The thread on evil people has me thinking about what exactally defines murder.

[Deleted member 33117]

While most of us would agree the situatoin in that thread where two individuals kidnapped a woman they did not know, killed her and hid the body right after escaping from prison is murder, what about other cases?

People say soldiers in a war are not murdering people. This is because it is for the good of their own nation, and they have permission from others higher up to do it.

Interesting, but just because someone has some rank in the military or holds a political office, their ordering someone killed does not make it not murder, thus we must fall back on the 1st case.

If the only benefit to your country is economic, they one must consider that murder for hire. If I get offered a million dollars to kill you, and I do so, but you are armed at the time, so I am not even killing an unarmed man, that is the same thing.

If an enemey is invading your country, that could fall under self defense... or justified murder imo, but what about other circumstances? Anyone else have thoughts or ideas on this?

 

[EnderJE]

Married life that bad?

 

[EnderJE]

Seriously though, murder is murder. Taking the life of another regardless of circumstance is murder. If two people catch a woman and kill her its murder. If you kill another for God or country, its still murder. If you give the order to drop a bomb on an enemy, its murder. If you attack me and I kill you, then its murder.

Now, whether or not its good or bad is a different matter altogether.

 

[Deleted member 33117]

Seriously though, murder is murder. Taking the life of another regardless of circumstance is murder. If two people catch a woman and kill her its murder. If you kill another for God or country, its still murder. If you give the order to drop a bomb on an enemy, its murder. If you attack me and I kill you, then its murder.

Now, whether or not its good or bad is a different matter altogether.

Exactally my point. I have friends over in Iraq right now, but you sure as hell can't justify killing most of the people over there who have been killed as "defending our country". After all, most of them were not going to fly over and bomb us...maybe a few of them, but not the majority. That being said, I am not going to pat my friends on the back and say "You sure did the right thing.".

If they got drafted, it would be different, but they all joined the military of their own free will. I could have joined years ago, but the issue of killing another person just for some politician's ambitions, who would not have otherwise been a threat to myself or my family was a bit of a delima for me. This kept me from ever signing up. This is coming from a person who if anyone did threaten me or my family with harm, I would have no second thoughts about dishing out a slow painful death. However, I believe it to be morally wrong to kill for political reasons.

 

[EnderJE]

Exactally my point. I have friends over in Iraq right now, but you sure as hell can't justify killing most of the people over there who have been killed as "defending our country". After all, most of them were not going to fly over and bomb us...maybe a few of them, but not the majority. That being said, I am not going to pat my friends on the back and say "You sure did the right thing.".

If they got drafted, it would be different, but they all joined the military of their own free will. I could have joined years ago, but the issue of killing another person just for some politician's ambitions, who would not have otherwise been a threat to myself or my family was a bit of a delima for me. This kept me from ever signing up. This is coming from a person who if anyone did threaten me or my family with harm, I would have no second thoughts about dishing out a slow painful death. However, I believe it to be morally wrong to kill for political reasons.

People can justify murder for a whole bunch of reasons that would make sense to them and to noone else. The key part is that it makes sense to them. So, defending the country is a good a reason as any...

My favourite is...

"Why did you kill him? What did he do to you?"

"He was breathing. That's enough."

 

[biteme]

Exactally my point. I have friends over in Iraq right now, but you sure as hell can't justify killing most of the people over there who have been killed as "defending our country". After all, most of them were not going to fly over and bomb us...maybe a few of them, but not the majority. That being said, I am not going to pat my friends on the back and say "You sure did the right thing.".

If they got drafted, it would be different, but they all joined the military of their own free will. I could have joined years ago, but the issue of killing another person just for some politician's ambitions, who would not have otherwise been a threat to myself or my family was a bit of a delima for me. This kept me from ever signing up. This is coming from a person who if anyone did threaten me or my family with harm, I would have no second thoughts about dishing out a slow painful death. However, I believe it to be morally wrong to kill for political reasons.

Ironically enough, I dropped out of the military because they told me that I would have to believe in God and go to church. I was the only one out of 80 in the platoon to raise my hand when they asked if anyone was agnostic or athiest. That was the straw that broke the camel's back.

 

[Deleted member 33117]

People can justify murder for a whole bunch of reasons that would make sense to them and to noone else. The key part is that it makes sense to them. So, defending the country is a good a reason as any...

My favourite is...

"Why did you kill him? What did he do to you?"

"He was breathing. That's enough."

One young man (I think he was around 15) when he was on the stand when asked replied, "I just really wanted to see what it was like to see someone die."

 

[Ulcasterdropout]

If I was guaranteed to get away with it; there isn't a person on this Earth. except for my niece, I wouldn't kill for 5 grand.

 

[biteme]

If I was guaranteed to get away with it; there isn't a person on this Earth. except for my niece, I wouldn't kill for 5 grand.

I don't believe you.

 

[Ulcasterdropout]

I don't believe you.

You should.