Death is always untimely. All of us have had the experience of losing people. Family, loved ones, partners, lovers, friends, colleagues. Accidents, disease, suicide, even murder.

Every single one of them leaves a hole in our personal universe. Our world will never be the same, a jigsaw puzzle with a few pieces missing. The picture will never be the same again.

Think about the grief of those families whose sons were killed in wars. Sometimes those devastated families who even encouraged their son or daughter to war.

Chazal (an acronym for Chachamim Zichronam Levrachah—"Our Sages of Blessed Memory") refers to the Jewish scholars of the Tammaim Mishnaic and Amoraim Talmudic eras during the era of the Second Temple, roughly 250 BCE to 625 CE.

They translated the written Torah into practical laws and traditions, including the Mishnah, Gemara, and Midrash. They are considered the authoritative interpreters of Oral Torah, defining Jewish law (Halakha), theology, and ethics for future generations.

Chazal has the authority to interpret Torah law using established hermeneutical standards, even setting regulations deemed necessary to maintain religious life (often under the principle of Halakha le-Moshe mi-Sinai).

They are viewed not just as historical figures but as the essential, foundational interpreters whose rulings retain modern relevance in traditional Judaism.

The term is often used in Torah study to introduce a quotation or insight from these ancient sages (e.g., "Chazal tell us..."). 

Here’s what the Chazal say…

”He who saves a life, is as if he has saved a whole world.”

What does that mean for those who take a life?

“He who takes a life has destroyed a whole world.”

Would that not depend upon whose life was taken?

Or how literally to interpret 'the world?'

51 minutes ago, FolkGuitar said:

Would that not depend upon whose life was taken?

Or how literally to interpret 'the world?'

Nope. All life is sacred, whether you're religious or not. Even Donnie & Bibi. Even the worst possible murderers. How can the rest of us sit in judgment? Are we free of "sin"? Not me, Baby!

Actually, I interpret the world and all life on it as sacred. If we fail to recognise this dependence on the web of life, we're goners. It will be a beautiful world, with us.

42 minutes ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Nope. All life is sacred, whether you're religious or not. Even Donnie & Bibi. Even the worst possible murderers. How can the rest of us sit in judgment? Are we free of "sin"? Not me, Baby!

Actually, I interpret the world and all life on it as sacred. If we fail to recognise this dependence on the web of life, we're goners. It will be a beautiful world, with us.

It would probably be a more beautiful world without us.

2 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Nope. All life is sacred, whether you're religious or not. Even Donnie & Bibi. Even the worst possible murderers. How can the rest of us sit in judgment? Are we free of "sin"? Not me, Baby!

Spight difference between someone who sins and someone who murders.

Someone who steals a candy bar cannot be compared to someone who kills.

You give up your human card when you cross certain lines. To conflate small sins to things like murder rape etc is simply disingenuous and cannot be taken seriously.

3 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Nope. All life is sacred, whether you're religious or not. Even Donnie & Bibi. Even the worst possible murderers. How can the rest of us sit in judgment? Are we free of "sin"? Not me, Baby!

Actually, I interpret the world and all life on it as sacred. If we fail to recognise this dependence on the web of life, we're goners. It will be a beautiful world, with us.

We're gonna have to agree to disagree on this one.

I have no difficulty sitting in judgment of a pedophile.

I have no difficulty sitting in judgment of a rapist.

None at all.

2 hours ago, Lacessit said:

It would probably be a more beautiful world without us.

Speak for yourself!

4 hours ago, FolkGuitar said:

Would that not depend upon whose life was taken?

Yeah, Robert Clay Allison would agree with you.

He was "selectively lethal".

There's more than a few, that have given up their right to be among us. I'm a firm believer in the death penalty. And think it should be used a lot more, not just for murder.

Repeat predators, rapist, child molesters ... kill 'em all, or exile them from populated areas. Restart up 'Devil's Island'

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Speak for yourself!

I usually do. Tell me, how many species have humans either wiped out or are driving to extinction?

