What's your view on Self-Defense?

[OneLight]

1 hour ago, missmuffet said:

Call 911. That is the safest way to handle it. 

Not everyone has a cell phone nor is a crime always committed where cell services is available for those who do.  What then?

[debrakay]

5 hours ago, Josheb said:

If you are not there you cannot get hurt. 

I understand the reasoning behind this statement.  Don't get into a fight and avoid conflicts if at all possible. I live close to Portland Oregon and I will not go any where near the rioting that has been going on for over a year in downtown Portland.  I stay away from all drama and violence any way I can. 

I raised my children to turn and walk away from the bully.   But there are times when we have no idea what is going to happen and then have to react accordingly.  We can do everything we can to protect ourselves and our family members but we cannot predict what happens in many circumstances.  People have died by murder in theaters, in grocery stores, in Post Offices, in every day office settings, in schools, in church, on planes, on trains, in vehicles, you get my drift.  The lion kills it's prey for food or protection but the murderer just kills. I believe humans are the only species on the planet that murder without a reason.

For me, in many circumstances, there is a difference between killing and murdering.  A police officer and a soldier may have to kill someone during the course of doing their job but they do not intentionally set out to murder that person.  Any human that has the sole intension of killing people is a murderer.  The person who kills the person who is murdering others is not a murderer even though they have killed. 

We need to be thankful for a very compassionate God who knows everything about each situation and will apply the necessary judgement at the appropriate time.

[Starise]

I think the Bible is clear that violence against our fellow man is a last resort. IOW we aren't sitting waiting for a reason to pull the trigger. It's the very LAST thing we do when there are no other options.

Proverbs 3:3

30 Strive not with a man without cause,(emphasis mine)

If he have done thee no harm.

I think some people go around looking for reasons to use something they view as a weapon or a power. Call them "trigger happy". 

If viewing Proverbs verse 30 from an opposite polarity we can see there are causes or reasons for striving where self defense might be necessary either for you or for your family. The real meaning of the verse is simply don't be an instigator. Don't go picking a fight. Don't be a bully, and don't misuse a responsibility just because you have it and you can. The most important element of this verse though is to RESPECT and LOVE our brothers and even our ENEMIES.

IF I am somehow forced to use what I have at my disposal because there are no other options, and God allows it, then that's what I'll do. If you are moving around in my home at night in the dark I'm going to assume you could do me or my family harm or might even be intending to do so. If you don't want to risk getting hurt or killed don't come into my home uninvited..

I stay out of the city as much as I can. Occasionally I go into the city to play and I'm carrying an expensive instrument with me. I mainly go in the day time. Don't think I haven't thought about what could happen. I'm in a parking garage only a few blocks away from a bunch of heroin addicts. I have never had a problem....yet.

 

[Alive]

21 hours ago, Josheb said:

My very first martial arts lesson (age 15) went like this: 

 

We were kneeling in rows awaiting the instructor. It was supposed to be 45 minute-long class. The instructor came out and said, "This is your first lesson and it is very, very important so I want everyone's attention." He paused for an extended moment of silence while everyone looked at him and then he said, 

 

If you are not there you cannot get hurt. 

 

And then he said, "Class dismissed," and left the room. We sat there for another fifteens minutes wondering if he was serious before another instructor came out as told us to go home. 

Never forgot the lesson. I'm 62. 

 

 

That does not change the fact: If you come into my home uninvited.... I don't walk away from my own family in my own home. I hurt you before you hurt me and if I have the opportunity I will hurt you so severely you'll never hurt anyone else ever. 

One rule does not fit all occasions. 

Yup---I get this.

I have a rule of the road and over time it has extended to off-road.

Rule #1 Avoid Clusters and I do unless the Lord has other ideas or I get foolish, which I do on occasion.

:-)

I have thought about this a fair amount over the years. I have never been a soldier and since being a teenager have avoided violence. There is a part of my human make up that wants to protect the weak, but thankfully God has shielded me from encounters. I would say this is a miracle.

The thought of harming or ending a human life makes me ill. Very much so. I've concluded that I may do so to protect another such as family and friends and let the Lord sort it out later, but I am less sure that I would do so only for myself. I think most of us don't know until we do know.

