# Thou shalt not kill and hypocratic faith? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 2, 2011, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-kill-and-hypocratic-faith/566123 "2011-01-02T07:24:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ExistentialistDesperado33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a183cd/32.png) [@ExistentialistDesperado33](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExistentialistDesperado33)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-kill-and-hypocratic-faith/566123/1 "2011-01-02T07:24:44Z")
The abrahamic religions all stem from a basis whereby moses laid out the ten commandments. one of these: Thou shalt not kill. The question i would like to ask of those who have a abrahamic faith (and also opinions of others) is: How can religious war (or war in general) be justified by those who claim to be faithful and support the idea that scripture is god breathed ? Thankyou in advance for any replies as I would like to know peoples views šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/22d042/32.png) [@Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-kill-and-hypocratic-faith/566123/2 "2011-01-02T07:25:54Z")
Hypocratic? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-kill-and-hypocratic-faith/566123/3 "2011-01-02T07:31:47Z")
Iā€™m guessing the OP means ā€œhypocritical.ā€ Hypocrisy has nothing to do with Hippocrates, the Greek physician who said ā€œfirst, do no harm.ā€ Both concepts are unrelated to the hippopotamus, hip-hop, and the hippocampus. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-kill-and-hypocratic-faith/566123/4 "2011-01-02T07:31:56Z")
> [@Sandwich](#): > > Hypocratic? God breathed? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-kill-and-hypocratic-faith/566123/5 "2011-01-02T07:35:07Z")
> [@ExistentialistDesperado33](#): > > How can religious war (or war in general) be justified by those who claim to be faithful and support the idea that scripture is god breathed ?šŸ™‚ I imagine they refer to all the parts of scripture where God explicitly condones, rewards, and/or demands that people kill each other. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-kill-and-hypocratic-faith/566123/6 "2011-01-02T07:38:17Z")
> [@ExistentialistDesperado33](#): > > The abrahamic religions all stem from a basis whereby moses laid out the ten commandments. > one of these: Thou shalt not kill. > > The question i would like to ask of those who have a abrahamic faith (and also opinions of others) is: > > How can religious war (or war in general) be justified by those who claim to be faithful and support the idea that scripture is god breathed ? > > Thankyou in advance for any replies as I would like to know peoples views šŸ™‚ Given that God commands the Hebrews to wage a war of conquest and basically go genocidal on the Cannanites almost immediately after giving them the 10 commandments, its pretty obvious that ā€œDo Not Killā€ isnā€™t meant as a blanket Prohibition on warfare. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-kill-and-hypocratic-faith/566123/7 "2011-01-02T08:27:46Z")
The phrase ā€œThou shalt not killā€ does not appear in the Bible. The original wording is ā€œ×œ× ×Ŗ×Øצחā€, which translates to ā€œDonā€™t murderā€. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-kill-and-hypocratic-faith/566123/8 "2011-01-02T18:03:39Z")
Mrs. J. has never referred to me as a ā€œHippocratic oafā€, but itā€™s only a matter of time. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-kill-and-hypocratic-faith/566123/9 "2011-01-02T18:07:54Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > The phrase ā€œThou shalt not killā€ does not appear in the Bible. The original wording is ā€œ×œ× ×Ŗ×Øצחā€, which translates to ā€œDonā€™t murderā€. Youā€™d be surprised at the amount of people I run into who will adamantly refuse to accept this information. And like others said, by the next couple of pages the same deity is telling us when and for what reasons and who is it OK to execute for crimes or kill in war. (and BTW, are ā€œhypocrisyā€ and its derivatives the most misspelled - never mind misdefined - debate terms around here?) ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-kill-and-hypocratic-faith/566123/10 "2011-01-02T18:13:14Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > The phrase ā€œThou shalt not killā€ does not appear in the Bible. The original wording is ā€œ×œ× ×Ŗ×Øצחā€, which translates to ā€œDonā€™t murderā€. > [@JRDelirious](#): > > Youā€™d be surprised at the amount of people I run into who will adamantly refuse to accept this information. Iā€™d never heard it until I just read it, but had always suspected that, or something like that, was the case. Iā€™ve just never been religious enough or curious enough to check it out. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-kill-and-hypocratic-faith/566123/11 "2011-01-02T18:13:20Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > The phrase ā€œThou shalt not killā€ does not appear in the Bible. The original wording is ā€œ×œ× ×Ŗ×Øצחā€, which translates to ā€œDonā€™t murderā€. In other words, ā€œno _unauthorized_ killingā€. _Big_ difference. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-kill-and-hypocratic-faith/566123/12 "2011-01-02T21:52:20Z")
