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A seemingly simple question : “Why is it basically permitted to kill animals, yet it is wrong to kill humans? What is the difference?”
Ask a group of people and a variety of answers will be offered. A reasonable answer is: for the good of society is murder forbidden. Other possible answers are humans are more intelligent than animals or because man can think. The problem with any of these answers is: using this reasoning - murder of the innocent can be justified. If we do not kill because humans are more intelligent, we can justify killing an unintelligent person. Thus obviously this cannot be the reason why murder should be forbidden.
Proposing that laws of murder exist for the good of society is also incorrect. If we find a reason why letting certain people live it is not good for society, genocide can be justified. This was the reason for the laws of the Nazis – they justified genocide for the good of their society. It is the reason for acts of Terrorists – they justify killing innocent people for the good of a particular society. Obviously both are evil. Both are wrong. The point being that any reason given to justify a law can also be used to use the law for evil.
So what is the reason why murder should be forbidden? Which reason will not allow us humans to justify murder and other atrocities? There is only one – because G-d has said “Do Not Kill.” If we accept the laws of God, they cannot be overturned or used to justify committing evil – for God does not change his mind.
It is true that G-d's laws are for the good of the society, but the reason for observing the laws must be because G-d said to observe these laws, not because it is good for society.
Thus it is a problem to create a law that goes against the law of G-d. Once one Divine law is placed in the dominion of human hands, this opens the door for other laws like laws against murder to be debated as well, causing every law to fall prey to being used for evil. This is only one of the problems of the laws permitting – marriages that are against G-d's law. Society has opened up the door to determining laws based upon the reasoning of humankind - that can now be used to justify genocide.
There are Seven laws in the Torah that G-d gave for all humanity to observe - They are called the Noahide laws (Sheva Mitzvot B'nei Noach). These laws ensure the proper functioning of the world. There was only one time in history where G-d appeared to an entire nation of millions of people and gave them a document with very specific laws of conduct - when G-d gave the Torah to the Jews at Mount Sinai about 3,300 years ago. G-d gave laws for Jews and laws for gentiles. In the Torah – it explains in detail what these laws are. A person who follows these laws because G-d gave them in the Torah – is called a Ben Noah and will inherit a portion in Heaven.
They are seven major categories – that with their details consist of 30 laws.
- Respecting G-d – Not to blaspheme.
- Being Faithful to G-d – Not to Commit Idolatry.
- Respecting Human Life – Not to Kill.
- Respecting One's Fellow's Property – Not to Steal.
- Respecting the Integrity of the Family – Not to commit forbidden relations – which includes prohibitions of adultery, incest, bestiality and homosexuality.
- Respect of Life – Not to eat a limb taken from a living animal.
- Law and Order – Establishing courts of law to enforce these laws.
The Noahide laws are the laws that people should lobby congress and governments to adapt for the sake of G-d and the sake of the true good of society. Adapting laws according to the prevalent values of the country – that are contrary to the Torah's seven laws for humanity – will ultimately lead to the downfall of nations. Most societies – ancient and modern - that eventually disappeared – usually fell due to their adaptation of values contrary to the Torah.
Examples abound. Ancient Rome fell due to the lack of population needed to defend the country – for their acceptance of marriages forbidden by the Torah. In the end of their civilization they had to employ mercenaries to defend their country because of the breakdown of the traditional family. The USSR fell due to the corruption in the Government. Nazi Germany fell due a world response against their evil laws.
When society will recognize this principle – and put the Torah's Seven Noahide laws for humanity into effect for the sake of G-d – we will live in a much safer society. We will live with peace of mind in a peaceful society - where the burden of fear is on the wrongdoers – to not commit crimes - and not on the innocent people – to walk safely in the streets.
