Responding Appropriately when Attacked
“If you don’t know that our entire civilization is in crisis, I hope you had a nice vacation on the moon” ~ Peter Kreeft
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” (Matthew 5:43-44).
Over a thousand people had gathered at St James church in South Africa on Sunday, July 25, 1993. Outside, the wintry Cape winds whistled through the streets and tore through the trees that lined them. Inside, the voices of God’s people rose as one in praise to their King and Savior.
Suddenly, four young men from the Azanian Peoples’ Liberation Army burst into the meeting firing semi-automatic weapons and lobbing hand grenades with long nails glued on to inflict maximum damage.
The attackers intended to torch the building with petrol bombs to kill all who were inside. Grenades were exploding in flashes of light. Pews shattered under the blasts, sending splinters flying through the air. An automatic assault rifle was fast ripping the pews and whoever, whatever was in its trajectory, to pieces. They were being attacked!
One of the congregation members, Charl Van Wyk, was carrying a concealed weapon.[i] Instinctively, he knelt down behind the bench and pulled out his .38 special snub-nosed revolver. When the attacker’s attention was diverted from him, he drew and cocked his handgun, then opened fire, injuring one of the assailants. Fearing for their lives, the terrorists fled.
11 people were murdered and 50 people were severely maimed, One Visiting Russian seaman lost both legs and an arm.[ii]. Hundreds sustained wounds.
The lone defender, a missionary who has written a book titled “shooting back,” said, “I firmly believe that the most Biblical action I could take at the time was to protect the lives of my brothers and sisters in Christ from the onslaught. In fact, if I did not try to protect them when I had the opportunity to do so, I would have broken the commands of Scripture.”[iii]
Another man, who cradled his dying wife’s head in his lap waiting for paramedics to attend to her fatal injuries, was asked how he felt towards the perpetrators of such evil. Without any chance to be coached or rehearse his answer, he looked at the camera, paused and said, “I will love my enemies. I will pray for my enemies. And I will never, ever, give in to revenge.”[iv]
Two men; one of them a shooter, the other a victim. One shot back, the other forgave. Which is the biblical response? Is one, the other, or perhaps both ok?
Statistics vary, but Carl Chinn who keeps track of Deadly Force Incidents in churches across America says that they are growing at about a 35% rate per year! In 2008 there were only 64 Deadly Force Incidents. That increased to over 100 in 2011, and in 2014 there were 176 Deadly Force Incidents! Last year 74 people were killed in church shooting incidents.[v]
Church shootings happen often enough that there’s a national church shooting database. Staffers at the Center for Homicide Research in Minneapolis decided to come up with settings in which shootings don’t occur. “We were having discussions internally about, ‘Is there any place that hasn’t had mass shootings or mass murders?’ and somebody came up with the idea of perhaps churches,” says Dallas Drake, the principal researcher for the center, “Of course, we proved that wrong.”[vi]
In some ways, churches may be especially tempting to shooters. They are typically light on security. Many people come to them at once, at predictable times. And for those who are motivated by hatred of people of a certain color or creed, they also have that crucial symbolic heft. (Read the endnotes for a list of examples of church shootings.).[vii][viii]
We are in a spiritual war, the enemy is recruiting. His eternal task is to tempt, distract, persecute and destroy God’s people. He uses the people of this world as pawns in the struggle. When persecution comes, how is a Christian to respond? That is our question today. We know the normal state of the Christian is persecution, not peace; now we need to discover just how a persecuted Christian is supposed to respond to oppression.
In one way or another, the Christian church is always being persecuted. Author Allen Hertzke notes that the suffering church constitutes nearly a third of the total Christian population.[ix]
Satan threatens a believer by saying, “If you witness, you might lose your job, your status–or someone might think you are strange. The persecution can be financial, political, personal, or religious. One of the greatest persecutors of true Christianity is religion itself. Peter warns,
“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.” (1 Pet. 4: 12-14).
The world is rapidly deteriorating into chaos because of sin. We cannot stop the inevitable end of the story. No source of renewable energy, no politician, no world leader and no peace treaty can change the fact that we are rapidly headed to the time of Jacob’s trouble. No amount of social justice or climate change will alter the fate of this world, spelled out in the Bible.
We are hurtling toward the 70th Week of Daniel, and we need to act like we are. We are witnessing the end of western civilization. The good ol’ USA is not our blessed hope. Let’s not act like it is.