And it amazes me how many people come out with this giant ā€œGotcha!ā€ in the apparent belief no-oneā€™s ever thought of it before. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-kill-and-hypocratic-faith/566123/13 "2011-01-02T23:38:37Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > God breathed? Iā€™m assuming itā€™s an over-literal interpretation of ā€œinspiredā€, but Iā€™m open to correction. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2011, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-kill-and-hypocratic-faith/566123/14 "2011-01-03T01:54:24Z")
> [@WotNot](#): > > Iā€™m assuming itā€™s an over-literal interpretation of ā€œinspiredā€, but Iā€™m open to correction. Itā€™s the literal translation of the Greek word that is translated ā€˜inspiredā€™ in II Timothy 3:16. The NIV renders it as ā€œGod-breathedā€. > **[Bible Gateway passage: 2 Timothy 3 - New International Version](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Timothy%2B3&version=NIV)** > > But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without... ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2011, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-kill-and-hypocratic-faith/566123/15 "2011-01-03T02:31:39Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > And it amazes me how many people come out with this giant ā€œGotcha!ā€ in the apparent belief no-oneā€™s ever thought of it before. Given that the difference is slight but significant and the wrong word is always used, I think itā€™s worth mentioning. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2011, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-kill-and-hypocratic-faith/566123/16 "2011-01-03T04:48:30Z")
So the bottom line is donā€™t kill anyone. Not your neighbor or his wife. Not your local roman or Egyptian or cannanite magistrate, and certainly not women and childrenā€¦ Unless god tells you to. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2011, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-kill-and-hypocratic-faith/566123/17 "2011-01-03T05:40:51Z")
> [@Kinthalis](#): > > So the bottom line is donā€™t kill anyone. Not your neighbor or his wife. Not your local roman or Egyptian or cannanite magistrate, and certainly not women and childrenā€¦ Unless god tells you to. Iā€™m not sure. Does the word ā€œmurderā€ already leave other sorts of killings untouched? Arenā€™t, say, assorted killings in self-defense or defense of others excluded even before God weighs in? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2011, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-kill-and-hypocratic-faith/566123/18 "2011-01-03T05:55:26Z")
Of course not - killing in war (divinely mandated or not) is permitted, as is killing in self-defense and executing people, with due process. The latter is important - to the best of my knowledge, the ancient Israelite rulers never had absolute powers of life and death over their subjects, and couldnā€™t execute them without a trial. In this matter, biblical law isnā€™t all that different from modern law. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2011, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-kill-and-hypocratic-faith/566123/19 "2011-01-03T06:14:57Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > The phrase ā€œThou shalt not killā€ does not appear in the Bible. The original wording is ā€œ×œ× ×Ŗ×Øצחā€, which translates to ā€œDonā€™t murderā€. This is just begging the question. Who decides whether a killing is murder? When God told the Israelites to kill Amelekite infants (to kill ALL Amelekite infants and children), was that killing or murder? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2011, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-kill-and-hypocratic-faith/566123/20 "2011-01-03T07:33:32Z")
When Truman ordered the U.S. military to nuke Hiroshima, was it war or murder? (Note: that was a rhetorical question. I already know your answer). As a side note - within the context of the story, the Amalekites were inherently evil, one and all. I mean, if you can accept the existence of the God giving the order, canā€™t you accept the premise that they deserved it? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thou-shalt-not-kill-and-hypocratic-faith/566123.md?page=2)