"Unfortunately, it happens that the need to render the aggressor incapable of causing harm sometimes involves taking his life. In this case, the fatal outcome is attributable to the aggressor whose actions brought it about, even though he may not be morally responsible because of a lack of the use of reason."
- Pope John Paul II, (1995)
I do sometimes discuss guns and self defense with people who are religious. Sometimes these folks get hung up on the concept that it is immoral to take a life, even in self-defense. Hypocritically of course, these same people think nothing of calling a man with a gun, expecting him to risk his life and perform that moral wrong on their behalf.
It is also my personal belief that if you truly believe in such a concept you probably shouldn't own a gun for self-defense. At least I can't see how one would reconcile a fervently held belief that taking life in self-defense is wrong with the desire to own a gun for home defense. After all, if you truly believed that enough to actually abide by it in practice then such a belief would negate the entire reason for keeping a gun for home / self-defense.
I suspect that, if the situation warranted it and a gun was avaliable, "belief" would go out the window and many of these folks would pick up the gun and use it in self-defense. I suppose that would depend on social conditioning and whether or not that belief had such a hold on them that it overrode their basic instincts.
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5 comments:
I believe there is a time and place for martyrs--but it is not at the hands of a criminal. Where it is in this day and age, I'm not sure, and I hope that I never have to find out.
Well said. And accurate.
Cheers.
IMHO the time and place issue right now in Afghanistan and Iraq. Look at all the Christians being martyred there, specifically for their faith.
To put it in context, JPII was speaking specifically about society's need to impose the death penalty. But I still think it applies to self defense as well.
bluesun, I start each day with a prayer that I do not have to use my gun this day. And I end each day in thanksgiving that I did not.
From Heinlien's Lazarus Long Character:
A “pacifist male” is a contradiction in terms. Most self-described “pacifists” are not pacific; they simply assume false colors. When the wind changes, they hoist the Jolly Roger.
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