Forced to Kill

[GMAN12]

If I were forced to kill someone who is harming me or my family or if I had to go to war, would that be on me? This is a very important question as I would feel better to know because although I don't want my vibration to go down, I also don't want to die early in my life.

[BDeye]

This is a very difficult question to answer. I have had several of the woman in my life attacked by men with the means and the intent to kill. If I had of been there, I would have retaliated on instinct. Would I have used lethal force, if necessary.

I think the best way to avoid dying early in life though, is to avoid situation where death has high probability and also avoid putting myself in situation where I have to kill (war). Still sometimes it can land up on your doorstep. You have to then decide whether the situation warrants lethal force. I can say that I don't care less, if it comes to the safety of my soul or the promise lowering a my spiritual attitude, when it comes to protecting the life of my loved ones or an innocent that doesn't have the ability to keep themselves from harm.

I loathe violence and want to live a life in peace so I cultivate that sort of a surrounding, but when the zombie-alien army attacks, I would have to fight back.

[eyeoneblack]

I have a little different standpoint. I have nobody to protect except myself, and I would rather be killed than to kill - no matter what. I hope to enter my next translation with no blood on my hands (the poor critters I exterminated when I was a kid with a shotgun not withstanding).

I have violated about every religious tenet when I was young and even older than young. I'm done with violence and moral indiscretion - I hope. I would not kill a person who would kill me. I just wouldn't.

[BDeye]

EOB, I think this is an admirable standpoint and some of the people that I admire most in my life practiced a life of non-violence, under any circumstances. It's a way that I wish I was strong enough to follow, because most certainly it takes a lot more strength not to retaliate. I'm just caveman when it comes to family.

As for my own safety, it's a question I could not honestly answer. I think if someone were coming at me with a weapon I would defend myself, the level of force I use would depend greatly on the individuals commitment to ending my life. Though if I could, I would seek out a spot in the world where the probability of violence was remote.

The removal of somethings life from this universe is an act that is irrevocable (whether it be human or other) and is something that you carry with you forever. I don't kill, not from a moral standpoint or in the hope of a spiritual reward, but because the sight of something in distress is like razor blades across my soul. If I see something in distress through the actions of another individual, I have to stop it, with the level of force appropriate to the situation.

I do believe that we will see a world without violence but there are issues we will have to overcome before this is a manifested reality.

[BDeye]

(Just wanted to add this is a white flag) This can be a touchy topic so please let's not get angry. I think it's a good question and so far the responses have been measured and civil. EOB as I said, your approach is one that I truly admire and attempt to cultivate in myself. It's very difficult to overcome the instinctual urge to protect family, with what may sometimes be an overreaction. I think as beings we are evolving all the time and hopefully we will reach a level, where the aggressive drive which pushes us forward as a species, will no longer manifests as an unnecessary urge to harm other living beings.

[eyeoneblack]

I totally appreciate where you're coming from, BDeye.

[GMAN12]

I thank all you who replied. I think myself I wouldn't be able to kill a person, yet if in the most extreme instances I possibly would. My state is known for people killing themselves. In fact it is the no. 1 Killer in my state. Ironic it is Hawaii though.

[Gemma]

I have a very mixed viewpoint relating to killing.

Just a couple of examples about insects/arachnids even though I realise this is more about killing humans.

I have arachnophobia, and for years throughout my childhood, teens and up to my mid 20's, the sight of a medium-sized spider would terrify me to the point where I wouldn't even go into the room. If I had to be in that room, I would either get as much distance between myself and the spider, or if that wasn't possible I would try to kill it, preferably at range. I eventually got to grips with my fear to the point where I could sit fairly calmly whenever there's a medium-sized spider in the room. Small ones no longer bother me and I've started to observe them closely, and I've even admired their beauty, and felt great love for them. For the first time ever, last year I was able to capture a medium-sized spider using a glass and a magazine, and release it outside. I still felt some fear but it didn't drive me to kill. Sadly, large spiders still terrify me.

In the UK we get craneflies during the summer. Here they are pretty large. I used to be terrified of them because they looked too much like a spider with wings. I used to flap and get myself into a state whenever one was flying around the room, and often I've swatted them to death, out of terror and disgust. Craneflies no longer bother me. I refuse to kill them now except for the unlucky ones who manage to injure themselves to the point where they struggle on the floor for ages before dying. I will put those out of their misery, out of compassion.

BUT, when it comes to humans and larger animals, I have mixed feelings.

In general I wouldn't kill a human being. It is not my right to do that unless I was in a position where it's either kill or be killed. The same would be true if I witnessed any person being attacked and I thought their lives were in mortal danger. I would use lethal force if I felt I had to. It's basic survival.

However, when it comes to war, I believe we all have a choice, including the politicians who start wars. I can only speak for my own country but British soldiers are not forced to join the Army. That's a career choice, which they make knowing full well they're likely to cause someone else's death whilst on tour. They are trained to kill on command. Documentaries have been made showing the training of these soldiers, they often talk about the reasons for joining up and the justifications they make to themselves for killing are sad to hear. It's amazing (not in a good way) what they come out with on camera. It's safe to say that if I had the option of joining the Armed Forces that I wouldn't make that choice. As it happens, I don't have that option.

There are other situations where people may kill another. Desperation arising from fear is a part of survival in some cases. A group of starving people might kill one member just so that they can eat. Maybe a parent will kill their baby because they're so poor and desperate that they can't see past the perception of not having enough resources to feed another mouth. I refuse to judge these people. I'm not in their shoes, and if I was, who's to say I wouldn't kill out of desperation?

Human euthanasia I have no moral/ethical issue with. IMO it should be legalised.

When it comes to animals, I feel it's not wrong to hunt animals for food, but to take more than we need especially for profit feels wrong on every level. We need to respect nature a lot more than we do (speaking for myself as well).

I believe that fear is at the root of most killings in this world. Sometimes compassion is the motivation.

And so on.

[GMAN12]

I also believe human euthanasia should be legalized as well. I know lots of people who are starting to commit suicide, but I know they would feel much better and once they are 18, they can do what they want.

[CFTraveler]

Human euthanasia? You mean murder?