This is the sequel to this.
Exodus 20: 13/Deuteronomy 5: 17
You shall not murder.
Legal Definition
The act of killing a person with the state of mind of intentional, purposeful, malicious, premeditated, and/or wanton.
The act of killing a person with the state of mind of intentional, purposeful, malicious, premeditated, and/or wanton.
Democracy
Killing is deemed wrong because it involves taking away something that belongs to someone else.
Killing is deemed wrong because it involves taking away something that belongs to someone else.
Okay, this is the big question:
Is killing wrong?
Huh? Is this some sort of trick question or something? Seriously. Is killing absolutely wrong regardless of situation and circumstances? It is akin asking the question "Is lying wrong?" Wait a minute, killing is definitely more socially unacceptable compared to lying, right? How can we compare this two dissimilar acts together?
Let's unravel 3 situations together:
1. The Fascist Ruler
You are a citizen under the ruling power of a fascist leader. The ruler governs with an iron fist, suppressing individual freedom and controlling mass media to an extent where people are brainwashed to fear, to blindly follow, and most importantly, to become mindless automatons with only one purpose: to become subtle slaves of the government. There is, however, one man whose only objective is to bring down the government so that the people can be free again. There is one catch: he is killing people. You have just discovered this person.
What do you do? Do you report this person to the authorities or turn a blind eye?
Try watching 'V for Vendetta'.
2. The Lifeboat Dilemma
You are tied to a train track and the train is racing towards you. You have a choice. You may pull a lever located beside you to divert the train onto another parallel track. Unfortunately, your wife is tied onto the other track.
What do you do? Do you pull the lever and kill your wife or do nothing and kill yourself?
Try watching 'Titanic'. LOL. I COULDN'T THINK OF OTHER MOVIES/SHOWS.
3. Psychotics
You are locked in a cell with two of your best friends. All of you are left in the cell without food and water for three days. In the midst of becoming psychological unstable from the lack of resources, the mysterious kidnapper drops a knife into the room with a message attached: "Only two of you will live, one of you must die." You are the only person to have noticed the note.
What do you do? Do you show the message to the rest? Do you kill anyone? (Remember you are mentally unstable due to lack of resources.)
Try watching 'North Mammon', Criminal Minds, Episode 29, Season 2.
Based on the three situations given, would you change your mind on the justification of killing? Although those situations might not be the most common scenarios, they are the few of the morally difficult ones. There are many others that might be more naturally occurring in people's conversations. For example, are holy wars considered justified? How about the Iraq war? Should capital punishment be abolished?
How do we draw the line?
Does the line even exists to start with?
Discuss.
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The biggest argument about that has been and have been and will be argued as long as people lived.
Partly because the law giver of that specific law, killed several nations to obtained a land that was promised to the people.
... it is wrong. but the justification of it has been blurred due to,
"Its my personal opinion, my personal belief. So don't tell me what is right or wrong because in my personal opinion and experienced, what i am about to do or say is correct. If you don't like it that's your own problem." ... a case of individualism.
i like to give a view on something in regards to:
Is killing absolutely wrong regardless of situation and circumstances? It is akin asking the question "Is lying wrong?" Wait a minute, killing is definitely more socially unacceptable compared to lying, right? How can we compare this two dissimilar acts together?
... both are linked.
The wrong doing that everyone commits will always be "stealing". When you murder/kill, you are stealing the life a love one from someone else. When you lie, you are stealing the truth from someone else.
1) Try Mahatma Gandhi way? yes I am idealistic
2) Husbands must sacrifice for their wives, just as Christ gave Himself for her.
3) Do nothing until the kidnapper comes in and kills one of the three by himself. Hide the knife away and do not reveal the note for fear of being killed by the other two.
Haha simplistic answers from a simplistic mind.
But I was wondering about the war scenario, where killings definitely happen. There are hymns like "Onward Christian Soldiers" and they are definitely Christian soldiers who kill. Does God allow that? How does one know which side God sides? If we are fighting an evil regime like in Scenario 1, does God approve and pardon us due to the cause?