Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Guns in Church

I recently had a conversation with an elder concerning concealed firearms in church. In Ohio it is a felony to carry in a place of worship without there permission. What he told me was that those on the council stated that they would not be comfortable with people carrying concealed weapons, not even a select few.

So I wrote this on my Facebook page, which is read by many in the church:

Sitting here thinking about a recent conversation. Someone told me they and others wouldn't feel comfortable with people carrying handguns in church. They might even be afraid.

Really, that's funny.The thing is I go about my day, walking around shopping, talking to people, giving a smile and receiving one. Yes, just a pleasant person.

Except

I'm carrying a handgun, sometimes two, most of the time.

So do you feel different now? Are you afraid? Am I not still the good Christian man I always was? Am I less pleasant? If you hugged me and felt it, would you recoil in horror? What difference does it make really?

Well, one I guess, you'd be safer by me. Why you ask? Because I'm still the man who would fight for you.

You see, this gun does not make me evil, it has no power to do that. Nor is it evil, because it is just an object. It is a tool, nothing more or less. It just so happens that it is a tool I use very well.

Hmm...

Wasn't Peter armed with a sword while in the garden with Jesus when Jesus was arrested? If Jesus was okay with one of his disciples carrying an openly displayed sword for the purpose of defense, how can it be unChristian to carry a concealed firearm?

sad deal there


hope you don't have to find a new church

you put it out there about as most sensible as possible


just hope they have enough sense to realize it

Actually, important enough to tell them to sell their cloak and buy a sword.

When Jesus was arrested, he told Peter to put the sword away. That had nothing to do with being a pacifist as is often claimed. It was because Jesus came to die and it was his time. He didn't want Peter and the others to interfere with what he came to do and he certainly didn't want anyone other than himself to die.

Just like most Church's, they have no Faith in what they preach for God to protect them. Everybody wants to go to heaven , but no one wants to die to get there.

Our Minister does not care, he carries as well. I know of many there that are carrying during service. We also run the 3rd largest Judo club in the USA out of the church. The Minister is one of the instructors. I would just as well take my chances there as somewhere else if something was to happen.

It means your are ready to KILL in the right circumstances, which makes you a potential KILLER. Didn't the Bible say to not kill

You're missing the point that Jesus was in favor of his disciples being armed for self defense. So for church elders to refuse to allow good Christians to carry concealed for self defense cannot be justified by the Bible, and in fact could be construed to go contrary to Jesus' teachings.

My last pastor had a gun safe in his office, and we had church shooting matches twice per year. EVERYONE was carrying in my church.

If you are so paranoid as to feel it is necessary to carry a firearm while attending church services, perhaps you should stay home and watch one of the televangelists. After all a man's home is his fortress, I feel no need to make an armed fortress out of my house of worship.

I wonder if any of the congregation remember the pictures in elementary school of the Pilgrims on their way to church with guns over their shoulders. Too many church goers have been brainwashed into the false meekness of so many modern denominations.

Not too long ago our congregation had a regular visitor for several weeks who showed definite signs of being psychotic. He and much of the congregation did not know that he was surrounded by armed members.

You are what may be considered a statistic one day.

Are you unaware of the recent rash of church shootings across the country? Just like in school zones, shooters prefer their victims unarmed. Any gun free zone can become a free fire zone for a crazy.

I think the wording is commit murder, not kill.

Nope. It tells us to not murder. Jesus, as mentioned above, on the last night before his crusifiction advised his diciples thusly:

Luke 22
35 And He said to them, �When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?� So they said, �Nothing.�

36 Then He said to them, �But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.


Obviously Jesus was telling them hard times were coming for his followers. Where before they depended only on the goodness of the populous, they now must be prepared to provide for their own sustenance and well being. Jesus never intended for we his followers to be killed by our enemies.

I have been carrying a firearm for well over a half a century every where I go, church is one of those places. It has nothing to do with paranoia, I won't go without insurance on my home, vehicles or health either. I also have fire extinguishers in the kitchen & shop.

As a stated by the OP, it is just another tool in the box, nothing more, nothing less.

I am not bothered in the least that some attend church while armed. No clear thinking person would be.

I don't have a problem with carrying in church whatsoever.

Calling somebody paranoid for concealed carry is way over the top.