I have been a gun user all of my life and do carry. In recent years, it is so that I might stop a nut job in a public place who intends on or has begun to harm and kill innocents. Because I know that the end of this life is not the end---its in God's hands to sort it out. I feel the same way about capital punishment.

I think that turning the other cheek does not cover the kind of violence in this discussion.

One more point for clarity: Christ in me loves people and there is compassion within for the worst of sinners, as I was one, but I think that in the public environment of men, killing violence on the innocent forfeits the right to live therein.

We currently live in an imperfect world and the Kingdom of God is not 'of' this world.

[Desopixi Seilynam]

As followers of Christ we are to hold Christ in the highest regard.

Christ said:

"You have heard that it was said, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,
But I say unto you that you resist not an evil person,
but whoever will strike you on thy right cheek,
turn to him the other also." Matthew 5:38-39

"love your enemies, do good to them that hate you" Luke 6:27

With Christ as our foundation
[Matthew 7:24-28, John 14:21-24, 1 Corinthians 16:22, 1 Timothy 6:3-4]

We understand that we should plan to love and give, not plan to kill.

It's 80% likely that anyone who would
want to harm us would be doing so in the hopes of getting money/valuables.
And so we have some money set aside specifically for that, that is our 'gun'.
Surely if they want any property, they can have it,
that is what Christ said to do, let them have it. Matthew 5:42
We trust Christ that as we keep His word, nothing will happen
that He does not want to happen in our lives.

 

[Guest kingdombrat]

On 4/23/2021 at 2:24 PM, ArmsOpenWide said:

I'm looking for your scripturally backed opinions on whether the Bible condones self-defense (especially use of deadly force in self-defense or defense of one's family)

There are some who say the Bible would support defending oneself against, say, an invader or somebody trying to kill you. Others would say that no, we should never use violence to defend ourselves because God is our defense.

What's your take? I'm also looking for scriptures that support different points of view.

To flow and move fluidly like [water], you must live/eat/breathe your training until you become one with it.   Your mental focus/awareness should automatically become attached with your movement.

A few lessons here and there have never resulted into a lifestyle.

A [true] Student of [self defense] cannot be a Student of God simultaneously!

 

 

General Protection,

If your local Government states [if someone enters your premises unannounced while committing breaking/entry, and you believe you're in harms way, you "are PERMITTED" to protect your Family/Self at all cost.   Then you're obeying your local Governments Rules.   And God claims He set up the local Government for humanities purpose.   He also said, Give unto Caesar what's his and to God what is his.

 

The [Answer] you seek would be "YES," it is OK to protect your Family/Self!

[Riverwalker]

Jesus told his own disciples to carry swords for protection because it is an evil world. And evil people will do things to you.  It is my considered duty that if someone comes after me or mine to do harm, I will stop them with whatever force necessary. 

Luke 22:

36 Then He said to them, “But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one. 37 For I say to you that this which is written must still be [e]accomplished in Me: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’ For the things concerning Me have an end.”

38 So they said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.”

And He said to them, “It is enough.”

Average 911 response time 15-30 minutes. Average Sig Saur response time, 0.25 seconds

I don't mean to be callous, and I hope I never will have to be put in that position, but if forced I will defend my family.

 

[missmuffet]

17 hours ago, OneLight said:

Not everyone has a cell phone nor is a crime always committed where cell services is available for those who do.  What then?

I am sure someone around always has a cell phone. That is a big " what if". 

[Alive]

Yup...rack a pump and it’s unmistakable.

[walla299]

2 hours ago, Alive said:

Yup...rack a pump and it’s unmistakable.

Yep. I had someone pounding on my door a day or two after I moved in to my apartment here years ago. He was carrying on talking about how he was going to kill everyone in the apartment, etc. Didn't say a word. Just stood behind the door and jacked a round into the chamber. Suddenly it got really quiet outside because the drugged up dude left. Didn't have to shoot anyone, which is a plus in my book.

Found out later he was some psycho druggie that had been in jail when his girlfriend got evicted.