7 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

The term is often used in Torah study to introduce a quotation or insight from these ancient sages (e.g., "Chazal tell us..."). 

Here’s what the Chazal say…

”He who saves a life, is as if he has saved a whole world.”

What does that mean for those who take a life?

“He who takes a life has destroyed a whole world.”

The Torah and Talmud are wonderful documents that provide the scholar with the foundations of Judeo Christian thought. Thank god the Jews founded the universal western cultural traditions. Glad to see folks like you are relying on it.

8 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Death is always untimely. All of us have had the experience of losing people. Family, loved ones, partners, lovers, friends, colleagues. Accidents, disease, suicide, even murder.

Every single one of them leaves a hole in our personal universe. Our world will never be the same, a jigsaw puzzle with a few pieces missing. The picture will never be the same again.

Think about the grief of those families whose sons were killed in wars. Sometimes those devastated families who even encouraged their son or daughter to war.

Chazal (an acronym for Chachamim Zichronam Levrachah—"Our Sages of Blessed Memory") refers to the Jewish scholars of the Tammaim Mishnaic and Amoraim Talmudic eras during the era of the Second Temple, roughly 250 BCE to 625 CE.

They translated the written Torah into practical laws and traditions, including the Mishnah, Gemara, and Midrash. They are considered the authoritative interpreters of Oral Torah, defining Jewish law (Halakha), theology, and ethics for future generations.

Chazal has the authority to interpret Torah law using established hermeneutical standards, even setting regulations deemed necessary to maintain religious life (often under the principle of Halakha le-Moshe mi-Sinai).

They are viewed not just as historical figures but as the essential, foundational interpreters whose rulings retain modern relevance in traditional Judaism.

The term is often used in Torah study to introduce a quotation or insight from these ancient sages (e.g., "Chazal tell us..."). 

Here’s what the Chazal say…

”He who saves a life, is as if he has saved a whole world.”

What does that mean for those who take a life?

“He who takes a life has destroyed a whole world.”

2000 year old "hokus-pokus". We have arrived in the age of "enlightenment". It may have escaped you.

PS: The killing started with Kain and Abel according to your over 2000 year old "hokus-pokus".

When soldiers go to war, they have a gun put in their hands. Then they encounter a guy with a gun in his hands pointed at them. Thus, kill or be killed.

If both those men stayed home and suffered the legal consequences, the politicians (not their sons) would end up fighting the war that they declared.

In some countries, the penalty for refusing the military or deserting is death. Personally, I'd rather face that than to kill somebody I don't even know but is another piece of the jigsaw puzzle.

Cain & Abel...6,000 years ago! We haven't learned ANYTHING about humanity in six thousand <deleted> years?!? Apparently not.

But if everybody just sat back and accepted war, then there's no end to it. All it takes is enough of us refusing, enough of us speaking out.

Soldiers who want to be heroes

number almost zero.

But there are millions

who want to be civilians.

Rod McKuen RIP

51 minutes ago, unblocktheplanet said:

But if everybody just sat back and accepted war, then there's no end to it. All it takes is enough of us refusing, enough of us speaking out.

I did that, during Cheney invasion of Iraq & Afghanistan. IRS audited me for 8 yrs. Did the same with Obama's ACA, and yep, got audited the whole 8 yrs he was in there.

Lesson learned ... STFU

Sorry for the laugh emoji, there are too few to express what I feel.

This is EXACTLY what govts want. They want us to STFU.

But if we all cave, nothing will change.

I was a tax resister, part of a larger group. Several had their houses seized and auctioned. We bought them back which means govt eventually got some money. But meanwhile, we made the issue public: don't pay for unjust wars.

14 hours ago, FolkGuitar said:

We're gonna have to agree to disagree on this one.

I have no difficulty sitting in judgment of a pedophile.

I have no difficulty sitting in judgment of a rapist.

None at all.

A few people responded with downturned thumbs for my comment.

