Is It Ever Really In Your Best Interest To Harm Someone??? (see details)?

Question

The above question was inspired by a response to my previous question.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ArmCW7mKvk4H07rjqs4ExuHsy6IX?qid=20061004065620AAeVmJf

Can any of you provide for me examples of when it is OK to harm someone, and the justification for doing it??

Elaborate, please.

Some excellent answers. Thanks to you all.

REB....EXCELLENT viewpoint. I thank you for the insight.

Answer 1

It is justifiable and in one's best interest to harm another if the following three criteria are met:
1) Harming the person would prevent harm from coming to ourselves or another person.
2) We do only as much harm as is strictly necessary for prevention.
3) The situation that necessitates prevention is the result of the intentional actions of the person to be harmed.

Example:
You are at home alone. Without warning, a man kicks down your front door and attacks you. You have no idea what this man's intentions are, but he seems determined to harm you. Assume that you have no opportunity to contact law enforcement or otherwise end the assault through non-violent means. Assume further that, you have no self-defense training or athletic ability that would allow you to control your attacker without harming him. At this point, you have two options:

1) Attempt to harm your attacker, as a means to end the attack.
2) Acquiesce to your attacker and hope that he doesn't harm you.

Given the above, it is justifiable and advisable to harm your attacker. He has willfully established the above dilemma and has indicated that he has malicious intent towards you. Essentially, you have to balance your desire to not be harmed against your desire to not harm him. In my own estimation, the first factor bears more weight.

Answer 2

apparently I really slept late. Previous questions noted.
Hate the otherside of a coin with love on the otherside. In actuality with regards to human emotions indifferance is worse than hate for the one on the recieving end
EX: with children if you do not give them positive attention they would rather have negative attn. than no attn. People have a need to have their existance validated.

Harm The first step in dealing with any subject that has two sides, is to use reason. Reason is difficult with some (I watch a retarded young man) and often takes what seems like forever to accomplish and if you are in error to begin with then forever might be of a shorter duration than what it might cost you.

Harm exists in varying degrees. The question is if it is EVER waranted. Here is a situation where a small amout of pain is waranted. If a person is doing something they do not appreciate (understand ) the possible outcome of (a 2 year old playing on the Hwy) and the options available are limited (your ride must see you to stop and pick you up and you are way past your limit say for health, mental or physical, reasons after a long day hiking canoeing whtvr.) and the child keeps getting on the pavement and you have other responsibilities which could be compromised (other chilren). Then a spanking may be the most reasonable solution to teach that person to be safe around a danger the words did not sink in about.

These situations arise more often than one might expect, especially if you are a person who is very non violent.. Why? that is a totally different question with a longer answer.

Now we might consider enlarging those parameters and study a big but perhaps similar world situation like like i dunno Iran and nucs. Who knows the answer but the principle remains correction (in terms of the situation (or people envolved) understands perhaps pain) verses possible injury to the person needing correction.

I agree that violence as a rule does not solve anything and comes back to bite the doer in the as, or even their grandchildren.

People are a sad bunch who think being in control is a wothy objective which stops some from believing in---ah but we've been there

Answer 3

Perhaps if an intruder was in my home, and threatening my family, I wouldn't have a problem with harming them.

Or when someone I care about has a splinter, and I have to cut into the skin to get it out.

So those are the two I can think of off the top of my head: 1) Self Defense, and 2) Medical needs.

But for the most part, hurting people is generally a very bad idea.

Answer 4

Hey SPOOKY i just wanted to say sorry. I just found the thread with the song. (I am not very good at this yet) Mr. Bojangles. How did you know? This is one of my favorites. Keep on asking the good questions. See ya around. Lucky U. Oh P.S. the answer to your question would be "Never." The only excuse to harm another individual would be out of self preservation. To do otherwise is....not within my nature. Peace.

Answer 5

If someone threatens me or my family I'll harm them but other than that I tend to avoid violence. I have a very short fuse, probably related to the fact that I suffer from terrible insomnia, and I would literally explode into violence with little provocation were it not for the fact that I was consciously aware of the problem and make a deliberate effort to control my temper.

Answer 6

When God told us to turn the other cheek, I dont' feel that He intended us to just stand by and let someone shoot us or beat us. I am a Born again Christian, and I for one will not allow anyone to harm me or my family. Survival is instintual in all mankind.

Answer 7

I just don't understand people who turn their hate into physically hurting another person. I think it's only showing how weak they truly are. I don't think it is anyone's best interest to hurt anyone.. does it happen? yes.. but it doesn't make it right. however, if someone hurt my family .. I would probably fly off and put a hurting on them before thinking! LOL!
great question Spooky, as always.. you make people think!

Answer 8

I have no problem with "harming" someone in self defense. I do have a problem with the notion that killing is necessary. I may break your arm to get that knife out of your hand, but I'm not gonna stab you with the knife to drive the point home. (hey that was punny!)

Answer 9

No, it is never in someone's best interest to harm another. That includes war, revenge, meat eating, littering, all forms of harm.

Those who have wronged me personally will hurt themselves. I don't have to do anything except not associate with them.

Answer 10

This story of Prohpet Moses and his companion Khidr is a good example of why Khidr killed an innocent boy: [read the full story in the link]

Then they both proceeded, till they met a boy, he (Khidr) killed him. Moses said: "Have you killed an innocent person who had killed none? Verily, you have done Nukra a great Munkar (prohibited, evil, dreadful) thing!"

(Khidr) said: "Did I not tell you that you can have no patience with me?"

(Moses) said: "If I ask you anything after this, keep me not in your company, you have received an excuse from me." ..... story continues