Similar question--what about killing in self-defense?

[lynnehelen]

I asked my Project Rachel counselor, what do you do if someone’s coming at you with a knife? Just pray? She said, “Use your smarts!” Jesus would know what to do. A woman with an abusive husband…it helped to fantasize at a very bad stage of the progress of the divorce about murdering him in self-defense, and where that would lead, whether I would go to jail, et cetera.

Then he had the head injury, and I was even more scared, but now he is so frail…

He says he still wants the divorce, and I agree that we should separate. He continues to harbor violence in his mind, I sensed him struggling with demons last night, and comforted him as the morning light came up, but I don’t really know him any more, and I was very afraid of him during the night.

OBVIOUSLY, I am no saint, and OF COURSE I have been praying to St. Rita, maybe I should do so more carefully and deliberately. You see, now, of course, I am thinking I loved him despite the abuse, I was just never sure, and how I will miss what was so good in him, as it seems to be just, gone…

accidentally posted this under prayer intentions where I usually go, so now it is in both places…

 

[jimmy]

Everyone has the right to defend themself when attacked, even if it means killing the attacker. If a man attacks you, you have the right to use whatever force is necessary to end his attack.