Road of Heaven: The Defenders of the Faith

"I would speak for a moment on the subject of killing and murder. It has been brought to my attention that there are those who would question the morality of my actions when I ended the life of an Assamite who summoned a blizzard upon Scarborough and a Ba'ali who attempted to infiltrate our Court.

The truth is that I do feel some guilt over their deaths, despite my knowledge that killing them was merely a part of an ongoing war, and the knowledge that they would have killed many more should they have survived.

It is on the subject of murder vs. Killing that I would speak. You see, there are those who incorrectly believe that the Lord's sixth commandment is "Thou Shalt Not Kill", but in fact the direct translation is "Thou Shalt Not Murder". This may seem like a negligible difference, but in fact it makes all the difference in the world.

So, is there a difference between murder and killing? First, it is important to note that not all killing is wrong, or a violation of the Ten Commandments. For instance, the apostle Paul talks about the right of the kingdom to take the lives of evildoers (Romans 13:1-7). This relates to what is commonly referred to as capital punishment. Most realms have consequences for murder, occasionally dire ones. In some cases this requires the life of the perpetrator and a suitable means of putting one to death is chosen and administered (Matthew 5:21; Exodus 21:14).

Another instance of acceptable “killing” is that which is done during times of war and at the command of superiors. The crusades, for example. There are quite a few instances in Scripture where God endorses and allows the taking of other lives (1 Samuel 11; Judges 6–7). There are also biblical examples of the accidental taking of a life which go unpunished. So, God does make exceptions for the taking of another’s life as long as it lines up with His will. However, premeditated murder of an individual is never God’s will.

What is murder in God’s eyes? From the human perspective, murder is the physical act of taking another’s life, with malice aforethought and without justification. In other words, it is more than just a physical act that constitutes murder to God, who tells us that “everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him” (1 John 3:15 ESV).

When we harbor hatred in our hearts for another, and give into our darker natures and act upon that hatred, we have committed the sin of murder in God’s eyes.

This means, of course, that the primary difference between Killing and Murder is intention. Harboring hatred for a person and killing them as an expression of that sin violates the sixth commandment and thus the tenants of the Road of Heaven, while killing a Sorcerer in the act of destroying a city with no malice aforethought does not. The disdain we feel towards another person never has to be demonstrated outwardly because God looks upon the heart for the truth (1 Samuel 16:7; Matthew 15:19). As Christians and as human beings, we know that unjustified killing is wrong. God’s Word is very clear on this point: “You shall not murder.” Also as Christians we know that God sees all, including our motivations. We know that the life of a pious man often puts him in direct opposition to the forces of the Adversary, and we know that God expects all of his followers to fight the devil at all times and whenever he rears his ugly head.

For we Noddists, we followers of Via Caeli, we must very carefully differentiate between Murder and Killing, for it is we who fight, and kill (but never murder), in God's name."

"This is why we have the divine right to rule. Those in positions of power are given the right of the high justice, and must decide what punishments are fitting within the scope of their authority. Under their aegis, killing is within the scope of the law, and even necessary to establish order in society. As a Prodigal, I cannot advocate for such violence, but I must admit, for such extreme examples as you have given, I cannot think of a better solution, only different ways of administering the same cruelty."

"It is true, Thomas, that these examples are extreme. Killing is always extreme, and the distinction between Killing and murder is so fine that generally extreme situations are the only situations in which killing is justified. When one believes that the only way to save a whole city of innocent souls is to kill one murderer, the extreme route may be the right one. When a servant of the Adversary stands before the whole court seeking to corrupt them with his foul magics, killing him may be the only way to deny the devil his prize.

In each example where the taking of a life is a possible solution, we who follow the Via Caeli must give most careful consideration to defining the act of killing. We must have the forethought and wisdom to ensure we do not murder.

This question is much easier for the prodigals, where all forms of killing are violations of the road. This is also why that particular road is much harder for a Cainite to follow, as no distinction is drawn between justified killing and cold-blooded murder.

It is a part of our curse that we are all driven to kill occasionally, and to perform that act without empowering one's beast requires great effort at best, and may well be impossible depending on the road.

I speak on this matter to clarify that Via Caeli is not such a road, unlike Via Humanitas. Killing is not a violation of the Noddist path, as long as the killing is necessary and justified."