by minimus 42 Replies latest jw friends
Interesting letter, reply, and snippet from the WT article.
Gotta love the weasel wording "spiritually mature Christians choose not keep a firearm" - rather than coming right and saying "you, Brother Gunsmith, are a spiritually immature dolt".
Just like when people say "any reasonable and intelligent person would agree that...[insert personal opinion here]" which implies that anyone and everyone who holds a different opinion than yours is a stubborn buffoon.
@joey: what self defense instructor would tell you to give an intruder what they want and hope they go away? At that point they’re already too close to you.
Guess what: they’ll shoot you or beat you after you give them what they want because you are a witness.
On the street, you have to be aware of your surroundings. Be aware of how gangs operate. They’ll almost never confront you head on, they’ll walk past you and yell at you when your back is to them. That’s because they know head-on you could surprise them, but coming from the back you’d have to turn around. If it’s one you could defend yourself with a knife or gun, with three or more, you have to take an opportunity after you give them your stuff and their hands are full and their guard is down but before they beat you into a pulp.
Any conversation about the validity of the Org's "spiritual" arguments against firearms and self-defense are academic, IMO...
...the WTS "discourages" that sort of thing simply because victims are more useful than victors.
Interesting fact, BTW...
...polled American JWs' (i.e. the Org's) positions on firearms/self defense (and affordable/universal healthcare) are just about the only things they differ on when compared to the Christian Right.
Everything else ticks all the same boxes.
I don't own a gun so if there was any serious trouble in my own home, I could use a knife.
Criminals love to engage with victims who bring knives to gun fights. But to each their own.
Anony Mous
@joey: what self defense instructor would tell you to give an intruder what they want and hope they go away? At that point they’re already too close to you.
Guess what: they’ll shoot you or beat you after you give them what they want because you are a witness.
I've mentioned before that Ive studied martial arts for 20 years, not just traditional mixed martial arts styles but also street style self defence, including training with guns, knives, blunt weapons, multiple attackers, improvised weapons, car-jackings etc.
There are generally 2 types of attackers- process predators and resource predators. Resource predators want what you have, money, phone, car, whatever. They just want to buy drugs or food, or make money selling your car to a chop shop. Give it to them and they will generally go away. Its not worth risking your life, or the life of your loved ones over a few bucks in your wallet. Could it escalate to become more dangerous ? Of course it could.
Process predators have something in their mind they want to act on, like a compulsion they have fantasised about.
This is general information and no 2 situations will be the same. Nothing is guaranteed so you have to go with your gut if you find yourself in a bad situation. Some people I know carry a second wallet and a second set of car keys to give to an attacker, if they are mugged. There are also improvised weapons we carry around with us that most people aren't aware of , or how to use them properly, should you need to defend yourself physically.
To answer your question anonymous, can you imagine a self defence instructor that tells his students that they should fight to the death in every situation, no matter what the threat level?
I think I know enough vulnerable points of the human body to make my point clear to any intruder, eyes, throat,groin,knees,elbows,standing on their both feet and leaning forward with your elbow across his/her throat etc,etc.
Maybe i`ve been watching too many violent movies.
100% of criminals agree: They can't continue to commit crimes after you've put 2 into their chest, and 1 into their head.
The End.
Self defense for all!
Public Service Announcement: You DO NOT have to take your shirt off to fight!
When my husband was young, there was a running dispute with the guys one neighborhood over.
They ran around wearing white "wife beaters" threatening, " Don't MAKE ME take my shirt off!"
Of course that was too good to pass up, so, he ran his mouth until the other guy went ahead and pulled his shirt over his head, and Bam! one kick to the groin and one punch to the jaw and the guy was down.
Hubby got away with one parting shot, "Silly rabbit, you don't have to take your shirt off to fight!"
So, what is up with that? Do people the world over take their shirts off to fight or was that just a local peculiarity ?
I mean, it's pretty stupid. You leave yourself blind there when your shirt's over your head. . .
