SNIP
>One of the reasons (I think) that the killing of man is such a big deal is that man was made in the image of God - animals were not.
>
>As for the original language (I don't know it either), my source says that word is "ratsach." It further states that that word is normally used to indicate murder or assassinate.

Ah, but if morality is absolute and doesn't change over time, then murder would wrong since the beginning of time. In that case, what about the taking of lives during Passover? The angel of death killed the first born of every family. Once again, I will add 1 Samuel 15:3 where Saul is instructed to slay both man and women, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and (edited due to content filter).