Christian Theology - Media Sabda Org

away life, is properly a murderer. This commandment, which is general,
prohibits murder of every kind:—
All actions by which the life of our fellow creatures may be suddenly
taken away or abridged.
All wars for extending empire, commerce, &c.
All sanguinary laws, by the operation of which the lives of men may
be taken away for offences of comparatively trifling demerit.
All bad dispositions which lead men to wish evil to, or meditate
mischief against, each other; for the Scripture says, "He that hateth his
brother in his heart is a murderer."
All want of charity and humanity to the helpless and distressed; for he
who has it in his power to save the life of another, by a timely application
of succour, food, raiment, medicine, &c., and does not do it, and the life
of the person either falls or is abridged on this account, he is in the sight
of God a murderer. He who neglects to save life is, according to an
incontrovertible maxim in law, the same as he who takes it away.
All who, by immoderate and superstitious fastings, macerations of the
body, and wilful neglect of health, destroy or abridge life, are murderers;
whatever a false religion and ignorant superstitious priests may say of
them, God will not have murder for sacrifice.
All duellists are murderers, almost the worst of murderers; each meets
the other with the design of killing him. He who shoots his antagonist
dead is a murderer; he who is shot is a murderer also. The surviver should
be hanged; the slain should be buried at a crossway, and the hanged
murderer laid by his side. All who put an end to their own lives by hemp,
steel, poison, drowning, &c., are murderers, whatever coroners' inquests
may say of them; unless it be clearly proved that the deceased was
radically insane.