What Is The Definition Of Murder?
Written by Confusion support on September 22, 2008 – 6:47 am -
I like to start discussions that get people to think. Here is something I was contemplating recently. When is killing wrong? What gives us the right to justify when killing another living thing is right or wrong? Why do we feel like we have such great intelligence that we can pinpoint exact scenarios where murder, or killing others, or even animals is justifiable.
For instance, how can we justify attacking people in war and killing them yet if you consider your neighbor an enemy you cannot kill him? The person who is in disagreement with a neighbor and in a personal war with them who later kills that neighbor is considered a murderer, sent to prison and looked down on in society. Yet soldiers who have killed people either by bombing or one on one combat are made out to be heroes (or the killing that takes place in that case is over looked). Isn’t it the same thing? Isn’t it still killing another person who is in disagreement with you or the group you are part of?
Many of the wars that American soldiers have been involved in can hardly be considered justifiable. Every war is surely not right. Soldiers kill people in war that may be a threat to others, even if we attack first. That is what war is. We have considered this valid. Can a person not kill his neighbor because they may be a threat to them? There is no difference other than one being sanctioned by a government. On a personal level there is no difference.
I am not talking about self-defense where it is obvious you have to kill someone to stay alive yourself. In war there is both self-defense and also attacking others. Both are considered right, even if the war later turns out to be a wrong decision and completely bogus. No one gets in trouble for it or thrown in jail for murder. In non-war society only self-defense is considered right. Attacking others that are enemies to you gets you in jail. What gives us such great knowledge that we can make this distinction?
Tags: justifiable murder, killing in warPosted in law confusion |
September 22nd, 2008 at 10:23 am
I don’t think it’s a matter of intelligence or right, but simply a matter of how a given society evolves. Not all societies view killing in the same light. Some feel it’s ok to kill people simply for showing nudity in film, while others see killing as wrong even in cases of self defense. Even animal societies seem to have rules on when it’s appropriate to kill (other than for food, I mean).
Even if you put God in the equation, there is no consistent definition among all societies on what constitues unlawful killing.
So basically, we’re simply subject to what our own society has determined, whether we agree with it or not. It doesn’t really matter that our own rationale might be different. Such is life amongst people.