Is murder ever justified?

Question

Morally. That's what I'm asking, is it EVER justifiable, Hitler, Stalin, Cristiano Ronaldo...anyone?

Answer 1

i say self defense or defense of your loved ones.

eye for an eye

Answer 2

No it isn't.

You need to realise that defences exist for other forms of killing, such as manslaughter, but murder is a pre-planned crime of intent- if you murder someone, it is not by accident, it is because you planned, set out to kill, and then killed someone.

There is never a justification for this, as for civilised society to exist, we need to rise above the low morals of the criminals, and believe in and create a better world. If we justify killing for any reason, it can be added to and bent to justify a slightly differing reason or circumstance.

It is against my moral code, and against most religions to kill. My decision has nothing to do with religion, it is more about logic, philosophy, and the justification of the world I wish to live in. In my world, wars and armies would not exist, as they would not be needed. Some people see this as naive, or impossible, and whilst they sit around doing nothing to change the world, and argue that armies and wars are necessary, they simply prolong the existing staus quo, who make lots of money out of killing my human brothers in vast numbers.

How does anyone know what this world could be like if we tried different approaches. As Lennon said... "Give peace a chance". I don't agree that anyone should be murdered, although I can justify some pretty harsh prisons and strong sentencing for those who do not respect society and the rule of law. I am not soft on crime- in fact the opposite, but killing a killer only makes another killer.

I hope that all makes sense. Stop the killing, increase the peace...

Answer 3

Murder is never justified.

Killing is justified.

There's a difference between murdering someone and killing someone. When you murder someone, you wrongly take their life.

When you kill someone, you take their life for a reason.

Answer 4

Accidental murder should be accepted as accidental. But causing death by dangerous driving is not really accidental, it is and it isn't. Drivers that control the car in a dangerous manner are putting themselves, other motorists, and pedestrians at risk. Also push cyclists, and mainly other motorists in smaller vehicles than they are driving.

If you at sat in an Artic Truck, and get hit by a car, or hit a car yourself, you will always be protected by the metal on the cab, being raised at a higher level.

Murder can also be described as 'Manslaughter' which is recognised as far less than murder.

GDJ.

Answer 5

Morally or legally?

If a murder were justified, then by definition it would not be murder.

Answer 6

It is justified if you are defending yourself or someone else from being murdered.  I suppose it is also justified if you are in the armed forces and are killing an opposing foe.

Answer 7

Yes. This is going to sound wrong but....people need to die. On a logical stance alone. The world is only so big, our resources only go far, and I don't think the planet can handle 8 billion+ people crawling all over it. Since it takes forever for people to die of natural causes these days, murder is kind of a public service.

HOWEVER, I'm not promoting going out and killing randomly. Murder should only occur for a good reason. (Avenging someone, self-defense, political reasons, revenge, etc....)

Answer 8

maybe, would killing saddam hussain or hitler be morally wrong

Answer 9

yes

Answer 10

It is in Britain, where you can get away with it

Answer 11

First off you should Never take the law into your own hands. I think your confusion comes from the term Murder. We often associate murder with hate, greed, jealousy etc. So what I believe you were really trying to say was  "Is killing justifiable?" The answer is yes killing is justifiable. Hitler is a perfect example, Hitler killed thousands of people during his reign. The question is for what purpose did he kill them? Did he kill them to protect others or to maintain peace? No, he did it to further his own selfish cause. Therefore he is considered a murderer. I hope you get the basic idea.  

Answer 12

No it's not it's up to God to decide.

Answer 13

Of course it is.

Come into my house at night to hurt me or my kids and I'll kill you and sleep fine the next night.

You had it coming. You got it. The end.

Answer 14

No murder is never justified not even if the state does it. Not even if it is self defense. This just my opinion. Legally its justified in self defense and if its a state "murder." Yes I believe that the state doesn't do executions it is murder. Bennie Dumps put it the best. "They butchered me back there. I was in a lot of pain. They cut me in the groin. They cut me in the leg. This is not an execution, it is murder." Bennie Demps final words as he lay on the gurney dying. It took the prison personnel 33 min. to insert a long tube to administer the drugs.

Answer 15

in self defense i think it is.

Answer 16

Murder by definition is the illegal killing of another person.

Killing is sometimes justified.

That's why the commandment is "Thou shall not murder" not "Thou shall not kill."

Even God ordered killing.  But not murder.

Answer 17

Well it seems it is, as long as it's mass murder ie: Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Dresden, etc.

Answer 18

Yes and no.  It would be considered murder if I killed a person that raped and killed one of my grand children, but I would not not consider it so.  It would still be morally wrong, and I am a Christian but I think God would forgive me.

Answer 19

in self defense it is, also when that person lacked the mental capacity to comprehend there actions(can be) seen as justified...perhaps if that person has been abused physically or sexually by the person they murdered also

Answer 20

No. Killing for self defence might though.

Answer 21

Murder...NO!

Homicide...YES!

This is why there is a "lesser included" offense of "Justifiable Homicide."

Murder is the intentional killing of another without justification whereas homicide can include a justifiable killing.

An example of justifiable homicide would be the killing of another who broke in to your home, pointed a loaded weapon at you, and told you they were about to shoot you.

Answer 22

Yes and I don't believe that attorneys are using the self defense and justifiable homicide defenses they way they should.

Answer 23

Yes.

Answer 24

Murder is "The unlawful killing of one human by another". So my answer is no. Murder, whether by design or accidental because of negligence, is never justified.

Homicide ("The killing of one person by another"), on the other side, can be justified, and is not always illegal. Self defense is a form of justifiable homicide. Capital punishment and war are a couple other.

(By "justified", I am referring to legally, not morally)

Answer 25

no, only God can judge