Rittenhouse, Arbery, Self-Defense & Salvation
The verdicts are in for two of the most highly publicized cases stemming from 2020. In the Rittenhouse case, Kyle was found “not guilty” on all charges. There was overwhelming video evidence (including FBI drone footage) showing Kyle was attempting to retreat. However, if you watched the trial, you would have seen the prosecutor attempt to show examples of where Kyle “broke the law” by being in possession of the gun. When that charge was dismissed, the prosecutor made a last-ditch effort to claim Kyle pointed his gun at Joseph Rosenbaum, which would have been a crime, and that is what caused Rosenbaum to start chasing Kyle. The reason why the prosecutor was trying to prove this is because you can’t “break the law” and then claim self-defense. Apparently, the video failed to show that Kyle instigated the fight and the jury found him “not guilty”. Whether you agree or not with the verdict, without the overwhelming video evidence, the verdict would likely have been different. In the end, Kyle spent months in jail and hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees and is now facing public backlash for his decision to insert himself in the midst of a potentially dangerous situation.
In the Arbery case, there was clear evidence that the McMichaels and Bryan were following or chasing Arbery in an attempt to detain him. In our May 2020 newsletter article, “Firearms are only for Self Defense, not Stuff Defense!” we talked about the Arbery case and how creating an “armed confrontation” over suspected stolen property IS NOT SMART! The McMichaels and their neighbor, William “Roddie” Bryan, inserted themselves into a potentially dangerous situation. As a result, a young man is dead and the 3 of them will likely spend the rest of their lives in jail because of it.
In both cases, the defendants claimed “Self-defense” but neither of them understood the difference between self-defense and salvation.
Self-defense Defined – the defense of one’s person or interests, especially through the use of physical force, which is permitted in certain cases as an answer to a charge of violent crime.
Salvation Defined – (1) preservation or deliverance from harm, ruin, or loss. (2) deliverance from sin and its consequences, believed by Christians to be brought about by faith in Christ.
Each year at this time as we prepare to celebrate Christmas, I think it is a good time to revisit what is important in our lives. Whether you believe in a spiritual salvation or not, I believe everyone would agree that the “preservation or deliverance from harm, ruin, or loss” is in our own self-interest. While one of these cases was judged to be self-defense and the other one was not, ALL PARTIES involved, including the deceased and their family members, suffered harm, ruin and loss! In these situations, NO ONE WINS!
I hope you will take a few minutes to read “Training Saves Lives (Self-Defense & Salvation)” from our previous December newsletters as a reminder that “if we truly believe every life is precious we should also take into consideration how our actions may affect the lives of other people.” While Self-defense is both legally and morally justifiable, if you find yourself in a situation where you take another human’s life, your “salvation” will be affected.
