Not bluster, necessarily. You said earlier that you weren't exactly sure of the laws in your state. So, you're making just as much of a blanket statement as he is. However, the facts tend to be conclusive, when you can find them. For instance, one source is the monthly NRA magazine, which publishes excerpts from news reports around the country, detailing incidents where people *IN THEIR HOMES OR BUSINESSES* used guns to stop bad guys. It's very rare for citizens in such situations to be charged with anything at all.
Most home invasions occur when nobody's home. The police tend to agree with law-abiding citizens about one thing: If someone breaks into your home while you're there, it's highly likely that they are either dangerous by choice (armed and ready to hurt you if necessary), or they are not sane. This eliminates any nonsense about finding out first if the person is a danger to you. The logical assumption is that they are. In most states, you may then do whatever you feel is appropriate, as long as the intruder is IN YOUR DWELLING. Not your yard, not your driveway, not your garden shed. In the house, you are not required to retreat to a safe room, although that's not a bad idea. You are not required to get out the bandages if you shoot someone. Matter of fact, the police generally prefer that you stay away from the intruder until help arrives, since heavily drugged people can be oblivious to pain and may still be dangerous.
These are not nice things to think about, which is why people like to believe they're not true. Yes, the laws vary a bit from place to place, but the general idea remains pretty consistent. Nobody expects citizens to greet an intruder in the middle of the night and simply ask them to leave. That's stupid.