Quote:
Originally Posted by The_Dunedan
Why should there be spiritual consequences for self-defense? Nowhere in the Bible, either Old or New Testament, does it say not to act in self-defense. Nowhere does it say not to kill. What it says is not to -murder-, which is not the same thing. Killing in defense of self or another is a widely accepted and endorsed practice in many parts of the Bible: if it wasn't, the Brothers Macabbees got -royally- screwed!
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I think it's a combination of a religious/spiritual and individual matter. There are also unique conditions and consequences to consider. All of this will have their variances in how we look at the ultimate consequences.
As an example, and a contrast to some of the Christian doctrine, in the Buddhist tradition, the taking of a life will build karma. I've read stories of Buddhist monks who have been forced to take up arms for one reason or another. The experience was very trying for them spiritually.
They spend their lives working towards achieving strong compassion for all living things, and here they are shooting a gun at someone. But the way to look at it in this respect is that one would build even more karma if they hadn't taken up arms and let those closest to them suffer pain, death, and oppression if there was, indeed, the means and the will to stop it. It's a matter of choice, and then dealing with the consequences. In many cases, it's a matter of choosing the path that leads to the lowest accumulation of karma.
In many ways, the spiritual consequences are tied strongly to the psychological consequences.