Printed in The Warsaw Times-Union

                                                                                    August 1, 2000  under

                                                                                     "Ten Commandments"

    Editor

    I'd like to respond to Michael L. Stevens" response.  He seems to think the Ten Commandments make a blanket prohibition against all killing.  If so, his position is based on a mistranslation in the King James Version of the Bible.  The original Hebrew says, "Thou shalt not commit murder."  This is reflected in more modern translations like the New American Standard Bible and the New International Version.  Also, in Exodus 21, the chapter after the Ten Commandments are given, specific crimes punishable by the death penalty are listed.  I can't speak for Matthew Trier, but I believe being pro-life and pro-death penalty are consistent.  I do not believe innocent people should be put to death.  Certainly, I don't believe in sparing mass murderers and serial killers, while at the same time killing innocent babies for being inconvenient.

Yours

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