Thread: Am I Evil?

Originally Posted by MickR

...I would kill, without a second thought, to protect my family. And only with consideration, of any other circumstance, not directly involving my family...

Again, it's not about killing per se, it's about being a murderer; killing an innocent person to save another or others. I feel I'd rather die and allow others to die than participate.

A tough question to answer.
First off, I am blessed with being an Agnostic, so I need only to focus on this life.
No need to ponder the effects my actions will have in an "after-life" that I do not believe excist.

Should I face a situation where I feel that stopping someone with deadly force are the lesser of two evils, then I hope I will have the courage and ability to do so.
What it would take for me to come to such a conclusion in a heated situation is impossible to say beforehand.

As a father of two, I do feel quite strongly about protecting my kids. At all cost and with most any means.

Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

Yes. Or was going to kill some one else. But this is about killing an inocent; me being a murderer to save another; not about self defence.



Yes, I think that's what the other guy was saying. But is it wrong to have very strong convictions? Or is it what you're supposed to have?

Ok, so this is the if I killed whoever as a child they would not grow up to become who they become? All the sci fi shows sort if say that you can't change the future by your actions, wouldn't it be better to try and nurture that person, or would their future be caused by the nurturing you provided?
And what about a person who's destiny is to grow up and by their inaction causes many deaths, should they be killed, and if that is the case, by you not taking action when you could have would mean that you would be in the firing line.
No having strong convictions is not wrong, you are not wrong and nor was he, you just both differ in your view of right.

Originally Posted by Jimbo

...To be honest though, the latter situation could never happen in reality so it's kinda pointless to think about IMO.

James.

I have heard a story on the news about this sort of thing happening in reality in Africa. The story may be wrong; and of course it wasn't millions it was a father and his sons, or a son forced to kill his father to save himself and another family member. I'd hope I'd be all too willing to have myself killed.

The secondary part of the argument was about why I could count so much on my beliefs to allow others to die. Is NOT doing so to be a conformist?

Originally Posted by edhewitt

Sorry to hear that Mick, at first I just thought you were highlighting all the errors in spelling my phone had caused.
As I say I would like to think I could, but I really dont know whether in reality I could.

Nothing for you to be sorry about Ed. I just wanted to point out that when it comes to it, you never know what you will really be able to do until you're faced with it.
That was in 1996. You would think these things would fade over time, but they don't seem to.


Mick

Originally Posted by Birnando

...First off, I am blessed with being an Agnostic, so I need only to focus on this life...

Good point. I do realise I'm posing the question with some inherent 'givens'...

Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

I have heard a story on the news about this sort of thing happening in reality in Africa. The story may be wrong; and of course it wasn't millions it was a father and his sons, or a son forced to kill his father to save himself and another family member. I'd hope I'd be all too willing to have myself killed.

That's a bit different though isn't it, being a willing sacrifice, you really just have to not resist, whereas executing a member of your family would require similar discipline to an extent I suppose, but i think it would be the much much harder thing to do. And you would also have to live with what you have done.

I think you were smoking something funky while sittin around that campfire and got too deep into your head. Best have another beer and let such self examinations go the the winds. paranoia will destroy ya !

Originally Posted by edhewitt

That's a bit different though isn't it, being a willing sacrifice, you really just have to not resist, whereas executing a member of your family would require similar discipline to an extent I suppose, but i think it would be the much much harder thing to do. And you would also have to live with what you have done.

Exactly. I think one would go quite mad after, and given that one has just sold one's soul to the Devil, there's not a lot of net gain. But that all depends on MY beliefs, which brings in to question how much one should value their own beliefs, really.

Nightblade I always get too deep with stuff, it can be fun, too...

Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

Again, it's not about killing per se, it's about being a murderer; killing an innocent person to save another or others. I feel I'd rather die and allow others to die than participate.

It's a poser, and no mistake. Like Birnando, I'm an agnostic. Plus my knowledge of the intricacies of religions is near non-existent, so I'll have to go along the lines of making assumptions on my limited knowledge.

If the concern is about the state of your soul, then I think it depends on how you believe you'll be judged. I'll assume the scenario is facing someone that you know will cause others to die if you do not kill them. Here we're faced with two obvious arguments. 1) Kill them without guilt 2) Let them live because killing them would irreperably tarnish the soul. But I don't think it's that cut and dry. If we're thinking in terms of religion then sacrifice is, I believe, a large part of it. How would it be seen if you were to willingly tarnish your soul so that others may live? Would going through with the act, despite what you believe will await you, see you judged fairly or poorly?