Quote Originally Posted by jamstigator
Well, *you* say we have a God-given right to defend ourselves, but that isn't what Jesus taught.

Here are some examples:

"But I say to you, Offer the wicked man no resistance. If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; if a man takes you to law and would have your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone orders you to go one mile, go two miles with him."

No self-defense there. It's pretty clear what he's saying: if people hurt you, allow it. You can also go to the 10 Commandments: "thou shalt not kill". There are no exceptions; it doesn't say "thou shalt not kill unless someone is trying to kill you" or anything like that.

More from Jesus:

""Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who treat you badly."

"You know the commandments: you must not kill..."

"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you."

So, while you may think you have a God-given right to self-defense, Jesus would not agree with you. That puts you in a disagreement with the Son of God, and I'm pretty sure He wins all those arguments. This means that you aren't *really* Christian, as I am not, because while I don't think God gave me the right to self-defense, I assert that right for myself, despite the fact that it is the antithesis of what Jesus taught.

There are many more examples of Jesus' pacifism of course.
my freind I do not know why you are hung up on this, but I tell you the truth, we have a right to defend those who can not defend them selfs, if you saw a man hurting a child would you try
to stop the man, or would you let the man kill the small child. by stoping the man you are doing good not wrong. in the old testment
many men of God like King david went out and killed the enemy of God at God command, so that Gods people would rule. if you dont belive me read it your self.now is it the Lords will that we should fight are kill each other? no of course not, but we live in a fallen world. when Jesus was talking about turning the other check, He was talking about if some one wrongs you do not try also to hurt them, but to forgive them, He was not talking about self defence, or are right to defend are selfs aganst evil, for the new testment surly teaches that we are to stand aganst all form of evil. And as far as me being a christian Iam, and it is not right for you to judge
for it is written " Do not judge, or you to will be judged. and that is all that needs to be said on this subject. If you are concerend about the things that Jesus said, then be concerend about your own soul, are you Born again? cause Jesus said " no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again"