Murder For Money

[PatrickHenry]

I am looking for some data for an idea I have.

I am making the poll anonymous so you can vote and not reveal how you voted.

Let's assume you don't believe in an afterlife, so your soul isn't in danger.

Another assumption: the person/people you're to kill are not your relatives or acquaintances or high profile individuals with whom you may agree or disagree on issues. So there's no incentive or disincentive regarding relationships and opinions. :eek:

A further assumption: Your employer is very influential so there is little risk of your getting caught, and if something goes wrong he can coverup or derail any investigation or charges. His reputation for paying promptly is legendary and you are sure that your own life is not at risk for your part in the murder.

Will your conscience prevent you from taking this job? If so, is there a figure of money which will motivate you anyway? If you are able to kill remotely, say with a bomb, does that make it easier?

If the victims are your countrymen is it harder? If they are another ethnicity is it easier? How about if they are children?

Would you kill a large number for a much larger sum of money?

Don't worry, I am not recruiting. This is just an ethics question. Share as much information on the questions as you dare. I understand that it may make some of you uncomfortable to answer, but could you please at least take the poll?

I will write about my angle on this if/after we get a little data.

[Mia]

No.

[Mia]

There is no poll, by the way.

[PatrickHenry]

You don't have a poll at the top of the page, Mia?

BTW, I think that you couldn't realistically convince yourself that you wouldn't be condemned on Judgement Day.

There are plenty of atheists on this board, however...

[Mia]

It's there now. It's not judgement day that causes me to say no. I just couldn't play a role in another's suffering or death. Especially for money.

[Kuldeep]

No, I won't take up the job for anybody in question irrespective of amount of money, no fear of getting caught, number and ages of persons involved, or any other factor invloved. This is for the simple reason that I do not want, I should be killed for any reason what so ever by others!!!

However, if there is a danger from anybody,no matter how strong and powerful, to my own life I would try to kill him for the sake of my own life, in self defence. I would definitely not hide from him as timid but face him with all my might, even if result be my own death. The reason is I do not want to be termed as timid.

[CoffeeSaint]

I'm an atheist, Patrick; absolutely no. The existence of a soul and god, the victim's or mine, is not what keeps me from killing people; my love of humanity is. In fact, since I am an atheist, I couldn't console myself thinking my victim's soul would go off to a better place; when this life is all we have, each moment becomes that much more precious, and I would not want to take it away from another.

Plus, I'm a pacifist who thinks all weapons are evil, remember?

[5010]

Yes. I'd do it for a huge sum of money if the victim agreed to it and if we agreed on how the money could be used to save a lot of lives. But were talking a huge amount, like more than I think I can make in my lifetime, and as an optimist I hope I'll someday be a billionaire anyway. So it would have to be multi-billions and I would agree to the money being used to develop a place where people are starving to death or something like that. And I would die for such a cause too.

[Sandy]

I'm an Atheist but not a killer. I might kill in self defense but that was not mentioned in the poll. I can't imagine being in a position to be asked to kill anyone but most certainly I would not consider it based on being paid for the service.

[The Bacon Guy]

I chose under some circumstances for several reasons. Firstly, the conditions would have to be as follows:

• Most importantly, I have absolutely NO chance of being held accountable, either legally or socially.
• The death is painless.

Secondly, I would only carry out the murder if the scenario was one of the following:

1. If someone wanted to die and paid me to kill them i.e assisted suicide.
2. If it was to save a lot of people’s lives, i.e killing one to save many.
3. If the victim had no family or friends to suffer after his or her death. The reason I think murder is wrong is because it causes suffering to the victim’s family and friends, not because it is bad for the victim. The victim is dead and therefore can’t suffer. So, if nobody will suffer as a result of the death, I don’t think there is anything wrong with murder

[PatrickHenry]

Thanks to all for inputting some data.

Please understand that I don't intend to insult the atheist with this poll and this thread. I recognize that most of those who don't believe in God have high standards of ethics regardless. That's not the issue I want to address.

Where I am going is regarding the actual hitmen among us(not on Volconvo of course!)...You are aware of the uncomfortable fact that some of our fellow human beings will assassinate another for nothing but a sum of money?

Many will kill another person for ideology. Soldiers invade another land and kill the opponent because they are instructed to do so. "Collateral damage" is the euphemism for the innocent unintended victims of such violence. It doesn't seem to stop the slaughter. By the same token, people whose nation has been invaded and occupied find justification to kill the invaders. These are ideologically motivated killings. In some of them, the killers even lay down their own lives. Of course it's easier if you don't have to do so, but can just drop a bomb on the opponent from 10,000 feet. That way you don't have to look at the blood and carnage and hear the wailing of the grief. But that's ideology.

However, there are those who kill for the money. It's lucrative, modern means have rendered it simple, as easy as pulling a trigger, and if your conscience doesn't bother you, why engage in more strenuous work? In sum, it's easy money.

What I am thinking is that the conscience may not withstand the appeal of a huge sum of cash. Can anyone deny that money is a powerful motivator? Even if some people die a not-so-painless death, a powerful person has ordained it and is willing to pay. You won't stop it. But you can cash in...

[Osborn F Enready]

I chose no for one reason.

You clarified this:

So there's no incentive or disincentive regarding relationships and opinions.

[PatrickHenry]

Right, Osborn. We aren't speaking of politically motivated assassinations (which might be acceptable to some of us given the strength of our political views!) That would be ideology.

But there ARE hitmen aren't there? Or is that just Hollywood?

Guys who will waste someone for the cash?

[Osborn F Enready]

Yes indeed there are Pat.

No code, no morals, no respect for fellow man.

[PatrickHenry]

OK. A further thought. Do assassinations have political effects? Not just presidents or PMs but outspoken individuals? I would assume so, since silencing opponents has been an agenda of the elite world since at least the 1880s: Haymarket Riot - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Mia]

Quote by: PatrickHenry Right, Osborn. We aren't speaking of politically motivated assassinations (which might be acceptable to some of us given the strength of our political views!) That would be ideology. But there ARE hitmen aren't there? Or is that just Hollywood? Guys who will waste someone for the cash?

Apparently so, someone here answered straight 'yes'.

[PatrickHenry]

I know. That's the kind of data I was looking for. A small percentage of people motivated more by money than by concern for another's life. I am gratified that someone was able to anonymously reveal the power of cash to create havoc. It confirms some of the ideas that have been running across my mind.

I was watching a PBS documentary last night on the kidnapping crisis in Brazil. Hundreds of people are siezed and held for ransom, and if the demands are not met, they are killed. I don't think that Brazilians are the only people on earth to find this type of work to their taste.

[Mia]

No, but it seems to be a big, continuous problem in S. America.

(the kidnapping thing).

Women and children are sold into slavery every day. All kinds of vile actions for money in every part of the world.

[PatrickHenry]

It is known that the operations departments of various spy agencies engage in assassination.

Some would say that this is ideologically based, but if the lack of concern for another's life is consistent, I bet murder for hire is more lucrative.

[Compugasm]

Quote by: PatrickHenry Guys who will waste someone for the cash?

Sure, why not? There are those that do it for free.

Quote by: Memorable Quotes from Se7en Only in a world this shitty could you even try to say these were innocent people and keep a straight face. But that's the point. We see a deadly sin on every street corner, in every home, and we tolerate it. We tolerate it because it's common, it's trivial. We tolerate it morning, noon, and night. Well, not anymore. I'm setting the example. What I've done is going to be puzzled over and studied and followed... forever.