Our declining culture will continue to grow more evil and hateful of God. We may soon be forced to choose between preaching the gospel, or compromise. We may face arrest one day for promoting hate speech because we preach against sin.
Our public education system will never again be a place where our children can hear our Christian values supported or reinforced. Instead they will be increasingly marginalized, perhaps even bullied, for standing on their Christian beliefs.
The secular media will never again be friendly to Christians. It will continue to ignore Christian persecution and sensationalize the protests of the world against the Jews. Christian media will begin to look more and more like the secular culture with each passing year.[x]
Code red! The situation is critical! What is the biblical response to the coming persecution? Is it a public protest? Is it packing heat? Is it the ballot box? Is it shouting down the opposition? Is it fiery preaching from the pulpit? Is it public condemnation from atop the soap box in the park? Is political action the answer to the problem?
Let’s try to remember our purpose. Why did Jesus leave us here? It is not my mission to civilize the culture so that I can live my nice middle class life. It is not my Christian mission to become politically active so I can enforce the sanity of the Judeo Christian ethic on the country.
We don’t preach against sin just because sin turns our cities into war zones. We preach against sin so that people will repent! Our message is not merely that sin is bad and it must be stopped, our message is that sin is so bad it separates you from God and if you don’t repent, you will likewise perish! Our response to the culture war must be Gospel Centered or it will be useless for the Kingdom of God.
Our job is “to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.” (Acts 26:18).
The first step is to stop calling this a culture war. Culture wars are fought with culture (politically). If you fight a spiritual war with politics, you lose. That is why Christians are so frustrated and why we appear to be losing. This is not a culture war. It is a spiritual war. We have been using the wrong weapons. [xi]
In the last chapter we saw that Persecution is the normal state of the Christian and we should expect it. This chapter we will give you six biblical ways to respond to persecution. Let me say, that there is not just one proper way to deal with those that oppose us, as though “one size fits all.” We need to be wise as serpents in dealing with the world.
Different circumstances bring different responses, and sometimes we may respond in two or three different ways. We should respond in a different way to the sheriff than we do to an angry mob; and we may react one way to someone who argues with us and another way to a thug who is attacking us. All I can say is that if you have to face persecution, you had better be ready and armed with the knowledge on how to respond in a variety of situations.
#1 When Challenged, Stand
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:10-11).
The first thing every Christian should be ready to do is to stand his ground. When people challenge your faith, don’t back down! Stand courteously, kindly and firmly. The book of 1 Peter is a primer on persecution. Read it. Chapter 3 explains how we should stand against persecution.
“But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.” (1 Peter 3:14-17).
We may suffer for righteousness sake. We may be mistreated for our good conduct. It may be the will of God for us to suffer for doing good. If persecution happens to you, settle in advance how you will deal with it. Don’t be afraid of your persecutors. Instead, always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in you. Stand kindly and firmly for Jesus.
#2 When Opposed, Love Your Enemy
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” (Matthew 5:43-44).
We Christians are to live a counter intuitive life. It feels right to strike back at our enemies, but God wants us to use even more powerful weapons that are so covert and unexpected that the world has no real defense against them. In response to hate we are to love. In response to cursing we are to bless. In response to evil, we are to do good. And in response to persecution, we are to pray.
“Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. Therefore ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:17-21
#3 When Thugs Attack, Defend Yourself
“Then He said to them, ‘But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one. For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’ For the things concerning Me have an end.’ So they said, ‘Lord, look, here are two swords.’ And He said to them, ‘It is enough.’” (Luke 22:36-39 36).
In Luke 22, Jesus tells His disciples to get a sword. He knew that the time was coming when they would be threatened, persecuted or killed. Jesus was giving approval of the fact that one has the right to self-defense. Why tell them to get a sword unless there was an appropriate use for it. It certainly wasn’t for hunting! No one in their right mind uses a sword to hunt with. There is no animal in the world that will let you get close enough for the sword to do any damage. Swords have one purpose and one purpose only: for battle!
There is a Biblical Obligation to Preserve Life. Jesus never overturned the Old Testament Scriptures which tell us to defend our family or our safety, to defend the weak, or to defend our country. Here are a few Scriptures that speak to the need to use force for self defense:
Psalm 82:4 “Rescue the weak and needy; Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.”
Ezekiel 33:6 “…But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and a sword comes and takes a person from them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require from the watchman’s hand.”
Exodus 22:2 “If a thief is caught breaking in at night and is struck a fatal blow, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed;
Matthew 24:43 “But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.”
