Thou Shall Not Kill

There are no creatures alive on this planet that don't survive at the expense of others..
It would be a mistake to propose literal adaption the age old moral pillar Thou Shall Not Kill.
To do so and exist would be impossible...
Even at our most innocent state of conscience our bodies are at work killing to protect us..
Without white blood cells killing invading microbes we would surely die..
With that established it qualifies the concept of 'justified killing'...
In an effort to understand the moral division line of justified or non justified killing, I once again find myself seeking to step through yet another door of perception..
As I am a relative child in experience and skilled process concerning the area of life loosely defined as contemplative..
It has been some time since the text above was written and this text added..
I have however chosen what I believe to be an adequate door of perception for our journey..
INTENT....
As established earlier killing must be allowed, it must be justified within the realm we live..
Without that license, I for one could not bear to view the despair of life as we know it..
There would be no hope for us as spiritual beings..
I do not believe in my heart, that it is the nature of the universe to exist such a realm by which spiritual growth is unattainable..
Man's typical hierarchy of life puts Human's at the top of the list then 'animals' and 'apples' somewhere down below..
This conception is a result of Man's self-centered ness...
It is a notion that has always bothered me and taken many moons of reflection to sort out...
Self-centered ness in and of itself is inherent in all life forms as we currently know them..
It is a necessary developed instinct common to all in a world based upon survival of the fittest..
However Human kind have taken up the flagship of 'self' to the extent of inflicting such conflict and violence
not seen by any other life form..
Couple this 'ego' with a creative intellect and all other life learns quickly to run for cover..
So have I surmised that the degree of self-centered ness practiced in the act of killing will greatly effect
the INTENT of the killing..
It is the value contained in the INTENT of the act that determines the degree of justification or unjustifiable the act it self..
When I was a child of eight years, my Parents bought me a pellet gun as a gift..
My Father was an avid fishermen and hunter..
I am sure he meant it as my introduction into a form of recreation he so enjoyed..
As was my first fishing pole and reel...
Both my Parents held a reverence for nature and that value was instilled in me..
The golden rule: What ever was killed was to be eaten for food..
I would accompany my Father on fishing and hunting trips although I was too young to hunt, and
too distracted by my surroundings to be a patient fisherman.
I did however experience the excitement of the catch..
Initially I was allowed to target practice with my pellet gun in the back yard..
One day however, my Father and I went on an excursion in the woods near our home.
I brought the pellet gun along..The memory of the excitement of the catch was my
determination for bringing the gun with me that day..
A group of small blackbirds were feeding on the forest floor and I decided I should try to
shoot one of these birds..I did so from a distance and succeeded in only wounding a bird, not killing it
right out...
I approached the fluttering bird as it struggled between life and death..It was in obvious great pain, great fear,
helpless and innocent...
The excitement of the kill only a moment ago was now completely alien to me..
My heart burst for what I had done, for no good reason, to another life...
I stood over the dying bird with the pellet gun still in my hands...A great overwhelming sadness enveloped me
and with no other thought than to end it's suffering,
I emptied the remaining pellets into the bird until I was certain it was dead.
I have continued to fish from time to time over the years..My Father, a knowledgeable man, advised me
the nervous system of fish is primitive in the evolutionary scheme of things..Fish don't feel much pain
as I perceive it to be...
Much to my Father's disappointment however, I never picked up a gun again..
The first INTENT in the example is one of self-centered ness..
Clearly disrespect coupled with self-centered ness the motivation of intent per the shooting..
The actual act of killing however was with the intent of compassion..
Self-centered quilt no doubt played a role.
This event took place fourty-eight years ago and has resurfaced in my memory from time to time
through out my life...
To this day,I clearly recall the emotions...
I have found that often what becomes apparent stumbling down these little roads of perception
are answers as if depicted in one way road sign warnings..
The answer to 'self-centered ness'...is 'compassion'...
The justification in killing becomes...'with reverence'...