killing in self defence.

what are your views on killing in self defence as christians?

for example if someone was in a life threatening situation and it's kill or be killed, either kill the eprson trying to kill you or be killed yourself. How do christians see this?

i know that murder is a huge sin but in self-defence how is it viewed?

 

i am aware of Exodus 22:2 which states: ''If in the breaking through, the thief is found, and he hath been smitten, and hath died, there is no blood for him; 3if the sun hath risen upon him, blood [is] for him, he doth certainly repay; if he have nothing, then he hath been sold for his theft;''

 

I have no real interest in taking someones life. if I can prevent it, then I will.. however, Id like them to live a long long time disfigured..
aint that right 1/2 a ear?..

 

Not defending yourself could be considered suicide which is such a big sin you can't be buryed in holy ground.

 

me neither, if someone wanted to kill me i'd rather we both lived.
but if a situation arised that i HAD to kill a person so that i can live... so that's what i am asking, what people's views are on this in a christian sense..

by the way what do you mean by 1/2 a ear?

 

I would never want to take ones life at all. I would rather both parties live if at all possible , but if I had to choose between my life & someone elses. I would choose my own & would take out the other persons.Only if that was my only option for survival . I would hate to think I would ever have to kill someone in my lifetime I am so against it.

 

1/2 a ear was a survivor.. never know who's reading my mail..

 

i respect what you have typed and agree but i am looking on a christian view on this issue, i meant quotes from the bible and such to support or un-support with killing in self defence, such as the one i posted a while ago.

but not only quotes from the bible, perhaps qoutes or personal experiences.

i want to learn more about how christians view life and death and when act on self defence.

 

if someone ever pulled a gun on me, i would probably shoot them in the heart.

but as far as the gospel goes...

those who live by the sword die by the sword.

it isn't permissable to defend yourself at all. even in a life or death situation. jesus faced a situation where he was being murdered and he layed down his life.

but you can however, defend other people.

 

How? Be not afraid of those that can kill the body. Defense is only required for a threat.

 

i just remember having a conversation about this once and somehow we agreed that its ok to defend other people. lol. like if someone walked into our house and started killing people.

i'll see if i can remember.

edit-

proverbs 31: 8-9

psalms 82: 3

not sure if that quite proves it though.

when the apostles went to india they stood before the king there and he just cut their heads off and they all just stood there and died.

it is considered an honor and a privelege, to die for christ.

 

most southern fried christians around here own an arsenal and hope they have to use it.

 

i agree on this and i agree partly on your other post.

i agree defending others from harm is a right thing to do, in all religions and even to those that don't follow a religion.

what i don't agree on with your other post is when you said Jesus not defending himself against murder, i believe that Jesus was a vessel for god, a human chosen by God to ''posses'' so that God can teach the world, God had to sacrifice his human form so that sin could be forgiven, God knew that his human form was going to be crucified and he was planning on it, as he had to sacrifice his human form, a part of God, so that humans can enter heaven. (I know this is not the point of this thread but am just saying i don't think it was murder, it was a sacrifice)

 

Got the sense cooked out of them in the frying process.

 

hmmm looking for an excuse to harm someone does not sound good...

 

Good answer to the question. I would point out that those are things you do for somebody, not to somebody and none of them say anything about killing.

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I imagine so, without a head.

Never crossed my mind, only to live with him.

 

ok, then when stephen was murdered in acts rather than defend himself rather he said "Lord, do not charge them with this sin."

as did many of the other early christians who were murdered. they didn't defend themselves.

the reason i brought up the point about jesus is because his life can be a good analogy of how we should live. so in that circumstance rather than defend himself, he delivered himself up to his oppressors.

for in doing so, you will heap burning coals upon their heads.

 

As an aside then. To sacrifice is to give up something you prefer to keep. Giving his life is a more accurate description given the scenario you describe.
When you give something it is because you want someone to have it.

 

Because they did not fear death. Fearing death is fearing God, because when we die we meet God. Saying that... i don't mean you should kill or die on purpose to meet God as it's not the right way to do it...

Steven also taught the art of forgiveness, which is God.

I would like you to show me the part in the bible about stephen, as i have not studied it.

 

acts 6:8 - acts 7:60

it gets pretty long when stephen starts speaking to the council so the key points that are relevent here are summarised best in acts 6:8 - 15 and acts 7:54-60