But what about when Jesus said to turn the other cheek in Matthew 5:38-42? Doesn’t that mean we should not fight back? This is one of the most misunderstood sayings of the Bible! It doesn’t mean that at all! “That expression is a Jewish idiom that describes an insult, similar to the way challenges to duels in the days of King Arthur were made by a backhand slap to the right cheek of your opponent.”[xii]
- Kent Hughes in his book The Sermon on the Mount: The Message of the Kingdom, states “When Jesus spoke of being slapped on the right cheek He was describing an insult that comes because of one’s faith. It was an insult for which a Jew could seek legal satisfaction according to the law of Lex Talionis. That is, he could seek damages.”[xiii]
In other words, if someone slaps you on the cheek, don’t agree to the duel! Let him have the satisfaction of slapping you on the other cheek, rather than escalate to a fight.
The principle taught in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:38-42 would seem to be that Christians should not retaliate when insulted or slandered (see also Romans 12:17-21). Such insults do not threaten a Christian’s personal safety. The question of rendering insult for insult, however, is a far cry from defending oneself against a mugger or a rapist.
It is significant that although given the opportunity to do so, none of the New Testament saints–nor even Jesus–are ever seen informing a military convert that he needed to resign from his line of work and become a pacifist. (Matthew 8:5-13; Luke 3:14).
Theologians J. P. Moreland and Norman Geisler say that “to permit murder when one could have prevented it is morally wrong. To allow a rape when one could have hindered it is an evil. To watch an act of cruelty to children without trying to intervene is morally inexcusable. In brief, not resisting evil is an evil of omission, and an evil of omission can be just as evil as an evil of commission. Any man who refuses to protect his wife and children against a violent intruder fails them morally.”[xiv]
What’s the lesson? Learn to use the sword (or handgun) defensively. However, the sword is not always the appropriate response. Self-defense is “protecting oneself from injury at the hand of others.” Self-defense is not about taking vengeance. Self-defense is not about punishing your enemies. Self-defense involves preserving one’s own health and life when it is threatened by the actions of others.
#4 When Mobbed or Persecuted – Flee
“When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes. A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! Therefore do not fear them.” (Matthew 10:23-33).
Sometimes self defense is not possible. Sometimes it is unsafe to stand your ground. There is no shame in fleeing to safety. Running is not our first choice, but sometimes we have no other choice. We have seen many modern examples of the need to flee from persecution; the latest is in Iraq where in some cities an entire population has fled.
On the other hand, persecution is never to be sought out or endured for the sake of ego or heroism; nor should we intentionally bring it on ourselves. It is not Christian to provoke animosity or ridicule. Christ urges us to escape persecution when possible. We are not obligated to put our lives in danger until we are imprisoned or killed.
That is the pattern Paul followed throughout his ministry (see Acts 12–14, 17). That is the pattern that Christians, pastors and missionaries are to follow until the Son of Man comes. When danger strikes most mission organizations ask their missionaries to pack up their things and board a plane. When they do, some may feel abandoned and others may view the missionaries as cowards. But most mission agencies weigh in favor of missionary safety in times of revolution and targeted persecution. It is better to plan a strategic retreat today, so that you will live to share the Gospel tomorrow. Christian lives and trained Christian ministers are too valuable to lose if we can help it.
#5 When Arrested, Stand Strong and Preach Jesus
“But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake. But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. Therefore settle it in your hearts not to worry beforehand on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake.” (Luke 21: 12-17).
If a mob of angry thugs is coming for you, I suggest that you use every means at your disposal to evade, avoid, impede, or escape your persecutors. However if your persecutor is the local police department who have their dogs and guns pointed your way, you may want to come down to the precinct peaceably. When the state is the persecutor and you have no way to resist, you must do your very best to stand strong and tell them of the reason of the hope that is in you.
Living in the United States, we enjoy the right to speak freely. That isn’t true in places like China where they punish and torture those who stand up for Jesus.
1 Peter 4:15-16 warns, “Let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.”
Every circumstance, good or bad, in our life is meant to lead to the occasion of a testimony of our faith in Jesus Christ. None of us in this room should be thieves, rapists, murderers or criminals. If you are going to be arrested, there is nothing better to be arrested for than your faith in Christ. And if you are to be arrested for your faith, you should be well versed in what you believe so that you can share that faith when you are on trial. If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?
#6 When Possible, Appeal to Caesar
“So Paul said, “I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you very well know. For if I am an offender, or have committed anything deserving of death, I do not object to dying; but if there is nothing in these things of which these men accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.” (Acts 25:1-12).
