by mr palm The Arkansas House of Representatives approved a bill allowing concealed handguns to be brought into churches. The bill now goes to the state Senate, where if approved, will leave bars as the only private establishments where concealed weapons are banned.
Proponents say that the bill will allow churchgoing citizens to defend themselves in the event of a church shooting, as in
the December 2007 incident at New Life Church in Colorado where a security staff member killed a gunman that attacked worshippers there.
Opponents claim that concealed handguns will not stop someone from opening fire in a church. They also believe that such a law shows a lack of faith in God to provide safety to churchgoers (
Associated Press article)
Should concealed handguns be allowed in churches? If so, does it make a statement of faith at all?
Recommend
Comments (100)
I don't think there needs to be a legal injunction against it.
mother of gawd help us
I agree with SirNickDon. As for it being a statement of faith, no.
If somebody wants to shoot somebody in a church, no law is going to stop them. Better have the people able to protect themselves.
@gabrielpeter@xanga - I agree with your agreement with me (obviously), but I disagree with the rest of your statement.
Carrying a handgun in church makes a strong faith statement. But I don't think it's a matter of believing God providing safety to church-goers, as the OP said. The idea that going to church should be safe is ludicrous. Being a Christian is about learning to die for the right reasons, and learning how to die well.
What faith statement am I making by *not* carrying a handgun at church? It isn't that I believe God will make sure I'm safe, though I would pray for that as well. It is that I believe the call to love your enemy and love indiscriminately applies even up to the point where they *act* like an enemy.
@MysteriumFidei@xanga - Meh. If I was going to perform a terrorist act at a church, but had reason to believe several of the parishioners were armed, I'd just opt for explosives instead of shotguns.
I don't see any problem with it. Also, as far as I know, private businesses and institutions can legally ban people from carrying concealed weapons on the premises. If my understanding is correct then what would stop a church from applying for such privileges just like any other business and then posting it?
What kind of sick person decides to start shooting in a church?! Maybe one person should carry a gun, like an elder, but not just anyone and their mother.
@SirNickDon@xanga - I don't see how wanting to protect life equates to acting like your enemy.
@gabrielpeter@xanga - Not acting like your enemy, but loving your enemy even when they are acting like an enemy would act. It was a needlessly confusing phrase.
@SirNickDon@xanga - Ah, okay.
It seems rather needless, but if anything gets out of hand I'm sure it'll be changed. Not that I expect it to get crazy.
The option to choose a gun over love should always be present, otherwise the option of love doesn't exist as richly (maybe not even at all). But I see no reason for a Christian to carry a gun. I think SirNickDon said it well all ready. We're about loving enemies, and if an enemy is in our midst then let them bear witness to the faithfulness of G-d's people and his love which is reflected in their lives.
They ought to be allowed in churches, and I think schoolteachers ought to have them as well. We ought to be able to defend ourselves. If teachers had weapons, I'm quite certain that there would be less children shooting at their classmates.
@MysteriumFidei@xanga - hey! Good to see you around. :o)
If your brother is being attacked, it is the right thing to save him.
If your enemy is being attacked, it is the right thing to save him.
It is completely selfish to refrain from helping him to preserve your own holiness. (In fact, it's pretty antithetical to true holiness to elevate one's own principle to committed pacifism above the duty to protect the life of innocents and to protect the life of "your enemy" who is being attacked.)
Consider the Samaritan who helped the beaten man. Robbers beat the man and left him near death. A self-righteous priest and Levite did not help the man. The Samaritan did. By his example, would you think that, had he been at the scene of the robbery, he would have done absolutely nothing to stop the beating? Some example of love.
No, that's hypocrisy. James 2:16
If your enemy is the one who is being killed, would it be loving him to let him suffer it?
------ANYWAY------
If you feel like you need to bring a handgun to church, you're probably going to the wrong church.
I admit it sounds really strange to allow guns in church. It's really sad that it would have to come to that, though.
@TheGreatBout@xanga - Loving enemies doesn't mean being defenseless. If a man broke into your house and was going to hurt your wife and children and steal your things, you would consider it loving to let him escape?
If Christians are all packing heat, there's even less of a chance I'm going to set foot in one of your houses of worship. Judging by the hostility I've seen here on Xanga, if I asked any inconvenient questions, I might get shot.
@MysteriumFidei@xanga - Completely agreed.
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion . . ."
This means that no law shall be made by government that pertains to any place or form of religious expression. That includes churches.
Hell yes they should be allowed. We need some real-life Boondock Saints!
I was very close to some one who was nearly killed and held his dear friend while he died in his arms along with several others in a local church shooting in '98... we were 12. I am totally unapposed to church members having a gun in church. There is no since in Christians laying down their lives sheepishly when so many lives are at stake. If I can save 2 lives by taking down a gunman... I think that carrying a gun was well worth it.
I carry at church, so does my husband, our preacher, all the elders, most of the deacons and several other women. We are in Texas...go figure.
I'd rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6.
@Clay_in_His_Hands - couldn't agree more!! :)
My daughter used to be affraid of flying. I told her that if you are meant to die in a plane crash, God will drop one on you if He has to. When it's your time to die, there won't be any arguing with the grim reaper!
As for guns in church, I agree with Paul, 2 Corinthians 5:8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.
I just did a report on this!
The only public places concealed weapons are allowed in Michigan right now [i don't know about other states] is bars, and churches.
i for one, believe this is ridiculous.
There is NO reason to have guns in a church.
not one, at all.