I wonder… Are the people supporting the pedophile-rapist in office and don’t want to see him removed?

Or are they just in favor of pedophilia and rape in general?

2 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

When soldiers go to war, they have a gun put in their hands. Then they encounter a guy with a gun in his hands pointed at them. Thus, kill or be killed.

If both those men stayed home and suffered the legal consequences, the politicians (not their sons) would end up fighting the war that they declared.

In some countries, the penalty for refusing the military or deserting is death. Personally, I'd rather face that than to kill somebody I don't even know but is another piece of the jigsaw puzzle.

Cain & Abel...6,000 years ago! We haven't learned ANYTHING about humanity in six thousand <deleted> years?!? Apparently not.

But if everybody just sat back and accepted war, then there's no end to it. All it takes is enough of us refusing, enough of us speaking out.

17 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Nope. All life is sacred, whether you're religious or not. Even Donnie & Bibi. Even the worst possible murderers. How can the rest of us sit in judgment? Are we free of "sin"? Not me, Baby!

Actually, I interpret the world and all life on it as sacred. If we fail to recognise this dependence on the web of life, we're goners. It will be a beautiful world, with us.

17 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Nope. All life is sacred, whether you're religious or not. Even Donnie & Bibi. Even the worst possible murderers. How can the rest of us sit in judgment? Are we free of "sin"? Not me, Baby!

Actually, I interpret the world and all life on it as sacred. If we fail to recognise this dependence on the web of life, we're goners. It will be a beautiful world, with us.

19 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Death is always untimely. All of us have had the experience of losing people. Family, loved ones, partners, lovers, friends, colleagues. Accidents, disease, suicide, even murder.

Every single one of them leaves a hole in our personal universe. Our world will never be the same, a jigsaw puzzle with a few pieces missing. The picture will never be the same again.

Think about the grief of those families whose sons were killed in wars. Sometimes those devastated families who even encouraged their son or daughter to war.

Chazal (an acronym for Chachamim Zichronam Levrachah—"Our Sages of Blessed Memory") refers to the Jewish scholars of the Tammaim Mishnaic and Amoraim Talmudic eras during the era of the Second Temple, roughly 250 BCE to 625 CE.

They translated the written Torah into practical laws and traditions, including the Mishnah, Gemara, and Midrash. They are considered the authoritative interpreters of Oral Torah, defining Jewish law (Halakha), theology, and ethics for future generations.

Chazal has the authority to interpret Torah law using established hermeneutical standards, even setting regulations deemed necessary to maintain religious life (often under the principle of Halakha le-Moshe mi-Sinai).

They are viewed not just as historical figures but as the essential, foundational interpreters whose rulings retain modern relevance in traditional Judaism.

The term is often used in Torah study to introduce a quotation or insight from these ancient sages (e.g., "Chazal tell us..."). 

Here’s what the Chazal say…

”He who saves a life, is as if he has saved a whole world.”

What does that mean for those who take a life?

“He who takes a life has destroyed a whole world.”

Your philosophy is skewered by one thing. Mankind

As long as man survives there will be war.

Even the animal kingdom is against you. How does nature left alone keep things in check. Animals kill other animals. Plants kill other plants.

So killing is just nature's way of keeping the status quo.

As to the death penalty I would rather have pedo left in open custody it would be worse than death.

There will come a point when humanity will likely pay for it's role in the daily killing of millions of beings, human and otherwise, since the beginning of time.

19 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Death is always untimely. All of us have had the experience of losing people. Family, loved ones, partners, lovers, friends, colleagues. Accidents, disease, suicide, even murder.

Every single one of them leaves a hole in our personal universe. Our world will never be the same, a jigsaw puzzle with a few pieces missing. The picture will never be the same again.

Think about the grief of those families whose sons were killed in wars. Sometimes those devastated families who even encouraged their son or daughter to war.

Chazal (an acronym for Chachamim Zichronam Levrachah—"Our Sages of Blessed Memory") refers to the Jewish scholars of the Tammaim Mishnaic and Amoraim Talmudic eras during the era of the Second Temple, roughly 250 BCE to 625 CE.

