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J
I would say "yes" although I would be more comfortable about it in a scenario where you see someone else's life in danger, not so much your own. I haven't thought too hard on the subject.
Self defense resulting in the death of the attacker is mentioned in old covenant Israel where(if memory serves) if a thief broke into their house and they killed him there was to be no repercussions against them for defending themselves or their family.
Self defense resulting in the death of the attacker is mentioned in old covenant Israel where(if memory serves) if a thief broke into their house and they killed him there was to be no repercussions against them for defending themselves or their family.
J
Unfortunately in Canada we certainly would receive repercussions in the break and enter scenario if an attacker was killed in our house. I'm not sure what the penalty is exactly but it involves prison time. They expect us to call the police and wait no matter what is happening. Unjust, but it is what it is. I'm not sure what side of the fence a situation like that would fall on; either do what may/may not be right in defending yourself or the lives of your family, or obey gov't laws as we are commanded to do(unless they directly contradict the commands of Jesus). I'm just not sure of the right course of action. And God willing, none of us will have to face that choice but you never know.
B
Massachusetts has similar laws in the 1970's and not sure what it is today. IMHO, I believe a good guard dog will deter a house break. We all remember the 3 female family members that were murdered by two deranged killers in Connecticut. And 2 huge rottweillers or german shepherd dogs probably would have saved their lives.
When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace:
But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.
(Luke 11:21-22)
Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.
(Psalm 20:7)
may we never have occasion to put earthly defenses to the test
But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.
(Luke 11:21-22)
Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.
(Psalm 20:7)
may we never have occasion to put earthly defenses to the test
D
In the U.S., everyone has the right to use one for self-defense, and I would never support that right being taken away from a legal perspective.....it's a personal choice I don't have a right to judge others on. I only own them as a deterrent though, if push came to shove....I wouldn't actually shoot anyone. My neighbors are also armed and it's a nice piece of mind to have. However, how can one believe this.
Matthew 5:39
"[SUP]39 [/SUP]But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also."
and still say it's ok to shoot someone, if only in self-defense. You either believe that verse or you don't IMO. If anyone can show me why that's not a biblical stance, I'd gladly change my mind if scripture is provided to back the opposing viewpoint up.
Matthew 5:39
"[SUP]39 [/SUP]But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also."
and still say it's ok to shoot someone, if only in self-defense. You either believe that verse or you don't IMO. If anyone can show me why that's not a biblical stance, I'd gladly change my mind if scripture is provided to back the opposing viewpoint up.
B
In some scenarios having a gun can backfire if the person use bad judgment or not trained to use a gun in the correct situation. That's why Florida has the wild wild west mentality. And I live in Colorado where concealed handguns are allowed with a permit and extensive training. Here in Colorado, if one use a concealed weapon carelessly and kills someone, he or she can be charged from 1st degree murder to involuntary manslaughter. And in civil court , they can be sued. I have to say that I thought it would be the Wild Wild West here, but it has gone extremely well unlikely Florida. I believe that there maybe one or two cases where the concealed gunowners were careless and charged in nearly 2 decades here. At first I was totally against it ... but now I am in favor of carrying a concealed handgun. The law works here because it provides protection for both sides: the general public and the concealed weapon owners. Florida's laws are the complete opposite which give the gunowner the right to shoot anyone who makes them mad ... then law enforcement has to sort the mess out to decide if it was lawful. WHAT A MESS!!!
I
You'd have to check your country law first!! 
My own personal opinion is No. I don't think it's right to take someone's life for whatever reason. I mean even recently executions of criminals is no longer allowed by law in some countries. What if this person ever changed and became God's follower, then we didn't give that person's the chance to get to that point. Plus under any circumstances, we don't own these lives, then it's a sin to terminate it. God is the only one who decides when to terminates ones life...
My own personal opinion is No. I don't think it's right to take someone's life for whatever reason. I mean even recently executions of criminals is no longer allowed by law in some countries. What if this person ever changed and became God's follower, then we didn't give that person's the chance to get to that point. Plus under any circumstances, we don't own these lives, then it's a sin to terminate it. God is the only one who decides when to terminates ones life...
D
Problem with our modern translations is they really do a poor job of conveying what the originals actually meant. The language of the time. Idioms.
Self-defense?
The backdrop to this teaching is that the Jews considered it an insult to be hit in the face, much in the same way that we would interpret someone spitting in our face. Bible scholar R. C. Sproul comments: "What's interesting in the expression is that Jesus specifically mentions the right side of the face [Matthew 5:39]....If I hit you on your right cheek, the most normal way would be if I did it with the back of my right hand....To the best of our knowledge of the Hebrew language, that expression is a Jewish idiom that describes an insult, similar to the way challenges to duels in the days of King Arthur were made by a backhand slap to the right cheek of your opponent."
Prior to His crucifixion, Jesus revealed to His disciples the future hostility they would face and encouraged them to sell their outer garments in order to buy a sword (Luke 22:36-38; cf. 2 Corinthians 11:26-27). Here the "sword" (Greek: maxairan) is a dagger or short sword that belonged to the Jewish traveler's equipment as protection against robbers and wild animals. A plain reading of the passage indicates that Jesus approved of self-defense.
Self-defense may actually result in one of the greatest examples of human love. Christ Himself said, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:14). When protecting one's family or neighbor, a Christian is unselfishly risking his or her life for the sake of others.
