Self Defense & the Christian

[cottswald]

Oh the madness!

 

[hso]

And with that last predictable rant after 5 pages (that's about as far as civility stretches around here) this one's served it's purpose.

 

[CoRoMo]

Amen and God Bless.

 

[youngda9]

IBTL.

Some interesting reads here, and points of view I must say.

 

[Neverwinter]

What is the point of the thread? Is it a thread where professed Christians can post about how their adherence to a specific translation of a text is reconcilable with gun related self-defense?

I can see parallels between this and the arguments about which people are really pro-2A.

 

[AKPastor]

What's the Point of this Thread?

I had hoped I had been clear about the point in the opening post. I would say the bold text in the quote is perhaps the direction I was intending.

While at a favorite sporting goods store, I was perusing the gun counter. I overheard a patron voicing a personal dilemma. He had been debating the morality of self defense with his son - specifically if conservative Christian morality allowed for SD. He did not use the phrase "conservative Christian", but after listening to him, he was espousing the view that the Bible was the final arbiter of morality as far as he was concerned.

The employee listening to him did not know what to say. I decided to chime in as a conservation Christian pastor who also daily carries for SD.

Before elaborating on our conversation, I was wondering how others of similar faith might talk with this man.

For some interesting reading, I also suggest
http://www.aplacefortruth.org/Jesus.sword.hammond

From that web page, I like the following quotes:

“I am to love my neighbor as myself, in the manner needed, in the midst of the fallen world, at my particular point in history. This is why I am not a pacifist. Pacifism in this poor world in which we live – this lost world – means that we desert the people who need our greatest help . . . I come upon a big burly man beating a tiny tot to death . . . I plead with him to stop. Suppose he refuses? What does love mean now? Love means that I stop him in any way that I can, including hitting him. To me, this is not only necessary for humanitarian reasons; it is loyalty to Christ’s commands concerning Christian love in a fallen world. What about the little girl? If I desert her to the bully, I have deserted the true meaning of Christian love – responsibility to my neighbor.

- Francis Schaeffer

Any man who refuses to protect his wife and children against a violent intruder fails them morally.”

-attributed to Norman Geisler

As a pastor who is an ardent supporter of 2A and of SD - I am interested in how others express the morality of self defense - because I am confident that defense of self and of others is in fact moral.

bold emphasis not in the original

 

[WardenWolf]

At one point, Jesus tells his apostles to sell their cloaks to buy swords, as they lived in dangerous times. This was shortly before he was taken in the Garden of Gethsemane. The purpose is clearly defense. He does not expect us to make ourselves victim to wanton violence. There is a difference between persecution for being a Christian and just suffering random violence. One of the ways we show our faith is through serving and protecting others, and we cannot do that if we don't protect ourselves.

 

[Freedom_fighter_in_IL]

To any that may have been offended by my last post that HSO decided to delete. Please pardon me for having a mind of my own and not believing in fiction based stories from a book written by men. I was under the impression that the OP was welcoming posts from both believers AND non believers. I guess some moderators tend to think that if someones post does not conform to their way of thinking then it is a rant.

 

[cottswald]

And with that last predictable rant after 5 pages (that's about as far as civility stretches around here) this one's served it's purpose.

And yet the beat goes on!

 

[wrs840]

That CrossBreed SuperTucks come with a Celtic/Christian High-Cross stamped into the leather is proof that God loves us and wants us to carry-concealed in a good-quality IWB.

Les

 

[Shimitup]

For the unbelievers that post, be assured that you have the prayers myself and the other believers that the Holy Spirit moves your heart. If for no other reason that this discussion can continue for all eternity!

 

[Neverwinter]

For non-Jaina that would take the life of another, I hope that you come to a deeper understanding of ahimsa. Otherwise you could be in for a very long samsara.