KamikazeSkies
That was lame...and nobody thinks you're funny. Go get a hobby and remove yourself from the
intelligent discussion threads, you don't qualify to be here.
First of all, allow me to thank you.
kyoshiro2
Here's a twist on the whole thing... Lets say this man was religious... And being religious he knew he would not go the heaven if he commited suicide... I order to go to heaven after so much sin... the way to redeam yourself it to sacrifice yourself for anothers life... So what I think is that from this situation is that he seen the opportuntity to:
1. Save a life
2. Redeam himself of the sinful thoughts and doings
And
3. To ultamately get what he wanted and could not bring upon himself....
Selfish yes but he did save the woman in the end meaning it was not a completely selfish act...
Well thats what I think anyway...
VERY interesting take on the question! The kaleidoscopic view that the lens of religion twists one's perception into is a take that I might not have thought of myself and adds an interesting new dimension to the question, especially if the man assumes that he would be seeing his family in the Heaven that (in your given scenario) he believes awaits him. It does, however, bear mention that you didn't mean "Religious," so much as "A religious Christian." There may be other specific religions that believe suicide means certain damnation, but Christianity is the most prominent in America (though I won't get into my thoughts on that particular topic) and being that my perception has placed this scenario in my own setting. Presumably, you've done the same. Besides, when it comes to gun-related deaths and murders, you can't really beat the USA. All things considered, though well answered.
That said, I would have to put my vote in with the "Little of both," voters. Really, it's kind of a glass half full/half empty question, with ones own view of humanity used as the measure of which way your scale tips. As for my own, or, in other words, were I to answer which cause I felt was dominant, I would say that there is too little information to give a definite, but since he valued the lives of others so much above his own, I tip towards the perception of this man as the unselfish savior, though as I said, of course elements of the coward were there as well. More telling even than the reasons listed above is that the average man doesn't think before acting but instead does what he is most accustomed to. In this case, he was likely more accustomed to placing others first (especially given the other information we have of him) thus my answer becomes more firm.
EDIT: Now expounded upon, with more detail.
