Just War Theory (tradition, choice, evolution, hell, theology)

[shema]

Originally Posted by Mike182

i have some reserves about it, but some wars just have to be fought, and some limits have to be placed on how far one side can go in a way - thus i think Just War Theory is a good place to start.

i thought there was something about discrimination as well, that we should discriminate between the targeting of military targets and civilian targets...

I agree.

[kreeden]

Originally Posted by shaktinah

Yes, I know. That's why I said it had to be well thought out first, looking at all the possible repercussions. Why is it only a tool for the strong against the weak? It seems to me that the weak might be better able to pull off an assassination than a war. And yes, it sounds absolutely immoral. But why is it more immoral than war? You ask me who gets to decide who gets hit. I ask you who gets to decide to wage war. Why is it more moral to send thousands of young persons, most of them who enlisted because they don't have many other opportunities, to die or be maimed or to kill others who are fighting against them thru no fault of their own? Why is that morally better than selectively killing the person or persons responsible for the conflict? Of course, there would be the ethics of what constitutes a "just assassination" just as we are now discussiong "just war."

Sorry , I have been rather busy this past week .

I tend to agree with you Lilithu . IMHO , the term " just " is added with the sole perpose of qustifing our actions . There really is NO difference between a so called " terrorist " and any other who kills for their country , beliefs , or whatever . The thing is , there comes a time when we have to stand for what we believe in . The question is , how far do we go making that stand ?

Personally , I'm a simple person who calls it as I see it . I don't need these cute little words to make me feel " just " . And yes , if I believed in something stronge enough to die for , then I could likely there a group of others with me . So , does that make me a terrorist ? Or a hero ? It would depend upon who you asked , I guess ?

As for assassination , I agree that it makes more sense in ways . But it also opens up a whole lot of other problems . For excample , I could solely assassinate a world leader , but I couldn't solely go to war with them . Perhaps , in some ways that would be better ? It would make the world politicans nervious . But my point is that two wrongs don't make a right .

War is a part of our nature . Survival . I guess that it wasn't so , but it is . Survival of the fit and all of that . And we claim that we are not animals ?