Poll: Are murderers forgivable?

[CaptainKoala]

Let's say you're texting and driving and you run someone over; You're not a monster, sure you killed someone and thats horrible and you should be punished (a man-slaughter charge isn't too bad in a situation like this.) I say in this situation you totally deserve a second chance.

Now lets say you kill 10 prostitutes in a serial-killing rampage. You are a monster, you deserve nothing else but to be killed by you're countries government. Yes I support the death penalty and I don't much care how they are killed. As long as it isn't more brutal than the method they used in their killings. So a guy who shot people in the head would get a quick death, and a guy who tortured people would get some less-barbaric, but equally slow and painful death.

 

[Anthony Abney]

Depends on who they killed and why. If they killed a serial killer for justice or revenge or something like that, it's fine, but if they kill a bunch of homeless people because they smell bad, then it's not fine.

 

[kickassfrog]

it depends. If its in defense of your self or your family, or if it is the work of someone who is tripping on some bad drugs(Still pretty bad for taking those drugs, but if they didnt know what they were doing...) or if its because they have a serious mental problem(though id argue that most killers are mad).

premeditated is pretty darn bad, and a crime of passion isnt much better. And how do you define what a soldier does? Some people would call it murder, especially if the soldier was on the losing side. Especially if they werent fighting for a recognised country(like a rebel)

I don't think any of the cases you listed are murder- self defence is manslaughter at worst, and you might even be able to get off with it, depending on the circumstances. I also think being on drugs or insane would not carry a murder charge.

I would also like to declare a rule that assassinations of horrible dictators be declared assassination, and not murder.

But, yes, as an example, I would forgive Jack Ruby for murdering Lee Harvey Oswald.

 

[TyrunnAlberyn]

It really, really depends on the circumstances.

 

[Murderous Steve]

Yes for The ending of a life is but a drop being taken from a sea of filth.

 

[minnull]

Murder is not forgivable. No matter what the person did that lead to their murder, there will always be someone that mourns their loss and will be unable to forgive the murderer. Saddam Hussein was mourned and so was Osama Bin Laden. No one is truly forgiven when they commit murder because there will always be a person(s) that are too emotionally affected by the loss to allow forgiveness.

 

[randomsix]

Listen up buddy, I'm going to give you the answer. The answer to this question and every other philosophical question that seems to be asked all the time on the escapist.

Ready?

It depends. It depends on things, lots of things.

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees.

The blameworthyness of any act is utterly dependent on the context in which the act occurs. No exceptions.

 

[Rabid Chipmunk]

Technically any crime is forgivable. It just depends on who is being asked to grant forgiveness.

No matter how terrible the murder or what circumstances it's performed in, I believe it's good to forgive. For the victim's family and friends' sake, not the murderer's, though. If he is truly repentant and wants forgiveness and the family forgives him, then good. If the murderer doesn't, it's still healthy for the family to forgive him so they can at least try to move on with their lives.

I do not, however, support vigilantism (It's OK if I kill this person, because they had it coming). First of all, I believe just about everyone deserves a second chance (I said just about, don't start giving me examples of those who don't), and justifying vigilantism can start us down a slippery slope.

 

[magnuslion]

Hitler murdered a lot of people.
Can we stop a lot of murdering by trying murdering him?
If yes, then it justify murdering him.

Jew here.

No, your logic is flawed. The only way to be able to do what you have posited is to have known before hand that Hitler was going to do what he did, or perhaps to travel back in time. either way, unlikely.

I believe that the only justification for killing, at all, is in defense of your own life ro the lives of others, and even that only when it is absolutely necessary. I would not have killed Hitler, I would have captured him and left him to rot in a prison for the rest of his miserable existence. When you give in to vengeful thoughts, and say that you can justify killing because of someones actions or behavior, you sink to their level. I am against capital punishment because the idea of "If you kill someone, we will kill you back" is so utterly ridiculous and juvenile that any rational person should reject it. That is the mentality of a fucking third grader.

 

[Custard_Angel]

Murder isn't a nice thing to do, but everyone should have the ability to turn their life around and receive forgiveness.

If things are done correctly there should be 10-20 years or so for the murderer to attain forgiveness, but there we go.

 

[Crash 9000]

As everyone else has said you really cant just make a blanket statement that murder is so cut and dry.
Reasons do matter. As someone has already said, killing a child rapist is totally justified. Hell not just justified but something to be proud of.
So unless you know the exact circumstances of each case then its impossible to judge.

So, killing a child-rapist is awesome, regardless. But it's impossible to judge whether murder can be forgiven unless the exact circumstances are known? Okay then... do you know the definition of "exact" and "circumstances"?

And since when can a punishment be more excessive than the crime(s)? How is that justifiable?
Sure, rape is bad, and child-rape is doubly bad, but wouldn't execution (even legally sentenced) be a little extreme and even a crime itself?

 

[Farther than stars]

Well, part of my faith as a Christian is to forgive everyone's sinful actions, since we aren't entitled to judge others out of our own anger (that being just as wrong as any sinful act commited). After all, nobody murders randomly. Any crimes commited against human nature often stem from disturbed souls and troubled roots. And that's not necessarily always the perpetrator's fault.

 

[matrix guardian]

I think that anyone is forgivable. Forgiveness is more about the capacity of the forgiver than about what the other person did. It's about what happens within YOU, freeing yourself from the resentment and hate attached to that situation. To choose not to forgive is to hold on to and carry around that resentment for the rest of you life, letting it fester inside you. Anyone can be forgiven. It's just a matter of being willing to let go, accept it, and move past it. If someone I loved was murdered, it would be very hard to forgive them. But I sure hope that I would eventually forgive them. That's the kind of person I want to be. I wouldn't want to carry around all that toxic hateful baggage around in my life.

And also, apart from my views on forgiveness, I also believe in people's capacity for change. I've seen it. I know a guy who used to be a drug dealer, into gangs and stuff, shot a few people in his day. Some real bad shit. And I have seen his transformation over time. That is not the man he is today. He is a totally changed man now. He is a really great guy, and I would trust him with my life. And a very important part of that transformation was the support of people who believed he could change. I don't know if that kind of change would have been possible if everyone had just given up on him as "unforgivable." People can change. And real positive change needs positive support from others.

TL;DR So basically, whether or not someone is "forgivable" is about YOU, not about them.

 

[Romidude]

Soldiers who accidentally kill civilians are forgiven so yes.

In this day and age, it isn't accidental anymore :l (Ex: Kill Team)

OT: Emotionally: Possibly.
Legally: No.

 

[Dimitriov]

It is completely forgivable, dependent on who they murdered and why.


Murdered a child? Hell no, hang them.

Murdered someone who had it coming? Absolutely forgive them, indeed they may have my praise.