<< Not only interpretation of the standard has changed but
who can guarantee that God will not change his/her mind on this issue ? Is
it 'thou shall not kill' or 'an eye for an eye' ?
>>
reader: "Thou shall not kill" is more correctly translated "thou shall not
murder"
Another example of poverty in translation ? So which translation is 'more
correct' ? But even allowing for your prefered translation, how do we
judge if something is murder or not ?
Reader: "An eye for an eye" is the law of retribution or punishment in
kind
(lex talionis). Rather than prescribing or allowing retribution, this law
kept it in check.
Punishment in kind. Death to a killer ? I wonder how this law keeps things
in check by prescribing punishment in kind ? Definitely both statements
over time have seen different interpretations of the meaning 'thou shalt
not kill' and 'an eye for an eye'. To me the two appear at least
contradictory, although given the vagueness of the statements one could
always reconcile these two statements to mean whatever appears
advantageous. My problem is that this hardly shows a good example of an
objective, universal and eternal morality.