mean that He condones killing.  Remember what He did to Cain when he killed Abel, He curse him and the land in which he farmed on.  The only times when God kills is when He pronounces judgement examples: the Flood, Sodom and Gommorah, the Conquest of Cannan.  These are just a few examples.  To kill on behalf of enforcing God's law is permitted, but to kill is a curse and God would like to abolish it, for God is Love; unfortunately because of our fallen state it's neccesary.

 

[Aaron11]

God did not only kill when he pronounced judgement. God killed innocent firstborns of Egypt to free His people. God led Isrealites against gentile nations. The fact is, love is our law. If love requires us to kill, then we must kill. Another fact of the matter is that love nearly never requires that.

 

[paulewog]

Personal revenge - no

War - yes

Self defense - yes

Government executions - yes.

By the way. Who is to say they were "innocent Egyptian children" ?

Do *we* have that authority to say they were innocent? I don't think so.

 

[Susan]

Government executions-no. It's just another form of revenge in too many cases, and innocent people were on death row all around the country.

In Israel, where this was mandated, it was one thing: but here in America where we are not mandated to enforce OT Law and where we can and have come up with alternative means of punishment (isolating criminals from those who would be harmed by them through imprisonment, having them make restitution, etc, etc. . .) we have no need for the death penalty. It is brutal, cruel, more expensive than even housing a lifetime prisoner, and it is not something we need as a nation.

 

[Susan]

Love never requires killing.

Aaron, do you use the same rationale for fornication? For stealing?

 

[paulewog]

In 1st Timothy, it says that God-ordained governments carry a sword, and have a God-given power to use it. What do you use swords for?

Personal revenge = capital punishment, eh, I don't think so. However, either way, personal killing is always evil... it's called "murder."

(on that note, "Thou shalt not kill" is better translated "thou shalt not murder" - it's the Heberw word for murder, not just "kill.")

 

[Aaron11]

Susan. Yes I use the same law for everything... love. Read Romans 13 starting in verse 8. It tells about the higher principal of our law. If you would lilke to know what love is like read I Corinthians 13. If you believe that love never requires killing of any kind, then you believe it is always unlawful. If you believe something to be unlawful and do it, to you this is sin.

In defense of the "innocent egyptian children", you say that I "have no authority to say this". Ok, well then you equally have no authority to say they did anything wrong. The point is, God killed these children for something that we have a hard time showing they had a part in. This point can be dropped unless someone sees a need to argue it.

 

[Chriƒt]

Personal revenge - no

War - yes

Self defense - yes

Government executions - yes.

 

And I would also like to add:

Suicide - no

 

[Number 81]

no

if i had to defend myself, i would never kill the person, i would disable him, knock him unconsience. even if you have a gun you could shoot him in the foot.