Question about vigilantism, is it ever justified?

[sistersofmercy]

Are there times when vigilantism is justified? I think so. But then again I've had my home broken into by a wierdo stalker who took underwear, jewerly, my camera and my answering machine. Nothing compares to the eery feeling of walking into your home with doors open and things ramsacked. The feeling of being so violated just stinks and also knowing who did something but not being able to prove it. I've also been mugged. Again the feeling of being so violated is not an easy one to get over. I had nightmares for weeks.
About the church, it was their sanctuary I believe they had a right to defend it. Perhaps they took it a bit too far but with repeated burglaries maybe making an example out of the burglar caught red-handed will have some sort of deterring effect in the future.
In addition, when Rosa Parks was burglarized about ten years ago I read that the neighbors hog-tied, beat and threw the man in the trunk of a car while waiting for the police to arrive. Was this justified? I believe it was.
It's the same way the night stalker was caught in LA, beaten and restrained by neighbors until the police arrived. Was this justified? I believe it was.
I'm just curious because it seems to me most on this board believe as Christians, the people in the church shouldn't have acted as they did.
So is vigilantism ever justify? If so, then when?

[paul_fromatlanta]

1. We need to define vigilantism before we can decide if its justified

For example, I don't consider defending myself or my family from an attack to be vigilantism but beating a captured criminal would be the act of a vigilante, IMO.

[Warpy]

2. Well, the problem with vigilantism comes when the vigilantes

get the wrong guy. That happens more often than not, I'm afraid.

However, it's really hard to condemn the local crowd who caught a guy raping a five year old boy in an abandoned motel and made the rapist "fall down the stairs" five times.

In most cases, I'd prefer to let the cops handle it and a jury decide whether or not they got the right guy.

[fishwax]

3. I can see restraining someone

but beating them with a baseball bat? Um, no. And yes, barring self defense, I think it's unchristian to beat someone with a baseball bat

[misternormal]

4. Unless it has been blessed...

[fishwax]

8. they should have pelted him with balloons filled with holy water

:evilgrin:

[jody]

5. Many stories from Iraq describe local militia that have formed because law

enforcement will not protect their homes and families.

In the U.S., neighborhood watches are a form of vigilantism and necessary because SCOTUS has ruled that government is not obligated to protect an individual unless she/he is in custody.

Vigilantism that extends to killing is high risk but IMO sometimes necessary in some areas of the world when law enforcement can not or will not act.

Pennsylvania got it right in its constitution.
A DECLARATION OF THE RIGHTS OF THE INHABITANTS OF THE COMMONWEALTH OR STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA 28 Sept. 1776
"That all men are born equally free and independent, and have certain natural, inherent and inalienable rights, amongst which are, the enjoying and defending life and liberty, acquiring, possessing and protecting property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety."
And
"That the people have a right to bear arms for the defence of themselves and the state; and as standing armies in the time of peace are dangerous to liberty, they ought not to be kept up; And that the military should be kept under strict subordination to, and governed by, the civil power."

[bridgit]

6. yes...

in the absence of civil law & order, and to protect whatever may be left of the common good imo

[DanCa]

7. I believe in self deffense

And as Al Bundy says if a man "Comes to my house he'd better be carrying either a summons or a pizza." At the same time if someone broke into my house when I am not home I dont think I'd have the skill or know how on how to track the person down. I also don't believe in mob rule either. And on a final note I just don't know what's going on with society today. Years ago I grow up in Cicero in Chicago. I was never robbed, or mugged and I didn't know what a gun was untill I saw them on tv. Funny how quickly times change isn't it.

[BlooInBloo]

9. If you don't want ME to bitch about how YOU apply it....

... then YOU don't get to bitch about how I apply it...

and WE don't get to bitch about how JOE applies it...

... etc..

And NO ONE gets to bitch about how ANYONE applies it....

But hey - if you support anarchy, and are against the rule of law, {shrug} - rock on. This is America after all - more or less.

Just hope to god the America you imagine doesn't become the case.

I didn't realize DU was such a anti-rule of law, wildwildwest, bloodthirsty place... sigh...

[sistersofmercy]

10. Have you ever been violated repeatedly?

Let me tell you from personal experience, the weirdo stalker left me feeling violated repeatedly with his deeds, things to my car, showing up at my home and other places, breaking into my home etc. When one is violated repeatedly and the laws can not help the mind goes into a sort of self-preservation mode of, "how can I stop this?" It's amazing and frightening what thoughts you'll have after repeatedly being intimidated and violated. Group behavior differs and can be more extreme. In the end, I did't do anything to the weirdo stalker, the laws couldn't help, so I had to move to a different state which was several states away from where I was living. I had that luxury to move but I can see how after being repeatedly violated someone, even a group of Christians, would take matters into their own hands.