The REAL Meaning Behind “Thou Shalt Not Kill”
So I haven’t talked about this much, but I made a spiritual pilgrimage to Italy last year to visit Rome and Florence. While I was there, I roamed all though the Vatican and went to the Wednesday audience with Pope Francis, or, as they lovingly call him in Rome, Papa Francesco. That day, he delivered an interesting talk about the commandment that says…THOU SHALT NOT KILL.
We have all heard of that one, right? And it’s pretty obvious, like, duh, of course I’m not going to kill anyone! I remember thinking that when I first learned about that commandment as a kid.
But Papa Francesco put a spin on it that I honestly hadn’t heard before (it’s not like I’m Catholic or anything so I don’t know if they talk about this in regular church). He said it’s not just about killing someone. He said “Thou Shalt not Kill” also applies to putting people down, belittling them, or making them feel bad about themselves. Intentionally hurting another person in any way is breaking that commandment because, by doing that, you’re crushing their soul. That means…
Bullying is a BonaFide Sin.
I have been bullied over the years by family, and in the workplace – horribly so. If you have a job where you are bullied like I was in a few different scenarios, I feel your pain. That royally sucks because it’s your livelihood! The whole thing is really shocking. And, sadly, it’s rampant.
Doris Day got it Right…
The beautiful and talented Doris Day died this year, and one of her most famous quotes that circulated around was “I never met an animal I didn’t like, and I can’t say the same thing about people.”
But back to Rome! When the pope was talking about this, I totally had an a-ha moment, like OH! THAT’s what that commandment is about! We shouldn’t be assholes to each other and putting people down and bullying them and being mean, because that is a form of violence. The soul is a beautiful vibrant energy, and repeated attacks and put-downs can crush someone’s spirit. I mean, abusing kids can ruin their lives. For example…
A Lifetime of Repairing the Self-Esteem
I was raised by my mom and Nana, who was spiritual, but also talked shit about everyone all the time. She was very hard on me, much to my detriment. Of course there was some good, and I have spent a lot of time on forgiveness for the bad, but the way she treated me damaged my self-esteem to the point where this is one of the things I will be working on for my entire life.
The good new about that is, hey! I have something to work on and keep busy with. And, once I figure it out, I can share it with you guys. Every cloud has a silver lining, right?
It’s a Beautiful World (or it CAN be)
If we can all think about treating each other with respect, and work to see the spirit in someone and honor that and be peaceful and kind, much goodness can come about as a result.
Circling back to that commandment, I’ve noticed that even spiritual people can be critical, unkind, and cruel. Maybe it’s because those of us who turn towards spirituality have the most work to do. But we have to watch ourselves and stay true to the path. When the negativity comes up, as it often does, the best avenue to follow is to take a look at it and ask why you are being triggered by others, as opposed to just reveling in your anger and annoyance.
We should be behaving better. We should be kinder to each other! Let’s love each other and serve as role models for one another. We don’t have to be Polly Perfect little pleasers. We can have fun and laugh and be naughty! We just don’t have to crush people’s souls!
If someone you know starts with garbage critical talk, try and change the subject. Steer it towards the beauty in other people and the good things people are doing. The more we focus on that, the more it becomes our reality, and it will have a domino effect. You can create your own beautiful paradise in life. It IS possible!
Thanks so much for reading and watching. And remember, if there’s anything in your life that you would like assistance with, I’m here to help with readings, energy healings, on-demand meditations and my psychic development training program. So just reach out!
