Anti war Quote by Linus Pauling
“Does the commandment 'Thou Shalt Not Kill' mean nothing to us? Are we to interpret it as meaning 'Thou shalt not kill except on the grand scale,' or 'Thou shalt not kill except when the national leaders say to do so'?”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Nobel Laureate Lecture, 1962
The commandment against killing is absolute; moral relativism undermines its universal protection.
In simple terms: Killing is always wrong.
Key Takeaway
Uphold the sanctity of life.
Themes
ethics
violence
morality
Mood
serious
reflective
Type
ethical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- war
- law enforcement
- medical ethics
- civil disobedience
Key Concepts
absolute morality
human rights
Questions to Reflect On
- Can any situation justify killing?
- How do societies enforce this rule?
A Different Perspective
Context may force tragic choices, challenging absolutes.
![“T]he state Republican chairman, Gaylord Parkinson, postulated what he called the Eleventh Commandment: Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican.” quote by Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/16c/ronald-reagan-119_chairman_t-he-state-republican-chairman-gaylord-p_815043.jpg)
![“[Professor Pauling] confesses that he had harboured the feeling that sooner or later he would be the one to get the DNA structure; and although he was pleased with the double-helix, he 'rather wished the idea had been his'.” quote by Linus Pauling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d71/linus-pauling-8508_dna_professor-pauling-confesses-that-he-had_319556.jpg)
