In this Open Lines episode, Dennis Prager and callers discuss two main themes. First, they examine the biblical definition of murder, emphasizing that the Ten Commandments prohibit "immoral killing" and that the biblical concept of "malice aforethought" (lying in wait) aligns with the legal definition of murder as an unlawful, intentional killing. The conversation highlights the tension between divine law and secular statutes, especially on contentious issues like abortion, euthanasia, and stand‑your‑ground laws, suggesting that when civil law conflicts with God’s law, believers should defer to the latter. Second, Prager reflects on his political self‑identification. He explains why he abandoned the label "passionate moderate," noting that the term’s meaning has shifted; what was once liberal is now considered conservative, except on the issue of big government. A Reagan quote—"government is not the solution, it’s the problem"—is cited as a pivotal moment that reshaped his worldview, reinforcing his current stance as a conservative who has not fundamentally changed his beliefs.
Chapters
Uh, the issue is the definition of murder in the Ten Commandments. Go ahead.
Okay, so I'll try to be concise. So we're instructed in different places in the Bible to allow our government to govern and follow the government. And California definition of murder is the taking of a human life with malice or forethought. But most, most places I'm aware of have a similar definition— the unlawful taking of the human life, rather, with malice or forethought. It's the unlawful part that causes me confusion because laws, man-made laws, can change, and abortion, euthanasia, stand-your-ground laws can cloud the morality of murder. And I was looking— so then when we have a conflict like that, I believe we go to God's law.
Well, yeah, but you, you could say, you could say that about any law, that the, the Ten Commandments gives you the guideline, do not murder. And the truth is, that is exactly the definition. Murder is illegal, or more precisely, immoral killing, because there is moral killing and immoral killing. And you cannot, and by the way, malice aforethought is the biblical definition. If that's California, unknown to them, they are using the biblical definition in the Torah, which is where all these laws are located, says if he lies in wait, that's malice aforethought. So that was, I hope that bails you out. Anyway, thank you, and I'm honored that you're using my commentary. Orange County, California, Bill. Hello, Bill.
Hi, Dennis, happy Friday.
That's correct. Happy Friday to you.
Yeah, thank you. So I've been listening to you for years and consider it a blessing.
Thank you.
And welcome. So I have one question. In the past, when you used to speak about political issues, you often referred to your position as moderate, as if it was virtuous, right? It was important to you, right?
I was— I said I was a passionate moderate.
Yeah, and at some point you stopped that.
That's correct. Yes.
I was wondering what changed in your thinking because the—
nothing changed in my thinking. What changed is the use of the term. Very, very little of my thinking has changed since I was a liberal and a Democrat. But today, to be a liberal Democrat in the way I was is to be a conservative. If liberals understood—
That's exactly what I thought that maybe—
I thought, you know, what does it mean to be a moderate?
That has changed.
That's right. So therefore I can't use the term. That's exactly right.
Yeah, good for you.
Yes, well, thank you for that. I've given that a lot of thought. Of course I stopped using it because it doesn't mean what it meant. I'm tall, right? Okay, so I'm 6'4". Let's say everybody became 6'5". I would no longer be tall. That's just, that's, it's, all adjectives are dependent upon the context. I ask friends who knew me from the past, name one issue in which I differ from my liberal past. They can't. You guys have become radicals or pro-radical. I haven't changed. To be a conservative today is to be what liberalism— oh, one exception, I take it back. There is one exception: big government. That's correct. One sentence from Ronald Reagan changed my life: government is not the solution, it's the problem. And, and, uh, and that awakened me. I felt I was like in a slumber, an intellectual slumber. On that issue until that sentence.
