Self-Defense Without Illusions
Why Incapacitation Is Sometimes Necessary to Survive
Few topics in personal protection generate as much emotional resistance as the reality of violent self-defense. Questions often arise, sometimes sincerely, sometimes defensively such as: “Why would I have to destroy someone’s knee?” “Why target the eyes?” “Isn’t striking the groin cheating?” These questions usually come from people who have never experienced true interpersonal violence or who subconsciously treat self-defense as sport, theory, or moral abstraction rather than a life-and-death encounter.
Violence does not operate by rules, referees, or mutual consent. Criminal assault is not a contest, it is an ambush. The defender’s goal is not to “win honorably,” to punish, or to dominate. The goal is simple and profound: to stop the threat long enough to escape and go home alive.
This blog examines the pros and cons of violent self-defense, explains why incapacitation is sometimes morally and practically necessary, and grounds that reality in traditional martial instruction, biblical ethics, and original-language Scripture, drawing heavily from the teachings of Sensei and Grand Master Jim Harrison, mentor for over 27 years, whose instruction was rooted in responsibility, restraint, and survival, not ego or spectacle.
I. The Reality of Violent Assault
Violent encounters are asymmetric. The attacker chooses the time, place, and method. The defender reacts under stress, fear, injury, or surprise. Research in criminology and law enforcement consistently shows that many victims who resist half-heartedly are injured more severely than those who either fully comply or fully commit to escape.
This leads to a hard but necessary truth:
If you resist, you must resist decisively.
Partial resistance signals to the attacker that:
You are willing to fight, and
You are not capable of stopping them.
This combination often escalates violence.
Jim Harrison repeatedly emphasized this reality in instruction:
“You don’t get hurt because you fought back.
You get hurt because you fought back without commitment.”
— Grand Master Jim Harrison
Self-defense is not about hurting someone; it is about breaking the attack cycle, mobility, vision, balance, or intent—long enough to escape.
II. The Myth of “Fair Fighting”
Many objections to effective self-defense stem from sport-fighting culture or ego-based combat. Phrases like “cheap shot,” “dirty fighting,” or “cheating” reveal a fundamental misunderstanding.
There is no such thing as cheating in self-defense.
Rules exist only where:
Both parties consent
There is a referee
Injury is limited by agreement
Criminal assault meets none of those criteria.
Jim Harrison distinguished clearly between martial arts as discipline and self-defense as survival:
“If someone attacks you for real, they have already broken every rule.
You didn’t start the fight, but you are responsible for ending it.”
People who insist on “rules” in a real fight are often those who:
Fight for sport
Fight for ego
Fight for excitement
All three are dangerous mindsets in self-defense.
III. Incapacitation vs. Excessive Force
A critical distinction must be made between incapacitation and malice.
Incapacitation: Temporarily or permanently stopping the attacker’s ability to continue the assault.
Malice: Causing harm for punishment, revenge, or anger.
Self-defense is morally justified when the intent is to stop the threat, not to exact vengeance.
Biblically, this distinction is essential.
IV. Biblical Foundations for Self-Defense
A. Old Testament: The Right to Preserve Life
Exodus 22:2 (Hebrew Text)
“If a thief is found breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no bloodguilt for him.”
The Hebrew phrase אֵין לוֹ דָּמִים (’ein lo damim) literally means “there is no blood upon him” no guilt for the defender. This passage recognizes:
Immediacy of threat
Uncertainty of intent
The right to decisive defensive action
The text does not require proportional guessing under stress. It recognizes the reality of survival.
B. Nehemiah and Armed Defense
Nehemiah 4:17–18 describes builders working with tools in one hand and weapons in the other. God’s people were not condemned for preparing to defend their lives and families while doing righteous work.
C. New Testament: Defense Without Hatred
Jesus’ words are often misunderstood.
Luke 22:36 (Greek)
“ὁ μὴ ἔχων πωλήσει τὸ ἱμάτιον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀγοράσει μάχαιραν”
(“…let the one who has none sell his cloak and buy a sword.”)
The word μάχαιρα (machaira) refers to a short sword or large knife commonly used for personal defense, not war.
Jesus does not command aggression, but He acknowledges the reality of a dangerous world.
When Jesus rebukes Peter in Matthew 26:52, the issue is misuse, not possession or defense. Peter acted to interfere with divine purpose, not to preserve innocent life.
V. The Moral Logic of Severe Injury
The most emotionally charged objections often focus on permanent injury:
“He may never walk right again.”
“This could blind him.”
These statements are tragic, but they shift responsibility incorrectly.
Responsibility lies with the attacker who created the deadly situation.
In Jewish and Christian moral reasoning, this is known as proximate cause. The one who initiates unjust violence bears moral responsibility for its consequences.
From a survival standpoint:
An attacker who can still see can pursue
An attacker who can still run can catch
An attacker who can still grip can kill
Stopping these abilities may be the only way to live.
Jim Harrison stated plainly:
“You are not fighting to hurt him.
You are fighting so he cannot hurt you again, ever.”
VI. Pros and Cons of Violent Self-Defense
Pros
Preserves innocent life (yours and others)
Ends ongoing threat
Creates opportunity to escape
Prevents escalation or prolonged torture
Aligns with biblical responsibility to protect life
Cons
Risk of legal scrutiny
Emotional and psychological aftermath
Potential permanent injury to the attacker
Moral weight that must be carried responsibly
The presence of cost does not negate necessity.
VII. Fighting to Win vs. Fighting for Ego
Self-defense is not about domination, bravado, or proving toughness. Those who fight “for fun” invent rules because they want control, not survival.
True self-defense is:
Reluctant
Decisive
Purpose-driven
Immediately disengaging once escape is possible
The goal is not victory; it is going home.
Conclusion
Violence is ugly, tragic, and costly, but pretending it can be sanitized is dangerous. Self-defense demands clarity, not comfort. When escape is impossible and danger is imminent, incapacitation may be the only moral option.
Scripture affirms the right to preserve life. Traditional martial teaching affirms commitment over hesitation. Reality affirms that half-measures fail.
You do not fight because you want to.
You fight because you must.
You fight so you can live.
And when the choice is between the attacker’s comfort and your family’s future, the choice is already made.
Lineage, Stewardship, and Responsibility
Bart Goldbar does not teach theory, trends, or ego-driven tactics. He teaches what was entrusted to him through decades of disciplined study under Sensei and Grand Master Jim Harrison, a mentor whose instruction was rooted in restraint, responsibility, and the uncompromising reality of survival. Bart continues to practice, implement, and live out those teachings, not as relics of the past, but as principles refined by experience, humility, and moral clarity. When you take instruction from Bart Goldbar, you are learning from a qualified and skilled instructor who understands that self-defense is not about bravado, cruelty, or spectacle, but about preservation of life and the duty to protect those entrusted to us. Students leave his classes confident without arrogance, assured without recklessness, empowered without illusion, equipped not only with practical skills, but with the mindset to act decisively, lawfully, and ethically should the unthinkable occur. The goal is simple and unwavering: to survive, to escape, and to return home to the people who depend on you.
Remember when seconds count and help is minutes away you are your own first responder.
Stay safe my friends.
Pastor Bart Goldbar
Goldbar Defense LLC
