chosendarkness Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 http://news.yahoo.co...raging_suicides Saw this news article and wondered, 'what about the people I've known that committed suicide because they were brainwashed with crazy fundie Charismatic beliefs'? We see bat shit crazy fundies spreading their trash all the time, the suffering and pain that results, sometimes suicides, yet they're protected under free speech. Because it's the dominant religion of our society. If it was Muslims they'd be sent to Guantanamo. But shouldn't we at least try to stop the fundie madness? I'm tired of hearing about my old Christian friends committing suicide, and the families and churches that urged it getting away with murder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ro-bear Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 I checked out the article. What a creepy dude! I tend to come down on the free speech side of things, but I can see how impersonating a nurse and encouraging someone to harm himself might be seen as exceptions. As for religious speech, I would be very cautious about reining it in, no matter how repugnant I find it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chosendarkness Posted March 16, 2011 Author Share Posted March 16, 2011 I checked out the article. What a creepy dude! I tend to come down on the free speech side of things, but I can see how impersonating a nurse and encouraging someone to harm himself might be seen as exceptions. As for religious speech, I would be very cautious about reining it in, no matter how repugnant I find it. It's not a matter of being repugnant, it's a matter of human life in my mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Babylonian Dream Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 It's the horrible price you have to pay, but its the price of having free speech. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RankStranger Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 Is suicide illegal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ro-bear Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 I checked out the article. What a creepy dude! I tend to come down on the free speech side of things, but I can see how impersonating a nurse and encouraging someone to harm himself might be seen as exceptions. As for religious speech, I would be very cautious about reining it in, no matter how repugnant I find it. It's not a matter of being repugnant, it's a matter of human life in my mind. Free speech is one of those things that is worth the risks and hardships it imposes. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vigile Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 Is suicide illegal? Yeah, I would think an accessory to murder charge could even be brought by a zealous prosecutor. At a minimum, if free speech is limited in the form of libel, because it harms, it seems an even greater harm here occurs. I see no slippery slope by limiting free speech using a harm principle as long as harm doesn't merely include personal offense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RankStranger Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 Could someone who attempts suicide be charged with attempted murder? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vigile Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 Could someone who attempts suicide be charged with attempted murder? I seem to recall they used to be charged with attempted suicide, I'm not sure how that is prosecuted. This is a state by state issue. I think we all, or at least we reasonable people, realize there is a big difference between urging someone to commit suicide and attempting it. One involves a great deal of personal pain while the other involves an utter lack of humanity. And, since depravity is considered in murder trials, I don't see why this couldn't be considered here. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RankStranger Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 I'm just trying to figure out how a legal argument would be structured if there isn't a specific statue against inciting suicide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vigile Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 I'm just trying to figure out how a legal argument would be structured if there isn't a specific statue against inciting suicide. According to this, which I found doing a quick google search, you are right: http://lawschool.courtroomview.com/acf_cases/8728-people-v-campbell But, it depends on the judge, it seems: http://www.startribune.com/local/118024324.html Bottom line, it likely falls under common law, not statutory law, which can be about as malleable as the bible or constitution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator florduh Posted March 16, 2011 Super Moderator Share Posted March 16, 2011 My contribution: My link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagickMonkey Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 So what if you honestly believe someone is better off by committing suicide? Are you really supposed to keep your mouth shut? Can we say with absolute certainty that there is never a case where suicide is the best answer? There is a big difference between suggesting someone commit suicide and actually forcing them to do it. Granted, this douche bag was more interested in his own entertainment than the best interest of those he convinced to kill themselves, but perhaps these people made a rational assessment of the pros and cons of suicide, and decided they were better off dying than living miserably. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Babylonian Dream Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 Is suicide illegal? No, and it shouldn't be. Aside from the cases where someone is just going to suffer and die, so they should do it if they please to cut back on their pain, I don't think its a good thing. But its peoples own bodies. If someone really wants to die, no law will stop them anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vomit Comet Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 I checked out the article. What a creepy dude! I tend to come down on the free speech side of things, but I can see how impersonating a nurse and encouraging someone to harm himself might be seen as exceptions. There was an episode of Dexter where there was this therapist who would manipulate female clients into committing suicide, and would record himself doing so with a hidden camera so as to get off later. Dexter figured out his game, posed as a client himself, and killed him. That was the most satisfying killing I ever saw on that show. The show is about a serial killer (the eponymous Dexter) who only kills other serial killers. Question: this fictional therapist, who took advantage of his own clients and manipulated them into committing suicide for his own sick kicks, had he been found out and arrested... would have been a case of... murder, yes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lunaticheathen Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 I checked out the article. What a creepy dude! I tend to come down on the free speech side of things, but I can see how impersonating a nurse and encouraging someone to harm himself might be seen as exceptions. There was an episode of Dexter where there was this therapist who would manipulate female clients into committing suicide, and would record himself doing so with a hidden camera so as to get off later. Dexter figured out his game, posed as a client himself, and killed him. That was the most satisfying killing I ever saw on that show. The show is about a serial killer (the eponymous Dexter) who only kills other serial killers. Question: this fictional therapist, who took advantage of his own clients and manipulated them into committing suicide for his own sick kicks, had he been found out and arrested... would have been a case of... murder, yes? Yes, especially when it is a therapist! It's not like a therapist (or a former nurse, as in the article) doesn't know what the fuck s/he's doing, the risks of their behavior, and how fucking wrong it is. Anyone caught doing this who had anything to do with any health profession should be punished to the fullest extent of the law, imo. As for religions, I have to agree with Ro-bear. As much mental torture as I was put through in a fundie christian school that still affects me, I just see stepping into any religion's right to be what they are as too dangerous, and it would end up limiting my freedoms at the end of the day. Someone would find a way to make out my religious practices as "damaging" when they make me perfectly happy. Fuck that. Hands off my conscience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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