Why do we kill people who kill people to show killing people is wrong?

Answer 1

A fair portion of the reason is that almost all people have a certain intrinsic desire for fairness. They want to see the scales balance and for wrongs to be made right in some way.

That is part of the problem we run into with those who commit particularly heinous crimes. If someone has deprived someone else of their life, does it seem fair to have them live out the entirety of their own, perhaps with frequent contact with loved ones, even conjugal visits and the like? Why should they be allowed to enjoy even a fraction of what was taken from someone else? How is that even vaguely fair?

There are many other permutations as well which merit consideration. I happen to have a particularly good example in a person I know who has spent a little time in prison. His time there was so repugnant to him, that he has flat out stated that he would rather be dead than go back. And once, when he was accused of another crime that would have done just that he nearly killed himself. So for some people, killing is a LESSER punishment than even a day in prison. It is a mercy in that sense, instead of a monstrousity.

The list of possible exceptions just goes on from there. Is it worth taking the risk that an unrepentant lifer escapes to commit more crimes? I can provide examples of this happening if you'd like to contact the new victims and explain how it was a really good idea not to kill their aggresor. Even if killing a murderer is not a perfect deterrent, is it not worth it if it outright prevents even a few crimes from happening in the first place? And in a more general sense, aren't there hundreds of things that governments do that private citizens can't, making your whole argument a little specious?

In short, the issue is a lot more complex than you're making it seem. It even happens that I agree with what you are trying to say. But I think you do others a disservice by failing to at least acknowledge that there is another side to this argument and that it does have some merit.

Peace.

Answer 2

We live in a world with rules that must be followed and for each rule there must be a bigger punishment to pay. If you think sitting in a prison for the rest of their lives is a good enough punishment then why should someone that steals, sells drugs, gets a DUI, ect have to pay the same punishment as someone who murders another person? Each crime has its own punishment and if you are willing to take someone else's life, don't you think a punishment that you should be facing is lossing your own life not just your freedom. I guess if you have ever known someone that was murdered you would feel the same way. I knew a 16 yr old girl that lived in my school district that was murdered by her neighbor. He owed her money for babysitting his kids and didnt want to pay her so he took her to their boat house and hit her with the ancher and buried her under his boat. She was still alive when he buried her...but obviously not for long after that. He received 7 yrs in prison was out in 4 on parole. Is that fair? He still has his family and can still enjoy his life but the girl he murdered will never know what life is even about because he made the decission to take her life away from her! Again, punishment must fit the crime and the worse the crime is the worse the punishment should be and death is the ultimate punishment.

Answer 3

Because when someone thinks they are better than someone else, that someone else gets jealous. Example, when the bad kill, the good want to kill too. They think it is fair to kill another because they have taken another. Plus when someone keeps killing, they are threatening the lives of people everyday. In order to make 100% show that person cannot kill again, people will kill another to stop them. It's very effective, but highly immoral. However, do remember that the person you are not willing to kill, will not hesitate a second to kill you. It's a matter of survival. The bad have incorporated killing to show power, and the good to show control. You kill, you die; simple philosophy of survival of the fittest.

Answer 4

Killing people is not necessarily wrong. Jesus desires for justice to be brought to evildoers and that sometimes involves killing those who are such a danger to society. Certain rules must be followed however, due process through court and law. It's not any one person's right to kill another human being. (there are always exceptions like if someone is coming at you with a knife). So to sum things up, I believe killing is wrong when it is done for the wrong reasons such as to get a person's money or because of racism or because YOU think they deserve. There must be a set proceeding usually conducted by the state to determine death. War is included in all the laws and proceedings as war is sanctioned by the government.

Many people throw out the "an eye for an eye" arguement but that is a commonly misunderstood phrase. It doesn't mean, "You hurt me so I get to hurt you the same to show you how it felt." It actually means "You hurt me so you deserve to have an equvilent punishment, one that is proportional to your crime."

Answer 5

We don't. Killing people who kill people is not a moral lesson, it is to keep them from ever doing it again.

Answer 6

You are referring to the death penalty which is imposed only if the condemned person is beyond redemption.
The death penalty is not imposed to show killing people is wrong, it is imposed because no other solution is possible.

Answer 7

we have killed enough wild animals for pleasure and now there are few to kill.apart from what we kill daily for our food.

and humans are most easily available targets throughout our history.

we kill in the name of god , religion , country , security and sanity....

we love to kill because we love to kill...

Answer 8

we are in the world called 'KILLING FIELD"
we have to keep killing to stop the killing

Answer 9

I don't know why we do it, but i certainly don't believe in an eye for an eye. I think it just makes it worse. I believe that the justice is up to God , and so is the revenge.

Answer 10

that's is the Old Testament old eye for a eye and tooth for a tooth .. illiterate form of justice .

Christ in the New testament opposed this by teaching when struck ,give them your other cheek , if they want your cloak ,give it to them , but if they want your coat ( soul) don't give it to them ...universal justice

even if one is not religous it is a ideal answer