Death for Belief?

[theleftone]

The link between belief and behavior raises the stakes considerably. Some propositions are so dangerous that it may even be ethical to kill people for believing them. This may seem an extraordinary claim, but it merely enunciates an ordinary fact about the world in which we live. Certain beliefs place their adherents beyond the reach of every peaceful means of persuasion, while inspiring them to commit acts of extraordinary violence against others. There is, in fact, no talking to such people. If they cannot be captured, and they often cannot, otherwise tolerant people may be justified in killing them in self-defense. This is what the United States attempted in Afghanistan, and is what we and other Western powers are bound to attempt, at an even greater cost to ourselves and to innocents abroad, elsewhere in the Muslim world. We will continue to spill blood in what is, at bottom, a war of ideas.

I was reading the reviews on Amazon.com for the book The End of Faith, and noticed on of the reviewers citing the line bolded above. I then searched the book to find this quote in context. It appears the author, Sam Harris, advocates the idea that it may be ethical to kill someone for believing what he calls a "dangerous idea."

Do you believe it is ethical to kill people for believing "dangerous ideas?" Why?

[Bugmaster]

I don't think it's even possible to kill someone because of their beliefs, because we're not telepathic. We have no access to people's beliefs.

That leaves us speech, and actions. I think that people should be free to say whatever they want, even if it's something I disagree with. Libel and yelling "fire" in a crowded theater are exceptions, though.

However, if we see someone taking hostile actions against us -- such as blowing up our buildings -- then violence becomes a very viable option.

[seen da light]

I don't think it's even possible to kill someone because of their beliefs, because we're not telepathic. We have no access to people's beliefs.

I would think that one would be killing for the beliefs that you can see displayed by their actions.this is usually the way in which one display their beliefs.
eg in the roman empire, when Christians were killed for their belief in only one God and not bowing to the roman deity.

I would think that you are looking more at killing someone based apon their actions as opposed to what they believe

[/quote]However, if we see someone taking hostile actions against us -- such as blowing up our buildings -- then violence becomes a very viable option.

maybe violence but is killing a viable option also? surely all you are doing is returning one wrong action with another?
What we need to be looking at as the initial form post was looking at is whether you would kill ,for example, someone because they hold Islamic fundamentalist views on a particular issue (e.g. the Jihad).-something we deem dangerous to society.would you kill them simply because they believe it?they haven't dome anything yet, yet you are willing to kill them-what better are you then for that belief to kill?
In my personal view, it is never right to kill some one. However, I would think it wise to lock them up and keep this dangerous idea from effecting the youth.

[Bugmaster]

I would think that you are looking more at killing someone based apon their actions as opposed to what they believe

Yes.

maybe violence but is killing a viable option also? surely all you are doing is returning one wrong action with another?

I don't see it as a matter of vengeance, but as a matter of prevention. If they blow up a building full of civilians, it's pretty clear that they don't have our best interests in mind. If taking them out of the picture is the only viable option, then so be it. In other words, if I'm balancing the lives of innocent citizens versus the lives of serial killers, I'm going with the citizens.

I don't see this as an issue of rights, either. When someone commits premeditated murder, that person has given up her rights, IMO.

What we need to be looking at as the initial form post was looking at is whether you would kill ,for example, someone because they hold Islamic fundamentalist views ...However, I would think it wise to lock them up and keep this dangerous idea from effecting the youth.

I wouldn't kill, or lock up, or even fine anybody just because of their beliefs. The very idea of locking people up because their ideas might "affect the youth" horrifies me; Soviet Union tried it, and it didn't even work there. As you said, I tend to judge a person's actions, not their ideas.