Paul had been unjustly arrested and his accusers brought unsubstantiated charges against him. The trial was easy enough. He should have been acquitted. He had been bold in sharing his testimony and making a clear public defense. The only reason he was in chains was because of his faith in Christ. But like so many judges, Festus wanted to do the Jews a favor, so he was about to make a decision that would have resulted in a miscarriage of justice. That is when Paul appealed his case.
When the day comes and you are arrested for your faith, go ahead and use the legal system to the best of your ability. It is the duty of those in authority to protect law abiding citizens, not to throw them in jail for their faith. But if a lower official fails to do justice, appeal to a higher court.
Our rights as citizens can be effective tools if we use them in a loving but firm way. The apostle Paul had not only appealed to Caesar to get a fair trial, he was also going to Rome to preach Jesus. He was firm in his insistence, “I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged.” (Acts 25:10).
Persecution is nothing new. It began even before the church was born. There were five organized efforts within eleven years to persecute the church in Jerusalem. Saul the persecutor exported a reign of terror to Damascus, and persecution exploded into the empire.
Persecution became so common that books were written about it like Fox’s Book of Martyrs, and more recently “Jesus Freaks; stories of those who stood for Jesus.” In an early book written by Tertullian called “The Apology,” he writes, “The Blood of the Martyrs is the Seed of the Church. Kill us, torture us, condemn us, grind us to dust; your injustice is the proof that we are innocent…. The oftener we are mown down by you, the more in number we grow; the blood of Christians is seed.”
In the first 200 years of Christianity there were ample opportunities for martyrdom. It is estimated that 80,000 Christians died for their faith in those early years.
One prominent martyr was Polycarp. He was converted as a child and was a personal disciple of the Apostle John. John appointed him as pastor or bishop of the church at Smyrna. Jesus gave this man a personal message:
“Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Revelation 2:10).
It was under the rule of Emperor Marcus Aurelius that persecution of Christians became more intense. Polycarp was arrested because he would not worship the emperor as required by law. When they came to arrest him, following the biblical mandate of Romans 12:20 he welcomed them as friends and offered them food and drink. He only had one request: that they allow him to pray before they took him. He prayed for two hours! The officers were so convicted that they had second thoughts! What were they doing arresting an 86 year old man? When given the opportunity to renounce his faith he answered;
“Eighty-six years I have served Him. He has never done me wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King who has saved me?”
He was burned at the stake, but according to eyewitnesses, the flames didn’t singe him! They finally had to run him through with a sword, and when they did, his blood put out the fire! His martyrdom inspired many watching to turn to Christ.
So profound was the impression of the martyrs on the church, that early Christians used to celebrate the dates of courageous martyrs. These were the birthdays they cared about–for them, the day of martyrdom was the day they were “born” into the presence of God.
But persecution also had a powerful effect on the crowds. They saw how unjust it was. They saw the powerful character of the martyrs, and many trusted Christ. Many more had strong sympathies for Christians.
And so as Revelation 12:11 says, “They conquered them “by the blood of the Lamb and by the world of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death”
In 300 years Christianity went from one man who claimed to be the Christ to 20 million believers scattered throughout the empire. In Rome itself there were some 15,000 believers and 150 pastors!
Be ready to stand, protect, flee, surrender or die for your faith. That is the result of daring to live boldly in chaotic times! That is how to survive and thrive in a hostile society.
(Excerpt from the book “Survival Guide” available on Amazon
[i] https://withmeagrepowers.wordpress.com/2013/07/25/forgiveness-and-the-tragedy-of-the-st-james-massacre/
[ii] http://www.sahistory.org.za/dated-event/st-james-church-massacre
[iii] http://www.wnd.com/2008/07/70372/
[iv] http://sydneyanglicans.net/blogs/graceflow/the-st.-james-massacre
[v] http://www.carlchinn.com/Church_Security_Concepts.html
[vi] http://www.psmag.com/politics-and-law/research-on-shootings-in-churches
[vii] Here’s a sampling of church shootings:
- February 14, 2010 – Richmond, California – Three hooded men walked into Gethsemane Church of God in Christ, opened fire and fled the scene, as the singing of the choir was replaced by frightened screams. Two were hospitalized.
- March 8, 2009 – Maryville, Illinois – Terry Joe Sedlacek, 27 , walked into the First Baptist Church, and shoots pastor Fred Winters dead, point blank. Several church members are injured by a knife in the struggle to capture after the attack, The suspect also had stabbed himself, but survived, when his gun jammed.
