That's What Katanas Are For

[Hax]

I'd rather deal with the nightmares of having to kill someone, than my family or I laying dead or brutalized and I could have prevented it. I'd that the former anyday over the latter.

Thing is, burglars are usually not murderers. I think (!) that a burglar would rather escape than attack, if he was found.

[Cute Wolf]

Thing is, burglars are usually not murderers. I think (!) that a burglar would rather escape than attack, if he was found.

Bet your home / whatever place that you life.... is never get a burglar inside......
You simply never encountered a real life burglars!

I know that both of us still unmarried and didn't have a child, but consider this hypothetical case:
(not only hax, but other orgah's especially who allready had a child could answer it)

You are a father, and you life with your wife and an infant son. One day, you hear some noise arround your garage and decide to check that. On your way, you could grab a potentially lethal weapon (guns, axes, blades, spears or big forks), and you know how to end someone's life with it rather effectively. As you walk silently to your garage, you spotted a man, trying to pick your door, or allready carried some loot, moves arround suspiciously to your little son's bedroom, where your wife and your son are sleeping. To one point of extreme, your wife is such a coward, even with weapons on her hands, tend to scream and cry like a kitten, and your infant son... couldn't defend himself. As you see more clearly, that burglar was carrying a weapon that you recognize as a gun. You are capable to launch a surprise attack once, and with that weapons on your hands, you are sure that your "surprise attack" could end in killing or permanently maiming that burglar....... but IF you don't attack, and just yelling at that guy, he'll eventually find your son, and maybe use him as hostage..... which one did you'll take? Killing that burglar now, or call the police, and let the bad guy found your son?


IF I were that guy in defense of the home, I'll act as a good father that protect my son, and try my best to decapitate that burglar with my axe/blade..... Even if I life in some areas with ridiculous law such as some country. I'll rather spent my time in prison rather than see he hurts (emotional hurts are even worse... remember the boy are infant!) or worse, kills my family.

[Hax]

I will answer for myself now; I have taken a vow to reduce the amount of suffering in the world. First, I would try to talk to him, telling that if he dropped everything, I would let him go without calling the police (for example), and just try to coerce him into leaving in a non-violent way.

If that would not succeed, I would probably try and assault him in a way that could not have permanent consequences (physically, that is). Break a leg or an arm in the the worst case, something that will incapacitate him for the moment, but can be healed eventually.

I will not murder anyone for breaking into my house, I'm sorry.

[Fragony]

axe -> face

It isn't murder when someone breaks into your house. Not going to gamble with my life, so his will have to go.

[Cute Wolf]

I will answer for myself now; I have taken a vow to reduce the amount of suffering in the world. First, I would try to talk to him, telling that if he dropped everything, I would let him go without calling the police (for example), and just try to coerce him into leaving in a non-violent way.

And the worst things is he charges at you, and killing you while your mouth is still talking.....

If that would not succeed, I would probably try and assault him in a way that could not have permanent consequences (physically, that is). Break a leg or an arm in the the worst case, something that will incapacitate him for the moment, but can be healed eventually.

I will not murder anyone for breaking into my house, I'm sorry.

This was a better option.... aim for the right hand..... a maimed limb could be re-attached if you call ambulance in 24 hours.... while you store the burglar's hand in your freezer

[Furunculus]

I will answer for myself now; I have taken a vow to reduce the amount of suffering in the world.

I have come to a self understanding (not as official as a vow) that I have zero tolerance for other people interfering unduly in my life, and in the interest of; do unto others as you would have them do unto you I will not unduly interfere in anyone else's life.

If someone else is so damnably rude as to unduly interfere in my personal life then all bets are off, they rely totally on my good nature and self restraint for whatever consequence ensues; be that a barked "@^*k off!" directed at some street oik shouting abuse, or be it physical violence directed at someone who has been caught burgling my house and refuses to leave instantly and without my property.

[Hax]

I do remember one case where a guy spent 15 minutes breaking into his ex's house and battering down her bedroom door, having expressed certain intentions.

Well, the intentions are clearly different.

And the worst things is he charges at you, and killing you while your mouth is still talking.....

Be serious, please. That would be a completely illogical action, if we're honest.

[Ariovistus Maximus]

Well, the intentions are clearly different.

Exactly. So how can we consistently determine what is reasonable and what is not, when it's a subjective problem?

[Hax]

Exactly. So how can we consistently determine what is reasonable and what is not, when it's a subjective problem?

Depends on your idea of burglary:

1. The crime of breaking into a vehicle, house, store, or other enclosure with the intent to steal.
2. (law) Under the common law, breaking and entering of the dwelling of another at night with the intent to commit a felony.
3. (law, US) Under the Model Penal Code, entering a building or occupied structure with purpose to commit a crime therein, unless the premises are at the time open to the public. Model Penal Code § 221.1.

In the first case, well yeah. If he's in purely for the money, he'd probably be off as soon as he saw me, or anyone else. Burglar =/= murderer.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

I will answer for myself now; I have taken a vow to reduce the amount of suffering in the world. First, I would try to talk to him, telling that if he dropped everything, I would let him go without calling the police (for example), and just try to coerce him into leaving in a non-violent way.

If that would not succeed, I would probably try and assault him in a way that could not have permanent consequences (physically, that is). Break a leg or an arm in the the worst case, something that will incapacitate him for the moment, but can be healed eventually.

I will not murder anyone for breaking into my house, I'm sorry.

Two people had recently been murdered by burglars in that area. You can't really reduce suffering in the world by letting yourself be killed.

Granted there are some people in this thread who are a bit gung-ho about it, but you are too far the other way imo.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

You are a father, and you life with your wife and an infant son. One day, you hear some noise arround your garage and decide to check that. On your way, you could grab a potentially lethal weapon (guns, axes, blades, spears or big forks), and you know how to end someone's life with it rather effectively. As you walk silently to your garage, you spotted a man, trying to pick your door, or allready carried some loot, moves arround suspiciously to your little son's bedroom, where your wife and your son are sleeping. To one point of extreme, your wife is such a coward, even with weapons on her hands, tend to scream and cry like a kitten, and your infant son... couldn't defend himself. As you see more clearly, that burglar was carrying a weapon that you recognize as a gun. You are capable to launch a surprise attack once, and with that weapons on your hands, you are sure that your "surprise attack" could end in killing or permanently maiming that burglar....... but IF you don't attack, and just yelling at that guy, he'll eventually find your son, and maybe use him as hostage..... which one did you'll take? Killing that burglar now, or call the police, and let the bad guy found your son?

I'd be carrying a stick, and I'd crack him on the back of the head. Your scenario assumes the burgler has picked or forced the lock, so he's already inside and I am therefore between him and my family, or I've let him get past me.

At no point would I be so stupid as to allow someone to get between me and those I love. I wouldn't put myself in such a stupid situation. Further, such a pathetic woman as the one you describe almost certainly wouldn't stay with a man capable of killing, unless out of fear.