From a religious perspective who`s sin is it?

Question

If a soldier recives orders to kill an innocent man and he kills him. Is it the sin of the soldier or of the superior that gave the order?

thanks for the thumbs down

Answer 1

All is fair in love and war.

Answer 2

In situations of war, a soldier must take orders from his superiors, however, a superior must not abuse the position by asking his subordinants to kill innocent people. In that case, the sin would be on both parties.

Answer 3

It is both their fault. It is not the soldier's job to just go into a town and start killing people in cold blood Punisher-style. There are missions and objectives to be met, and killing happens when you're either defending yourself or when you're trying to capture terrorists before they have a chance to kill innocent people. It is not lawful to order a soldier to kill anyone in cold blood. It is up to the soldier to object, disobey, and report the order, and I don't know what movies you've been watching, but soldiers are not brainless mouth-breathers who do whatever they are told. They have to use their minds or they will be killed or taken advantage of.

Answer 4

If it is a just war there is no sin by either.
However - you say "innocent" - you would have to define that. If you mean an opposing soldier then there is no sin - if it is something like My Lai in Viet Nam then the commander is ordering murder, a sin. The soldier is subject to the authority of the his commander however.

This is a very good question - I gave you a thumbs up.

Answer 5

In Christian tradition it is the individuals responsibility to live up to the commandment about not killing other people.

Generally this is understood to mean that we do not kill for personal gain. Killing someone in self defense is a mitigating factor in the judgment of the death. Killing someone by accident or under the mistaken believe they were a danger to oneself is again, a mitigating factor when evaluating the event.

I do not think you could assign responsibility of sin to every death that occurs at the hands of a soldier or a commander. Death happens, especially during wars.

In the final assessment, it is conscience of each individual solider (or commander) that will determine whether a death falls into the socially accepted category for war; or if it fell outside that boundary.

Answer 6

The bible says to obey those that have ruler over you so then it is the superior that the sin weights on, should this sin be accounted as sin in the eyes of God. Remember God has the last say so over any man soul.. Because in the days of old it was commanded by God and allowed for evil one to be murdered. think about the wars in the days of old. Sop what can one say?

Answer 7

pretty much the superior. Jesus was asked what soldiers should do and he said nothing about leaving the military but that they should not take advantage of others because of their position. Getting into the military that is a decision that might be questionable depending on that persons motives.

Answer 8

By God's law.... both.... sin is any act that is against the Word and Will of God.... that would qualify..........BUT

If neither was of The True Christian Faith then neither would have commited a sin as God's Law only aplies to those who are of The Faith and The Church...... all others are bound only by man's law..... as it is not sin that keeps any one from heaven they would still have The Way to God open to them so long as they came to God in The Way He prescribes.

Answer 9

This question is answered by the true word of God - the Bible.
We are suppose to obey the civil authorities in non spiritual matters - relieving us from being considered murderers when we serve our country.

The verse - give to Caesar what is Caesar - would add credence to this view.

Answer 10

Both soldier and superior.

Answer 11

It is both...
From Islam's point of view, you can't disobey who in charge unless he asks you to do something against Allah's laws.
So the soldier is supposed to disobey that command.