[jwalsh07]

You draw the line in this instance at murder, killing unlawfully with malice aforethought

Here is the definition of murder I'm working with, it was included in my post above.

[CobaltBlue]

I agree with you that different cultures define murder differently - but I think they probably all have versions of murder. I mean, I don't know of any culture that doesn't proscribe "murder" in some way, even though they may all define it differently.

Not 100% sure of that.

Would need to spend some time in the Human Relations Area Files or somesuch.

The fact that in some cultures you can buy your way out of a murder, and in others you don't get in trouble for your first murder, kind of undercut the argument that all cultures think murder is wrong.

"Wrong" I think of as a moral offense.

If you can buy your way out of something, seems to me to be a different kind of "wrong." More like destroying something of economic value.