- July 27, 2008 – Knoxville, Tennessee – A gunman opens fire in a church during a youth performance, killing two people and injuring seven.
- Dec. 9, 2007 – Colorado – Three people are killed and five wounded in two shooting rampages, one at a missionary school in suburban Denver and one at a church in Colorado Springs. The gunman in the second incident is killed by a guard.
- May 20, 2007 – Moscow, Idaho – A standoff between police and a suspect in the shootings of three people in a Presbyterian Church ended with three dead, including one police officer.
- Aug. 12, 2007 – Neosho, Missouri – First Congregational Church – 3 killed – Eiken Elam Saimon shot and killed the pastor and two deacons and wounded five others.
- May 21, 2006 – Baton Rouge, Louisiana – The Ministry of Jesus Christ Church – 4 killed – The four at the church who were shot were members of Erica Bell’s family; she was abducted and murdered elsewhere; Bell’s mother, church pastor Claudia Brown, was seriously wounded – Anthony Bell, 25, was the shooter.
- Feb. 26, 2006 – Detroit, Michigan – Zion Hope Missionary Baptist Church – 2 killed + shooter – Kevin L. Collins, who reportedly went to the church looking for his girlfriend, later killed himself.
- April 9, 2005 – College Park, Georgia – A 27-year-old airman died after being shot at a church, where he had once worked as a security guard.
- March 12, 2005 – Brookfield, Wisconsin – Living Church of God – 7 killed + shooter – Terry Ratzmann opened fire on the congregation, killing seven and wounding four before taking his own life.
- July 30, 2005 – College Park, Georgia – World Changers Church International – shooter killed – Air Force Staff Sgt. John Givens was shot five times by a police officer after charging the officer, following violent behavior.
- Dec. 17, 2004, Garden Grove, Calif.: A veteran musician at the Crystal Cathedral shoots himself to death after a nine -hour standoff.
- Oct. 5, 2003 – Atlanta, Georgia – Turner Monumental AME Church – 2 killed + shooter – Shelia Wilson walked into the church while preparations are being made for service and shot the pastor, her mother and then herself.
- June 10, 2002 – Conception, Missouri – Benedictine monastery – 2 killed + shooter – Lloyd Robert Jeffress shot four monks in the monastery killing two and wounding two, before killing himself.
- March 12, 2002 – Lynbrook, New York – Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church – 2 killed – Peter Troy, a former mental patient, opens fire during Mass, killing the priest and a parishioner. He later receives a life sentence.
- May 18, 2001 – Hopkinsville, Kentucky – Greater Oak Missionary Baptist Church – 2 killed – Frederick Radford stood up in the middle of a revival service and began shooting at his estranged wife, Nicole Radford, killing her and a woman trying to help her.
- Sept. 15, 1999 – Fort Worth, Texas – Wedgewood Baptist Church – 7 killed + shooter – Larry Gene Ashbrook shot dead seven people and injured a further seven at a concert by Christian rock group Forty Days in Fort Worth, Texas before killing himself.
- April 15, 1999 – Salt Lake City, Utah – LDS Church Family History Library – 2 killed + shooter – Sergei Babarin, 70, with a history of mental illness, entered the library, killed two people and wounded four others before he was gunned down by police.
[viii] http://www.defensivecarry.com/forum/general-firearm-discussion/98256-18-church-shootings-11-years-comprehensive-list.html
[ix] http://www.patheos.com/blogs/manhattanproject/2013/11/the-church-must-respond-to-religious-persecution/
[x] The Suicide of American Christianity: Drinking the Cool Aid of Secular Humanism
By Michael D. Lemay https://books.google.com/books?id=bJJYcnfl8dYC&pg=PA292&lpg=PA292&dq=we+are+in+a+battle+for+the+hearts+and+minds+of+america+christian&source=bl&ots=39hKvDxd1y&sig=nvts9IanelarUAgB6cfCGLzlzm4&hl=en&sa=X&ei=8nEuVbv1JIu1oQS6sYDACw&ved=0CCUQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false
[xi] http://www.thegospelintheendtimes.com/christian-living/stop-calling-it-culture-war/
[xii] http://home.earthlink.net/~ronrhodes/qselfdefense.html
[xiii] http://preparedchristian.net/should-christians-practice-self-defense/#.VXBW-nnbLhc
[xiv] http://home.earthlink.net/~ronrhodes/qselfdefense.html