To me, anyone thats not out to hurt me, is not a threat. I feel the defense means protecting myself, not monetary items. I have insurance for that. Don't get me wrong, if someone breaks in, first ill grab my pistol, go to a secure part of the home and call the police. If the intruder walks into the area I'm in I'll have a loaded firearm ready without making noise to give away my position.
Not saying you are wrong, just have a different opinion on what I am willing to use force on.
I think you are muddling things a bit. If an intruder has randomly targeted your house, most will leave quickly if they are made aware that someone there is armed. If they don't, then you start setting up for an encounter.
If an intruder happens upon someone without any means of defense, it is a wild guess as to what he would do. Some would still run, others may come up with new ideas. That is a prime example of when having a weapon may turn things in your favor, especially if you let it be known that you have one.
The whole point of cycling a pump shotgun, isn't to wait until the guy can see you and have a shot, your are supposed to do it from a protected area to demonstrate that you do indeed have a gun, and not just your finger in your pocket. You seem to be saying that if you cycle a pump, say behind a closed door, that is more dangerous than waiting silently until they enter the room where you are? Most criminals would never open a door where they heard a shotgun being loaded, or any gun for that matter. The ones that would, can then be introduced to the slide trombone. The danger is that if you don't announce, and then something goes wrong like a misfire, you have missed an opportunity to avoid the situation altogether.
This is exactly what my friend did, and also what I have read about how to best handle an intruder in your home. Most of the other alternatives fall into the category of the 'make my day' types. I would rather them leave.
Again, if you have someone that is specifically targeting you, that is a different scenario, and one you presumably have advanced knowledge of, and also understand you may be targeted almost anywhere, not just the home. Although, even a determined attacker will likely think twice before continuing, if they have been made aware that the victim is armed, with confirmation, from a concealed location. Better yet, don't bang some other dude's wife.
