Division of World Justice and Peace
United States Catholic Conference
October 15, 1969
Since Apostolic times, the Church has cherished and valued the spirit of nonviolence based on the teaching of Jesus. This is one of the reasons Christians of the early Church did not participate in military service. There was even a strong tendency toward pacifism. The Church Fathers, St. Ambrose and St. Augustine, emphasized the primacy of love, going so far as to state that Christians as individuals had no right to self-defense. Christians, however, were allowed to take part in communal defense if the war was considered just.
You might find this to be an interesting read:
https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102008204?q=%22When+Is+Self-Defense+Justified%22&p=par
The Bible’s Viewpoint
When Is Self-Defense Justified?
When you are threatened
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The Bible thus indicates that a person may defend himself or his family if physically assaulted. He may ward off blows, restrain the attacker, or even strike a blow to stun or incapacitate him. The intention would be to neutralize the aggression or stop the attack. This being the case, if the aggressor was seriously harmed or killed in such a situation, his death would be accidental and not deliberate.
The Best Protection