They translated the written Torah into practical laws and traditions, including the Mishnah, Gemara, and Midrash. They are considered the authoritative interpreters of Oral Torah, defining Jewish law (Halakha), theology, and ethics for future generations.

Chazal has the authority to interpret Torah law using established hermeneutical standards, even setting regulations deemed necessary to maintain religious life (often under the principle of Halakha le-Moshe mi-Sinai).

They are viewed not just as historical figures but as the essential, foundational interpreters whose rulings retain modern relevance in traditional Judaism.

The term is often used in Torah study to introduce a quotation or insight from these ancient sages (e.g., "Chazal tell us..."). 

Here’s what the Chazal say…

”He who saves a life, is as if he has saved a whole world.”

What does that mean for those who take a life?

“He who takes a life has destroyed a whole world.”

I believe most people are sensed and densed now with impressions of wars cruelty, and stop feeling, while others hate one or the other part even more!

An is a perfect example where there will be excuses for every war crime.

Simply called psychic numbing and polarization

20 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

What does that mean for those who take a life?

“He who takes a life has destroyed a whole world

We have too many people on the planet losing a few here and there is a good thing.

Just wondering...

Who says all life is sacred? God? Certainly not Odin, Quetzalcoatl, or Zeus! And why 'sacred,' or is this just a cry from the folks who follow a made-up god.
Life is life. It's neither sacred nor reviled. It's life. And no one gets out of it alive anyway. So much for 'sacred.'
Prove to me that there is a God, and I might begin to think of 'sacred' things.

Important? Perhaps.

Interesting? Certainly.

But 'sacred?' Is it required to wait for a life-and-death situation first to be treated as sacred, or can I have people bow down to me now?

9 minutes ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

We have too many people on the planet losing a few here and there is a good thing.

Just think if Israel & Iran nuked each other, please 😁 although, that would only be ~100M, and hardly noticed, as only ~1.25% of world population.

15 hours ago, FolkGuitar said:

We're gonna have to agree to disagree on this one.

I have no difficulty sitting in judgment of a pedophile.

I have no difficulty sitting in judgment of a rapist.

None at all.

I agree- I have seen true judicially proven evil over the years- and would have no issues with the death penalty being available in the UK

1 hour ago, FolkGuitar said:

A few people responded with downturned thumbs for my comment.

I wonder… Are the people supporting the pedophile-rapist in office and don’t want to see him removed?

Or are they just in favor of pedophilia and rape in general?

As Trump himself said, he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue, and not lose any voters.

The true derangement lies with his followers, who accept such statements as normal.

They don't want to see him removed, because then they would have no high-profile conduit for their grievances, which originate in their own mediocrity.

That didn't take long, and Trump enters another thread, not about him, within the first page.

Another Trump bashing thread in the making. Well done

Don't forget about the millions of people that murder on a daily basis because of hate. Jesus came also to raise the standards of the 10 Commandments to a higher level, and HE says that sometimes one's thoughts, and not just their evil doings, break the Commandments.

1 John 3:15..... Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

People are far to indoctrinated (by the church and TV) with this "woe is me" attitude....I must grieve........ this is the end of my world....I can't cope.

With the exception of my own children and grandchildren I really couldn't give a flying about anyone else (wife maybe?).

Watching people crying their hearts out over people they haven't even met is pathetic.

44 minutes ago, fittobethaied said:

Don't forget about the millions of people that murder on a daily basis because of hate. Jesus came also to raise the standards of the 10 Commandments to a higher level, and HE says that sometimes one's thoughts, and not just their evil doings, break the Commandments.

1 John 3:15..... Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

How does anyone know that John wrote this at 3.15? AM or PM?

1 minute ago, wil iam not said:

How does anyone know that John wrote this at 3.15? AM or PM?

I assume he set his alarm, it was a 24 hour clock, so that would be 0315 hours....555