Moral Questions: What would you do?

Last Dawn said:
Ok here's a new scenerio, less dramatic than the previous one but still with something to think about.

When Richard went to the ATM, he got a very pleasant surprise. He requested 100 dollars with a receipt. What he got was $10,000 with a receipt-for $100.

When he got home, he checked his account online and found that, sure enough, his account had been debited by only $100. He put the money in a safe place, fully expecting the bank swiftly to spot the mistake and ask for it back. But the weeks passed and nobody called.

After two months, Richard concluded that no one was going to ask for the money. So he headed off to the BMW dealership with the hefty down payment in his pocket.

On the way, however, he did feel a twinge of guilt. Wasn't this stealing? He quickly managed to convince himself it wasno such thing. He had not deliberately taken the money, it had just been given to him. And he hadn't taken it from anyone else, so on one had been robbed. As for the bank, this was a drop in the ocean for them, and anyway, they would be insured against such eventualities. And it was their fault they had lost the money- they should have had safer systems. No, this wasn't theft. It was the biggest stroke of luck he had ever had.

What do you guys think?
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I actually would return it right when it came out of the machine. I'm kind of simple like that.
 
I wouldn't keep the money; just wouldn't feel right. And knowing me I likely would have trouble going to bed that night knowing I've taken something that isn't mine. And it isn't. I've a strong conscience and it wouldn't even let me think about keeping it, and if I do, it would plague me. The guy in the scenario knew keeping it was wrong -that's why he felt that guilt (and I would call that guilt his conscience), but he ignored it, rationalized his way out of it and tried to justify his keeping it. But there's no way to justify it. The money isn't yours. I wouldn't want anything that doesn't belong to me.
 
I'm sure ten yrs ago, I would've handed it right over. Now, with a mortgage, a dependant and a dog, I'd run home, hide it and dance around yellin' "I'M RICH BEEEOTCH!"

yeah, ten grand would make me feel rich right now
 
I had a similar situation recently. Someone left their ATM card in the machine. I brought it into the bank, gave it to a teller, and left. I'd do the same thing here.


As for that soldier situation, I need more info. Is anyone watching? If so, how close are they? Does the civilian understand English? How many people are in my squad? How loyal to the commander is my squad? What's my nation's stance on this sort of act? All sorts of things.

If someone was watching to make sure I killed her, I'd quietly tell her to fall when I fired my rifle and to leave after we were gone, then I'd intentionally miss. Later, the commander who gave the order would find himself the victim of a fragging. I have no tolerance for rapists. It's one of the very few things I'd retaliate harshly for.
 
I'd return it. I wouldn't trust the bank to not care about the money. They'd find out eventually and then charge the person with theft.
Even still, the guilt would bother me too much to enjoy the money anyway.
 
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