Theologians J. P. Moreland and Norman Geisler say that "to permit murder when one could have prevented it is morally wrong. To allow a rape when one could have hindered it is an evil. To watch an act of cruelty to children without trying to intervene is morally inexcusable. In brief, not resisting evil is an evil of omission, and an evil of omission can be just as evil as an evil of commission. Any man who refuses to protect his wife and children against a violent intruder fails them morally."
Self-defense?
The backdrop to this teaching is that the Jews considered it an insult to be hit in the face, much in the same way that we would interpret someone spitting in our face. Bible scholar R. C. Sproul comments: "What's interesting in the expression is that Jesus specifically mentions the right side of the face [Matthew 5:39]....If I hit you on your right cheek, the most normal way would be if I did it with the back of my right hand....To the best of our knowledge of the Hebrew language, that expression is a Jewish idiom that describes an insult, similar to the way challenges to duels in the days of King Arthur were made by a backhand slap to the right cheek of your opponent."
Prior to His crucifixion, Jesus revealed to His disciples the future hostility they would face and encouraged them to sell their outer garments in order to buy a sword (Luke 22:36-38; cf. 2 Corinthians 11:26-27). Here the "sword" (Greek: maxairan) is a dagger or short sword that belonged to the Jewish traveler's equipment as protection against robbers and wild animals. A plain reading of the passage indicates that Jesus approved of self-defense.
Self-defense may actually result in one of the greatest examples of human love. Christ Himself said, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:14). When protecting one's family or neighbor, a Christian is unselfishly risking his or her life for the sake of others.
Theologians J. P. Moreland and Norman Geisler say that "to permit murder when one could have prevented it is morally wrong. To allow a rape when one could have hindered it is an evil. To watch an act of cruelty to children without trying to intervene is morally inexcusable. In brief, not resisting evil is an evil of omission, and an evil of omission can be just as evil as an evil of commission. Any man who refuses to protect his wife and children against a violent intruder fails them morally."
It's pretty simple, all of these firearms threads are about conflating American cultural imperialism with Christianity. If you respond at all to them then that simply validates their position as something worth listen to.
Matt 7:6 ¶ Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
Matt 7:6 ¶ Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
Several years ago, my husband was gone on a fishing trip with his friends. I was home alone with my 80 lb yellow lab for several days.
One night, I heard a noise at one of my windows. When I pulled the shades back, there was a man trying to break in. I slammed the shades shut and yelled to the man that I had a gun and I was calling the police. He yelled something back at me but, I will never know what it was.
As soon as he started to yell, my dog went ballistic. Seriously, my sweet lab turned into Cujo or something like that. Needless to say, the man was long gone by the time the police arrived (and they were there in less than 2 minutes). My dad actually did a "stake-out" of my house several different nights and that guy never came back. (Yeah, I know it sounds crazy--I will always be daddy's little girl) Even though I had a gun, I did not need it at all.
The ironic thing was that my husband had planned to take our dog with him but, our dog was acting up when it was time to leave so my husband left him home with me. I believe now that God was watching out for me even then, He did not want me to shoot someone in self-defense.
I pray that the man that tried to break into my house has found Jesus by now. Hopefully, my dog scared him enough to realize he needed to change his ways
One night, I heard a noise at one of my windows. When I pulled the shades back, there was a man trying to break in. I slammed the shades shut and yelled to the man that I had a gun and I was calling the police. He yelled something back at me but, I will never know what it was.
As soon as he started to yell, my dog went ballistic. Seriously, my sweet lab turned into Cujo or something like that. Needless to say, the man was long gone by the time the police arrived (and they were there in less than 2 minutes). My dad actually did a "stake-out" of my house several different nights and that guy never came back. (Yeah, I know it sounds crazy--I will always be daddy's little girl) Even though I had a gun, I did not need it at all.
The ironic thing was that my husband had planned to take our dog with him but, our dog was acting up when it was time to leave so my husband left him home with me. I believe now that God was watching out for me even then, He did not want me to shoot someone in self-defense.
I pray that the man that tried to break into my house has found Jesus by now. Hopefully, my dog scared him enough to realize he needed to change his ways
Violence, as it is (a sin) cannot be prevented. Just see many armies and nuke -everywhere- and the animosity is not reduced when some people progress or give their best to live their life. Real loosers react insulting and evenhurting those things some people like or posses (even to the point of burning their country flags). Why do I have to agree on the violence? To allow people hit one cheek and the other? (the Christian rule we have learned, before reacting and defend life, mopre than property and earthly things.
I have seen violence, just beyond my limits and GOD shown me what would happen -by dreams- and He warned me then I also lost the national identity I have, as Venezuelan (a thing I thought it was mine, but I am happy that is not the citizenship I have to seek). But I have seen our fight is not against people alone, but against principalities and powers of Satan and, the only thing that stopped me to react is GOD´s advice, his letting me know before it happened but, just see Mexico and Colombia. Paramilitars were needed to stop some "violence" the army, those soldiers, are useless to prevent the real violence people live because the corrupt police and some goverments allow, beyond measures. I´m shocked by the news I heard about Mexico. Regularizar autodefensa de M
I have seen violence, just beyond my limits and GOD shown me what would happen -by dreams- and He warned me then I also lost the national identity I have, as Venezuelan (a thing I thought it was mine, but I am happy that is not the citizenship I have to seek). But I have seen our fight is not against people alone, but against principalities and powers of Satan and, the only thing that stopped me to react is GOD´s advice, his letting me know before it happened but, just see Mexico and Colombia. Paramilitars were needed to stop some "violence" the army, those soldiers, are useless to prevent the real violence people live because the corrupt police and some goverments allow, beyond measures. I´m shocked by the news I heard about Mexico. Regularizar autodefensa de M