Number 93 : July 1998 |
Dear Theo,
Commensal Number 91 was very interesting, although clearly one needs to have been a full member for a little while before one can be fully conversant with the various on-going discussions.
There was, however, one very small general point I wanted to make in connection with the on-going correspondence / discussion with Sheila Blanchard (C91; pages 33-35) concerning distinctions between "murder" and "killing".
In a general conversation I was having with a friend about difficulties arising in translations, an interesting point arose in connection with biblical texts. The specific point related to the commandment - "thou shalt not kill".
In Exodus 20:13 (New Revised Standard Version) the commandment is now translated as "You shall not murder". The word "murder" is then annotated and the corresponding footnote gives "or kill" as a possible alternative.
I would assume from all this that the original text is a little ambiguous but that the "experts" feel that it is more likely to mean "murder" rather than "kill".
I just felt that the possible implications of all this rather opens up a "can of worms". Did our creator imply that there were indeed circumstances where the taking of life would be permissible ?
Peter : Good to hear from you ! If you (or any other PDG member) wants back numbers of Commensal, I have these as far back as C84. I can let anyone have copies for the cost of postage.
You’re quite right about Exodus. The Hebrew is ratsach (to murder) rather than harag (to slay), muth (to put to death) and sundry others. This is carried forward into the Greek of the New Testament, via the Septuagint, by the use of phoneuo rather than apokteino in Matthew 5:21 and parallels. Not much doubt about the correct translation, I wouldn’t have thought. Besides, the Old Testament is riddled with battles & Exodus itself instructs the Israelites to drive out the Canaanites etc. - with Deuteronomy & Joshua describing their (almost) utter destruction. The OT also provides for capital punishment - even of rebellious sons ! It views the world as a battle-ground between good and evil, with no quarter given & no room for wishy-washy liberalism. Not sure what this has to do with modern-day ethics, though !
Theo