What compels humans to commit crimes?

[Rota]

You're still forgetting insanity and religion. Remember the chick who drowned her baby because "Jesus told her to?" Either Jesus Christ is a complete jackass who drowns babies, or she was all crazy-crazy, yo.

I think that issue is covered by selfishness and greed comments. That woman was selfish enough to put her own desires above the civil rights of the baby.

[trogdor1316]

I think that issue is covered by selfishness and greed comments. That woman was selfish enough to put her own desires above the civil rights of the baby.

That is a good point, but what if the woman truly beleived that her Lord and Savior desired the death of the child? What if she somehow beleived that the death of the child would benefit mankind? Although from an outside perspective, it may well have looked selfish, but is it still greed if the woman beleives she is benefiting mankind?

A good comparison to this would be the idea that it's not technically a lie if you think that you're telling the truth.

[Rota]

What if she somehow beleived that the death of the child would benefit mankind?

That's exactly my point. She is making the life/death decision about another person. That is a destruction of the other person's civil right to live. It doesn't matter how noble her reasoning might be, she is putting her priorities above the rights of another person.




I think an easy definition for crime is legal/illegal. I think crimes are violations of civil rights, despite what the laws of the land may be.

A perfect example is jaywalking. It may be illegal, but as long as there are no cars and noone's safety is being infringed, then it's not a crime, in my opinion. Laws do not always cover every crime, and not every illegal act is truly a crime.

[trogdor1316]

That's exactly my point. She is making the life/death decision about another person. That is a destruction of the other person's civil right to live. It doesn't matter how noble her reasoning might be, she is putting her priorities above the rights of another person.

But, in this scenario at least, she beleive that God, who is "allpowerful and allknowing," needs the baby dead for benefit of mankind. From her point of view, it would be selfish to keep the baby alive. So really, it all depends on how religious you are.

[SickbyDefinition]

I think it depends on the type of person. Like, a sociopath for instance, may commit a crime simply because he thinks he can get away with it. Reason (or justification - in other words what compels us) is very relative.

[Rota]

But, in this scenario at least, she beleive that God, who is "allpowerful and allknowing," needs the baby dead for benefit of mankind. From her point of view, it would be selfish to keep the baby alive. So really, it all depends on how religious you are.

It doesn't matter what her reasons are. She is making the life/death decision for someone else. That is a destruction of civil rights.

[trogdor1316]

I agree with you that it is, no matter what, a selfish act to drown a baby, unless that baby is totally emo and would have OD'd on cocaine either way, but that's unlikely. I'm simply looking at the reason she did it.

[SickbyDefinition]

It doesn't matter what her reasons are. She is making the life/death decision for someone else. That is a destruction of civil rights.

The thread is about why she would drown a baby, not us passing judgement about the crime itself.

[trogdor1316]

The thread is about why she would drown a baby, not us passing judgement about the crime itself.

What I said, but with less flair.

[killerwave7]

But, in this scenario at least, she beleive that God, who is "allpowerful and allknowing," needs the baby dead for benefit of mankind. From her point of view, it would be selfish to keep the baby alive. So really, it all depends on how religious you are.

True, but in this reasoning, she is following her belief and violating the rights of another human being. Either way, its funny because if she claims that an all-powerful and all-knowing god needs a baby dead, then why didn't the god just prevent the baby from being born or even existing. If this lady claims he is all-powerful, then its right to state that this god could do anything in his power to stop the baby from hurting mankind. Therefore, if her reasoning is totally gone, she is bordering on insanity and irrational illogic.