1. Introduction

Every now and again the world is shocked by some brutal killings. The killings may be due to serial killers or due to mass murderers.

There are differences between mass murderers and serial killers:

Mass murderers kill a number of people at one time and in one place. Mass murderers usually attack schools, universities and restaurants believing it to be a place for a maximum kill effect. They often die at the scene of the multiple slayings, either through suicide or police action. Only occasionally do they turn themselves into the police after the killings.

Serial killers on the other hand, murder one at a time and go to great lengths to avoid detection and apprehension.

The US is believed to have the highest number of serial killers.

2. Why do people become serial killers or mass murderers?

Any problem can have causes either in one or more of the 3 dimensions, namely the physical, the psychological and the spiritual. Spiritual research has shown that the main root cause for a person to commit serial killing and mass murder lies in the spiritual realm. The following chart shows a breakdown of the reasons a person commits serial killing and mass murder.

The psychological factors have been well documented in various publications available on the Internet.

With regard to the spiritual factors it is primarily demonic possession by medium level ghosts from the 2nd region of Hell (Pātāl). Refer to the section on types of ghosts and life after death. In some cases these people have been possessed for many births by the same higher level ghosts.

It is for this reason that it is very difficult to predict when a mass murderer may go on a killing spree as the ghost possessing him can do it at any time without any warning signs.

Does this mean that serial killers and mass murderers are exonerated for their crimes at a karmic level?

As per the Law of Karma we have to experience happiness or suffer the consequences of our actions and thoughts. For extreme acts like killing someone one has to suffer severely at a spiritual level in this lifetime or the next. But what if an entity or a ghost acted through a person? And by possessing the person, the ghost made the person commit heinous crimes like serial killing and mass murder. Is the possessed person still responsible as per the Law of Karma?

The answer is yes. The reason for this is that a ghost gains entry into our consciousness and possesses us due to our own vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities include a high amount of demerits accrued from previous births, incorrect deeds, personality defects such as fear and anger that lead to anxiety and stress, lack of spiritual practice, etc. Even mass murderers or serial killers who are psychologically impaired incur demerits for their crime. The reason is that, basically they are psychologically deranged due to some major incorrect action of theirs either in this or some past birth. That is why they are still accountable for their crimes even though they may not be fully aware of their actions when committing the crime.

However the extent of demerits incurred is less than if they were to do the act without being possessed or psychologically deranged as compared to an average person in his senses and in full consciousness committing the same crimes.

The following chart gives the relative difference.

Mass murderers like Hitler would be earning demerits exponentially more than 100 on the above relative scale.

3. In summary

Spiritual root causes of problems can only be completely rectified through spiritual means. Regular spiritual practice as per the 6 basic principles of spiritual practice is the only sure way of preventing a ghost possessing us. Spiritual practice is also the only sure way of being protected from the onslaught of mass murderers and serial killers.