Show 171: The 5th Commandment- Thou Shalt Not Kill, Part 2

In the Fifth Commandment almighty God forbids us to destroy our own life, or that of our neighbor, or to treat the lower animals with cruelty.


OUR DUTY IN REGARD TO THE LIFE OF OUR NEIGHBOR
A strict obligation is laid upon us to avoid everything that may destroy the health or life of our neighbor.

1. Accordingly it is sinful to wish ill to one's neighbor, to injure his health, to challenge him or accept a duel, or to put him to death unjustly and willingly.
2. He commits a still greater sin who destroys the spiritual life of his neighbor, either by tempting him to evil or by giving scandal.
3. It is, however, lawful to wound or even to kill our fellowman, if he threatens to take our life by violence, or anything that is absolutely indispensable to our life, and we have no other means of defence. This is called the right of self-defence.
4. He who has wrongfully injured his neighbor, either physically or spiritually, is bound to repair the harm done to the utmost of his power.

What are the Reasons which ought to Deter us from Taking our own Life or that of our Neighbor?

1. He who needlessly imperils or seeks to put an end to his own life, is often punished by God with acute bodily suffering here and sometimes by eternal damnation hereafter.
2. He who takes the life of another is tortured by terrible pangs of conscience, often dies a violent death, and is everlastingly damned.
3. He who hates his neighbor loses his peace of mind, and becomes displeasing to God; his prayers are not heard, and his lot is eternal perdition.

OUR CONDUCT IN REGARD TO THE LOWER ANIMALS.
The lower animals are created by God for the service of man.  In our relations to animals it is our duty to care for their wellbeing, to refrain from tormenting them, not to kill any useful animal without a special reason, and finally not to treat them with exaggerated tenderness. Men who are either cruel to animals or ridiculously fond of them, often are very hard-hearted towards their fellow-men. Both extremes, cruelty to animals and foolish fondness for them, are at variance with the order that God has established in the universe.

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