Is violence ever justified?

Question

I am a pacifist, so I would like to think "no, it is never justified".
But I have a hard time believing this. I know things like the death penalty is completely wrong, but then what about other situations. Lke with the guy who wanted to assassinate Hitler, but knew that it would be against his beliefs. If there are any of you who are absolutely for non-violence, I would like to hear your answer.

Answer 1

yes it is justified to me... :)

Answer 2

I'm a democrat, but I'm not entirely a pacifist. I think you're far too optimistic about this planet if you think everything can be handled with words. Morally, yes, the death penalty is wrong. Yes, war is wrong. Yes, torture is wrong. However, if you're a more realistic person, you'd realize that these things are often necessary to get a country the results they need.

I'd like to say I'm anti-violence...but the truth is, I can see the logic in using force. That sounds horrible, I know, but like I said--if we were to go to the Russian president and say, "Let's just talk things out, okay?" we'd be the laughing stock of the world. Some other nations would begin to take advantage of us, use our naivety as an excuse to bomb our country because we'd gone "soft". Violence is often necessary, unfortunately.

Also, if nobody ever killed each other, our population would grow even more out of control than it is already. The less humans present, the better off the environment is. And killing humans is no different than humans killing animals, or other animals killing animals and so on. It's part of nature's cycle; killing happens.

Answer 3

I don't think violence should be a first choice but unfortunately there are some people out there that have no conscience and will do whatever they want to your and yours. That is when you defend because turning the other cheek simply does not work. You may be able to do quite a bit to me but I will not allow anyone to hurt those I care about or are responsible for. . .I do prefer mind games to physical violence. They can be devastating without touching. So I answer you with a question-if you can't justify violence, can you justify the mind games? And do you feel that you can emotional devastate someone? Doesn't that count? How often do you hurt someone intentionally by something you say? Does that make you a better person than someone who beats people up or goes to war?

Answer 4

The only time violence is acceptable is in defense of another when there is eminent danger and there are no other options to protect yourself or another person from eminent harm.

As to the death penalty, we are the ONLY "Civilized" nation that still has a death penalty. It is barbaric and there have been too many instances where Cops railroaded a person with circumstantial evidence.

It is so bad that even once they find out that the person in prison absolutely could NOT have committed the crime either through DNA or other sources, they will refuse to release the person who is Innocent because they do not want to hurt their convection record! It is shameful.

At any rate, an innocent person cannot be released if proven innocent, if we killed them. It is time we show the rest of the world that the USA is a country to be admired once again.

Answer 5

Yes, there are times where violence, even violence that causes death, is very justified!

If you saw your wife, girlfriend, sister, daughter being raped, would you just stand there? Run for help? Or find something to beat the rapist with? I'm all for stopping the crime in progress using any means available!

Your best friend is being beaten by multiple attackers ... Do you wring your hands any pray for someone else to stop them? Start yelling "you guys cut that out ... I mean it!"? Or wade in there to help your friend? I'll have my friend's back, even if that means I get beaten too.

As to the death penalty being completely wrong ... is the world a better place without the likes of Gary Gilmore, Ted Bundy, Tookie Williams, Timothy McVeigh, and company? YES it is. Would I want any of the above as a neighbor? H*** NO!

Some people have committed such heinous acts that the only sane and rational response is to terminate them. Why let them live out a life in prison, where they endanger guards, prison staff and other convicts?

"The only thing necessary for evil to prevail is for good men to do
nothing."
--Edmund Burke

Answer 6

As intelligent beings we should look for other ways to solve our problems.

Violence is natures way of cutting down on over population and weeding out the weak.

In a perfect world we would not have any need for violence.

Everyone would get along and share resources and use birth control and not pollute the environment.

Violence seems to me the least of out troubles.

Answer 7

Yes, violence is sometimes necessary, as is war. I have a foolproof way to explain to pacifists and other scaredy college students why it is sometimes necessary.

How to Handle a Liberal who likes to protest war…



What to do if you happen upon a peace rally by stupid Naïve Hemp-shirt-wearing College idiots, to teach them why Force is sometimes needed:


1) Approach dumb rich ignorant student talking about "Peace" and saying there should be, "no retaliation".

2) Engage in brief conversation, ask if military force is appropriate.

3) When he says "No," ask, "Why not?"

4) Wait until he says something to the effect of, "Because that would just
cause more innocent deaths, which would be awful and we should not cause more violence."

5) When he's in mid sentence, punch him in the face as hard as you can.

6) When he gets back up to punch you, point out that it would be a mistake
and contrary to his values to strike you, because that would, "be awful and he should not cause more violence."

7) Wait until he agrees that he has pledged not to commit additional violence.

8) Punch him in the face again, harder this time.


Repeat steps 5 through 8 until they understand that
sometimes it is necessary to fight back.

Answer 8

There are many cases where it is justified. The classic example is a home intruder.

The death penalty should be carried out the way it has been established by the legislature and not riddled with appeals etc.

I do think they lock up too many non-violent criminals though.

Answer 9

I'm not for violence... but clearly violent measures to defend oneself of loved ones is legally and morally justifiable. Violence as a soldier to protect the liberties that others enjoy is justifiable.

Answer 10

I think violence in self-defense would be justified. If your life or limb was in peril, how could you not be forgiven for protecting yourself, even if doing so went against your fundamentally pacifist beliefs?

Answer 11

Of course violence is sometimes justified.
Why do you fear being violent?
There is no spiritual basis for being a pacifist. Jehovah's Witnesses and many Evangelical Christians believe Jesus Christ has a violent side....they believe that in his role as Apollyon the Destroyer, Angel of the Abyss, he chains Satan up and burns him alive in a lake of fire, with all the unrepetent sinners.