Would Jesus ever say “stand your ground?”
- When it’s just property which is at stake?
- When there is a way to retreat?
- If there are other options?
I have a tough time believing so.
(Please note: I am not writing this in response to the Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman case. The law was not used in the case and does not apply. When people comment otherwise, please remind them of this note.)
I’m not aware of anyone who would debate a person’s right to self defense. When Jesus says turn the other cheek, I don’t believe he is calling us to be doormats which allow any common criminal to take our lives without a fight.
If my life or the life of my family or anyone is at risk, I believe I have the right and responsibility to defend myself and others.
Yet the Stand Your Ground Laws which are present in many states within the United States are not about self defense. Many of the laws, like Florida’s law allow a person to use deadly force if they are threatened without having to make an effort to retreat.
“Without having to make an effort to retreat” is the key phrase.
Do I have a right to take someone’s life without making any effort to end the altercation in another way.
The law says yes; my faith says no.
In the Christian faith, life is unique. Because we are created in the image of God, human life has a dignity and protection unlike any other. While there are exceptions where life can be taken—when one’s life is threatened, in an act of war, as an agent of the state carrying out justice—the exceptions are rare and great lengths must be taken to protect human life.
This is why we must be careful in how we carry out the death penalty. This is why we must not allow abortion to be left to an individual choice. This is why many of the Stand Your Ground Laws must be revisited.
My property does not have more value than your life—even if you are making foolish decisions.
If I have a reasonable opportunity to retreat, I must take it.
Lethal force should not be used except as an option of last resort.
The problem with the Stand Your Ground Laws is that they remove the need for someone to make every effort to avoid using lethal force. They make lethal force a first option instead of the last one.
While the law allows it, I cannot reconcile the law with God’s creative order.
Human life must be protected with every effort.
- I must sacrifice my property to protect human life.
- I must take responsibility to protect others even when another has foolishly put their life at risk.
- I must save them even if they would harm me.
If I have a way to avoid the conflict, I must take it.
The Stand Your Ground laws have a good intention. They want to empower the average law-abiding citizen. The intention is good, but the outcome is bad.
- It values property over life.
- It promotes lethal force above peaceful action.
- It encourages selfishness over sacrifice.
This might be okay for the laws of the state, but it should not be the governing principle of people of faith.
We must make every effort to protect life. Lethal force must be an option of last resort.
When you have a choice, don’t stand your ground. Retreat. Use the legal system. Hold criminals accountable, but do not take their life when their lives can be saved.
I agree with most of what you said . The problem is if we have laws that say we have to retreat , that is also dangerous in that it puts the burden of proof more on us and makes it easier for the government to prove you guilty . The other way (stand your ground) takes the power away from the government . Yes one way (stand your ground) can be abused , also the other way (having to retreat) Can And has been proven to be abused by the government . Dammed if we do and Dammed if we don’t ! So that being said i would rather have stand your ground laws , the government has had the odds stacked in their favor for to long. And good for you Kevin way to be clear as to what side you are on and not sound like Confucius .
I guess you can say you stood your ground , lol
It’s a good point about the burden being on the innocent. It’s almost like the law needs to be one thing but a Christian should always act the other.
Like i said i agree with most of what you said . And if i were in a situation where stand your ground was in place , being a Christian i would exercise all options before taking a life , even retreating . I just prefer the stand your ground law be there as opposed to it not being there . And i would pray all would seek all options and not be trigger happy before taking a life.Again would rather SRG be in place than it not be in place.
This is not necessarily how I believe, rather I am postulating a scenario that says I understand how things have gotten this far… SUBJECT: Stand Your Ground law… I believe are written and enacted out of frustration. People are sick and tired of having to turn and run away when some thug accosts them. Laws today are written to protect the accused. So much so that honest law abiding citizens are placed in a position where they must always retreat, even when they don’t want to. Why should I, when walking down the street or standing in my front yard, minding my own business DO I have to run from a bully. That, in my opinion is what has made bullies so brazen and bold, they know that nothing will happen to them. If they threaten me, there is nothing I can do until they actually hurt me or kill me and people have grown weary of that. So in response to those types of scenarios we have seen a shift in the law that says in fact, if I encounter a bully and that bully accosts me, I don’t have to turn and run, hoping I can get away from him before he hurts me. Stand Your Ground laws say that’s not right, I don’t have to run and when I stand my ground, if that bully’s threats rise to the level that I am in fear of sustaining grievous bodily harm or death, I have a right to use deadly force to defend myself from that threat. So, I ask you, what’s wrong with that? That’s not murder, that’s self defense. I shouldn’t have to forfeit my freedom and my right to walk or stand in peace, minding my own business because some thug has designs on me to push me around or hurt me or even kill me. I think if that’s what they do and that’s the habit they have gotten into, then they should be on notice that if they put me in fear of my life I have a right to defend myself even to the extent of ending the threat by ending their life. So I ask you, is that where we have come and isn’t that okay?
With even this Stand Your Ground law, I feel like I have to ask myself what was Jesus’ response? There were times when he was struck, and he offered the other cheek, right. There were times when surrounded by crowds of people who wanted to do him harm and even take his life, that he walked away, he even left town. He knew that he and his Father in Heaven had the power to call legions of angels to his defense, to totally wipe his enemy off the face of the earth and “un-create” them. He had that faith. Are we also to have that same faith? Faith that if no harm were to come to me or my loved ones that no harm would, that God would protect us. But also faith that says if this is how I am to die, that God will receive glory from my death, as with missionary’s in South America killed by headhunters only to have their whole village come to know Christ as their personal savior. My point being, as a Christian, I am to live a fearless life, a life of total abandonment. I hear people talk of “my right to protect myself or my family”? Really? Is it my “right” to protect my family, or am I to have faith that God’s will, will be done. I don’t think I am to subject myself to the “Stand Your Ground” law, because if that law means I am to play God and end another human being’s life so I can stand on the sidewalk I don’t have that right. I believe that I am to act as my Lord Jesus acted and that means I am to turn and walk away. If I am prevented, I am to trust Jesus Christ and pray for guidance as to how I am to respond and what I am supposed to say or do that Christ would be glorified in that moment. If it means I am to be stoned, then like Phillip, I will witness heaven and pray that what others do they will be forgiven of that sin, because they don’t know what it is they are doing. Am I wrong? Is this not supposed to be the way I am to act? Please tell me if I am wrong.
They are all great questions and I don’t have a clear answer on any of them. For instance if someone was threatening to kill me unless I renounced Christ, I think I have a faith obligation to not give in, but if I have a gun in my hand, do I have a right to shoot? Probably. I’m not even sure if the SYG law is wrong, but I do think if we as Christians aren’t careful we can lose sight of the special protection life deserves. It’s tough stuff.
Has anyone ever tried not killing someone in self defense? I can’t imagine God having a problem with me shooting someone in the legs to keep them from doing something that will put my life or theirs in danger. Just call an ambulance after, all in good faith, right?