The Evangelical Pope | Live, Let Live

Each week we let Saint Pope John Paul II share meaningful signposts to spark socio-economic resolves through justice and righteousness combined with mercy and compassion; in short, love.

               You shall not kill! 

               __ Exodus 20:13

Military Airport, Radom, Poland 4 June 1991 | The deaths of millions of innocent humans mark our 20th Century. To this, the new way of warfare contributed:

               A massive suppression and destruction of innocent bystanders, the population, not actively involved in the war.

               One has only to think of the bombings (up to the use of the atomic bomb), the concentration camps, and the deportations of people, which ended with the death of millions of innocent victims.

               Among the European peoples, Poland has a large share in this massacre.

In our territories, the "you shall not kill" commandment was violated in millions of criminal acts. Among those crimes, the systematic murders of entire nations are particularly shocking – especially the Jews or populations such as the Gypsies (Romas) – just because they belong to a particular country or race …

The divine "you shall not kill" was replaced by the human "one may kill," yes, even "one must kill."

And so vast tracts of our continent became the graves of innocent people, victims of high crimes against humanity. The root of the crime is humankind's unlawful possession of the divine power over life and death.

In this, one hears a distant yet persistent echo of ... the words, 'Ye shall be as gods, and have knowledge of good and evil,' Genesis 3:5. That means you will decide what is right and wrong – like God.

"You shall not kill" -- a statement and absolute prohibition that simultaneously affirms every human being's right to life. That right protects the innocent and defenseless members of humanity.

Excerpted from:

VIAGGIO APOSTOLICO IN POLONIA (1°-9 GIUGNO 1991)

OMELIA DI GIOVANNI PAOLO II Aeroporto militare di Radom (Varsavia) - Martedì, 4 giugno 1991

https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/it/homilies/1991/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_19910604_messa-radom.html