Do we need a temple gaurd?

[Guest]

hopefully these types of weapons will become more widely available and affordable.

i liked the "puke sticks" depicted in the film Minority Report. you poke a perp with that and they immediately get violently ill (and thus incapacitated).

TK

[Guest]

This is just one man's opinion but I don't see anything wrong with defending onself or another from a violent attack. Defense of the innocent is a noble thing and not the same thing as taking vengence on someone. I believe our Lord's instructions were all directed toward vengence and not retaliating for wrongs done to us. If a man attacks me on the street (which has happened) I am going to resist him physically, but just enough to get away. I feel no hate toward the person, but that doesn't mean I won't chunk him through the air in order to run away.

I think we, as Christians, sometimes get too caught up in rules instead of principles. If you defend yourself or another person from a violent assault but without any shred of hatred or malice toward the attacker, I'd think your heart would be right before the Lord.

Another thing to consider here is that it's very difficult to think clearly during a violent attack. I know this first hand, as I'm sure many of you do also. The first reaction is always instinct. If I'm walking down the street minding my own business and a homeless junkie just randomly throws a shot at me, my instincts will kick in and I'll cover my face. I've had people injur their hands trying to punch me because they struck my elbows instead of the soft tissue on my face. In each case, I'd injured someone I had no malice toward. It was just instinct. So it's easy to get caught up in a game of religious rules when many times..... stuff just happens.

[Guest]

Sorry...a little hot under the collar here. The idea that the gunman's life should be as precious to us as his victims is very troubling to me...

Sorry, Seth, I did not mean to upset you ...
I myself was very upset over this mess.

I guess what I meant was that no matter who's blood was spilled on the carpet - it was awful...

As Steve would later write, I too was thinking of my son, who is about the age of the murderer. And I thought of how much pain they must be in this very hour - and how I would not like my son to die - as I am sure they did not want their son to die.

peace,

dane

[Guest]

Somewhere earlier the following idea was more-or-less presented. If the murder were killed, then his death brings an end to his chance to repent. This is a serious consequence, because we can be quite sure that he will not inherit eternal life. On the other hand, if a believer's life is lost, then it is not as serious because the believer will be with the Lord when he dies. Thus, it could be the case that sparing the life of the murder, at risk of the death of believers, is worthwhile.

I would like to question our ability to make such a judgment, consider impact of the following effects upon eternity:

1) If a believer dies, then he has forfeited future opportunities for evangelism. This might bring about a condition in eternity where fewer people are with the Lord.

2) If the murder takes additional lives, even in a church, then he may be taking the lives of some who are not yet 'in Christ'. Thus, the murder takes away their opportunity to forever be with the Lord.

I believe that God gives every man only a finite time to repent (I haven't read much of the eternal torment threads yet). So, I am wondering if it is no tragedy at all that a murders life is ended. We know that God is a just and impartial judge, and that he grants opportunity for all men to repent. In the case of such a murder, God has already given the murder his opportunity to choose good over evil before his own death.

[Guest]

thrombomodulun wrote:

(I haven't read much of the eternal torment threads yet)

better set aside a month or so!

you have raised excellent points in your post. apparently the shooter was aware of the gospel, given that he had applied to a missionary school.

TK

[Guest]

It should also be noted that the killer took his own life in the end. He was fatally wounded by the guard, but chose to finish himself off. So he had a chance to repent then and there and chose not to take it. Unless he gets a chance afterward...

[Guest]

More and more police departments are incorporating non-lethal (or less-lethal) weapons such as pepperball guns, bean-bag guns, tasers, etc., which are designed to incapacitate but not kill. Private citizens can also arm themselves with these types of non-lethal weapons.

It's really something that private citizens can defend themselves in United States.

In Canada, private citizens are not permitted to arm themselves with any type of weapon, let alone hand guns. Those caught doing so will likely be heavily fined or imprisoned.

If a person kills another in self-defence, even within his own home, he himself may be charged with murder. There is no death penalty in Canada. Convicted murderers are often released in a few years, especially if they exhibit "good behaviour" in prison.

Some of you may have followed the story of Robert Picton, believed to have killed at least 60 women. Parts of women's bodies were found on his farm in British Columbia. After the longest trial in Canadian history, he was convicted of second-degree murder. Second degree? Could it be that the murders were not planned?

Picton was sentenced to life imprisonment. However, he is eligible for parole in 25 years.

[Guest]

I was thinking about the souls that will be reconciled to the Father through the believers at the school. If they were to be killed, a great potential of people could potentially not be reached. At least not through them. I know God doesn't need us, but he sure delights in doing his work through us in a relationally manner. Just food for thought.

[Guest]

Picton was sentenced to life imprisonment. However, he is eligible for parole in 25 years.

My uncle was murdered in 1995. The guy who murdered him has been in prison just over 12 years, and his parole was declined. That is for just one murder.

[Guest]

My wife's father was murdered over a land dispute in the Philippines just a week before our wedding. Over there they have something called "blood money" which is where you pay money to the victim's family and charges are not pressed. The authorities just stay out of it in such cases. I'd say this makes Canada look like Guantanamo Bay. It's strange how different cultures view killing.