RE: "Safe Spaces" are popular today, as if a person can hide from reality...
Yeah schools have changed in the wake of Columbine. I told my daughters and sons both how to defend themselves and what to do if a bully would not leave them alone. The schools were VERY unhappy with me giving such instructions. They have a zero violence tolerance these days, which means the psychological bullying can pretty much occur unchecked and has grown like weeds. The psychological bullying in my examples was far worse in terms of long term effects than any of my physical altercations. You are right though the periods where I was psychologically bullied were cases where I chose not to confront it and if need be meet it with violence.
There was a period from around 11 - 15 or so that I tried the non-violence route. All my psychological bullying scars are from that period. Ages 6-10, and 16+ I didn't put up with it any longer. I have no such scars from those periods. Though 16+ all cases where I was prepared to get bloody the people backed down. In a lot of those cases I was extremely lucky...
I was lucky that I was very intimidating when I was mad at that point. I look back at some of my narrow misses with violence and I don't think I'd have come out in too good of shape from the other side of some of those. Even then, that stuff would heal. The people would know that I was willing to fight to protect myself from their bullshit and odds are they would want to avoid the bruises. So even then less damage than the psychological scars.
I've never really had a moral conflict about killing and the government trained me well. "Thou shalt not kill," is all well and good but you have to look at in the historical context from which it came. Back in those days people lived in tribes and if you had a small tribe, a big one swooped in, took all your stuff and your hot chicks and you were left broke screwing chicks that look like Rosie O'Donnell. So it made sense to "be fruitful and multiply."
I pulled my kids out of public school. To me public education is just a form of child abuse. It was a pretty severe financial strain, but worth it in the long run. The whole non-violence thing is ok, but only if everybody agrees to it and that's never going to happen. So I figure, if you live in a violent world- be good at it. It's like anything else...if you want to be successful, be good at something.
I pulled my kids out of public school eventually as well. Largely because of seeing these problems. I was not worried about the indoctrination aspect of school as my kids and I are close and talk a lot so they were getting an education from me that was counter to indoctrination. This also though could cause issues with the indoctrination system. :)
I didn't push any religion on my kids. I'd discuss religion with them at times, but I told them they were welcome to follow whatever religion they wanted (or not follow a religion) as long as they didn't push it on other people.
Only one of my children, my Middle Daughter Kelly, went the Christian route for awhile and was involved with groups and enjoying herself. Until they found out she was a Lesbian and they started attacking her for it. That was the end of her religious interest. The rest of my kids never really cared one way or the other about religion. My youngest daughter dated and hung around with some Buddhists a few years ago and she'd interact with them and participate some, but she doesn't really do that any longer either.
As far as killing... and violence. I practice the Non-Aggression Principle. That doesn't mean I will not defend myself. I'll defend my family and myself very violently if need be.
I really don't believe God concerns himself with people's sexuality, or choices is perhaps a better word. As long as they're adults. I believe He's more interested in how we treat one another. Most of the anti-gay stuff in the Bible comes from Paul who I understand was pretty conflicted sexually. I love God, but am not all that fond of religion. If you read Jesus message with an open mind you see that he doesn't push religion, in fact He had some serious issues with religion. When he says: "Upon this rock I build my church..." you have to look at the translation. By church He means a group of people not a building or religion.
I never pushed my kids toward any religion either. My AA sponsor told me all I need to know: 'There's a God, you ain't Him." I try to practice non-aggression at my age nobody messes with me, but God help them if they do. I'll defend myself or anybody else that's being attacked regardless of consequences. Jesus also said "There is no greater love than to lay down your life for your fellow man."