If I look at the Hebrew definition of the word murder, as presented above, it seems synomynous with the word kill and goes so far to indicate that even accidental killing would fall into this category. Of course the exact meaning of words used so long ago are always going to have a question mark hovering around them, simply because they are so old IMO.
I have managed people as a career, and in doing so I have had to set clear expectations in order to get what I wanted accomplished specifically. If I were to set expectations with the intention of allowing exceptions, It does serve purpose and logic to include these exceptions in my specific expectations. If my underlings assumed any exceptions <-[edit corrected wrong word!] to my rules then they do so at the risk of consequence.
My point is, if someone is going to use thou shall not kill as a moral rule of life, considering the consequences of implying exceptions to the rule is paramount.
Now to get back to the contradiction of the rule, considering exceptions are not assumed and the bible is being looked upon as a strict moral authority:
Consider Exodus 32
http://webchapel-x.com/kjvb/EXO32.HTML
Quote:
27-"And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour."
28-" And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men."
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This is not in alignment with thou shall not kill. Only with finding, in other parts of the bible, reconciliation of the contradiction with perhaps "turn the other cheek", or "do unto to others" or "on Earth peace and goodwill towards men" can we find a moral lesson here that is worthy (IMO).
Now lets assume that killing is allowed, that the unspoken exception is indeed the rule and killing is allowed for reasons "good" for society, why were these people killed? Because they were dancing around a golden calf? Because they were worshiping a false Idol? And did God particularly care they were killed? It seems not, God seemed more concerned that the people had worshiped a false idol. Not once is Moses reprimanded for inciting killing. God doesnt even seemed concerned Moses drop and broke the tablets with his laws on them, one of those laws being "thou shall not kill". This hardly seems to meet any moral standard that would allow an exception to a rule against killing, therefore contradicts the rule even with exceptions.
[ 08-14-2003, 03:11 AM: Message edited by: Chewbacca ]