Do You Own a Gun?

[Clodfobble]

Originally Posted by Spexxvet

I feel it's wrong because that's the way the society in which I was raised feels. I would not try to change them anymore than I would allow them to change me to their way of thinking.

I don't buy that--you try to change people's minds on here all the time. Okay, some of us are from the same society, but you've discussed things with Brits and Aussies too, and worked to convince them of what you believe. Hell, your whole position on the gun topics is that taking a life is an inherently horrible thing, even if it's a criminal's life. You have a strong sense of right and wrong, Spexx, which means you can't be a complete moral relativist.

Originally Posted by Spexxvet

I maintain that if left alone, unsocialized, we would not hesitate to kill one another in order to eat and procreate. Think about how a three year old acts. If another kid has a toy that he wants, he'll walk over and bop the kid and take the toy.

You seem to be getting hung up on the idea that we are innately aware of these natural rights and will always act on them. Obviously that's not true. But if it's wrong to arbitrarily kill a child--if it's wrong to kill a thief trying to steal your chewing gum--then you have already recognized that that person has an inherent right to live. That right supercedes all societal conventions, unless you believe in total moral relativism.