Killing: When is it justified?

Just curious to get an idea on killing.

I personally have waffled between believing all killing is wrong, to all killing isn't so bad.

My basic belief right now is that killing is okay if its in the defense of something you would be willing to die for. Additionally, you may kill to defend your own life.

This is more about what is right, not what is legal. For example, if an old woman killed someone who tried to kill her cats-- this would clearly be illegal, but would be morally right because she herself would be willing to die to protect them.

Likewise, you can argue that a store clerk has no business killing an intruder-- but that store clerk can argue that he depends on this store for his family's livelihood, and if he lets random crooks rob it unmitigated, he will lose his ability to support them.

This a very complex issue-- so I'd be curious to see where people around here stand.

Anyone can talk a good game.
Killing is OK when it's self defense.
Killing is wrong no matter what, etc....
The point is, it depends on the situation.
If you kill someone, no matter the circumstances, it will change you forever.

Unless you have been in a Life and Death situation, and it is proven beyond a reasonable doubt that you had no other choice, no one should be allowed to judge you.
As we all know, this is not the case though.

There are arguments on both sides of the coin and this question may never be answered.
Unless we as HUMANS evolve to the point of having no need to kill anyone.
IE: "Killing and Death are no longer relevant"

Until we discover our true luminous nature, we are doomed to be subjected to the rules of the HUMAN condition.

[edit on 7/3/2009 by reticledc]

I have to agree with the above poster. You can't really say that Killing is wrong in every given situation, because if I or my children were to be attacked, and my only solution was to take the life of that person, then I not have to give it second thought.

However, when it comes to acts of war between nations and imaginary lines in the sand. Or things over drugs, race, sexual orientation etc....

All of that is extremely wrong, and I don't mean it in a religious manner or in a personnal belief manner, but in a Human Moral Code manner.

We can't go on killing eachother senselessly like this, or we will have nothing left to recover. Planet or people.

Self defense is warranted, if it is your only option. Anything else is just senseless.

~Keeper

I would like to think killing would be my first solution to protecting any of my family members. I can also understand killing in crimes of passion. If someone is interfering with my safety, I might kill them, depending on the extent my safety was attacked.

If you don't kill that which pursues you, then you will be dead. There has never been peace on earth and love everyone and everyone loves you. It is not reality.

It's simple...

You threaten the lives of me or my family, you die.

Simple as that, I will kill anyone who does so.

When is killing justified? When God says it's OK.

Apparently.

It's been enough validation and justification for a lot of people.

Something to ponder..

"kill one you are a murder kill thousands you are a conquer"


its a subject many take lightly, all the wana be gang member posers talk about wana kill this person, gonna kill that person, even the ones that do the drive by shootings.. ohh they are bad..

Until you hold a dying person and watch them take their last breath , then you can understand what it means to die, and then you can begin to understand what it would mean to be the cause of it. (and before you ask, yes i have several times.)

Dont get me wrong, i am not against self defense in any way.
BUT. you have to pick you battles... where do you draw the line..

Most would say, "if they threaten my family i'd kill them" really... hollow words are enough for you to take a life? what can words do... when in reality 99 percent of the people who make threats never back them up.

Some would say " If they break into my house and steal my stuff i would kill them" So a human life is worth the crap you have lying around your house that can easily be replaced at any discount store...

I think the only real time for killing another person is when there is true threat of physical harm, when they are coming at you and wont back down.. either to you or your family. and not just a good old a$# woopin threat, which many need now days.. but true physical harm.
or in a SHTF type situation, when they are trying to take the substanance that will keep your family alive.

I have many guns around the house , hunt every year, but not only do i respect the guns, i know what they can do and what that means.

"kill" is more than just a word, it is life changing for who or what you shoot and your self. If its not, you should check your self in for some mental help.


[edit on 8-3-2009 by severdsoul]