The point is, Pharaoh or Herod could and did order people to go slit the throats of babies because they were concerned, not about society, but by jealousy for their own rulership.
Your argument is becoming increasingly bizarre.
You're somehow saying that a Murder of the Innocents is OK, because such acts are within the pervue of "the duly constituted government." The governments of Hitler, Mao, Stalin and Pol Pot were also "duly constituted" -- yet I can't imagine you excusing their murderous regimes.
The question before us is: is it morally permissible for Herod or Pharoah to order the murder of infants. You're saying that it is morally permissible if "the government" is doing the killing.
Do you even realize what you're saying?
Perhpas my arguments appear bizarre because, as I've said, we are talking two different questions. You keep addressing the issue of actions taken on behalf of society as a whole. I'm speaking of actions taken by an individual member of society against another individual member of the society.
I've given you specific examples of why I see the two as different. Ted Bundy, murdered? Martha Stewart, if fined, theft? Actions taken by the state are not the same as actions taken by individual members.
We can disucss your issues, but, for me, only after we have addressed the notions I'm talking about becasue I'll just keep referring back to them anyway.
So, if you'd care to address this issue, please do so. Suppose you and I are neighbors and one day I get it into my head to go over to your home and slit your throat. My action would not have been tolerated in ancient Egypt, or Palestine, or feudal Japan, or China. So, do you argue that my action is simply relative? That given different circumstances, different times, different beliefs, my action of murder would be tolerable?
It has never happened, and for good reason. It can't happen, and for good reason. Funny thing is, even in illegitimate segments of larger societies, my actions would not be tolerated. Even in the Mafia, individual members aren't allowed to capriciously, kill another member.