Featured Guns and the Church

Church and guns?

Everyone needs to attend one and pack one.

 

So you are active duty, and you are still not to be trusted with a firearm?

 

There are several possible reasons for what is going on here, but I would not assume this is a personal issue with you.

There appears to be, based on what you have posted here, a couple of power brokers in the church who use their victim status to control things. (i.e. vet who is scared of guns). The church is in serious decline and it is likely there is no real life left in it.

Honestly, if I were you I would go find a church that is vibrant, and is engaged in outreach and the community. If you have children they need much more than what you will find there. Let them have their country club and go find an actual church. Your family is counting on you.

 

While I can't advise you in regards to whether you should leave or not, I will make a few comments for you to consider:

1. The fellowship we belong to should be decided upon for two primary reasons: first, that this is a place where we can worship God, and secondly, that it is a place where the Word of God is being taught and we are growing in our relationship with the Lord.

2. We should recognize the fact that any time there is more than one person present, there is inevitably going to be contention. Knowing this, we should keep in mind that fellowship is no different than marriage, it is not finding the right person, it is about being the right person.

3. We should honor our elders, even when they are incredible pains in the rump. Particularly if they have served this country and suffered through those experiences. Combat affects people differently, but I can understand an aversion to guns coming out of Vietnam. Doesn't mean he is right, but, he has earned at least a modicum of consideration for his service, as do all who serve honorably in our Military.

4. While the possibility of an armed assailant entering the Church fellowship is a possibility, there are other measures that can be taken. Our own fellowship locks the doors during the service, which is a probable time of entry, though if they enter at the beginning of the service that will do little good.

5. If the Pastor is on board with these fellows, this makes it a situation where there is really no option left for you to continue to carry at church. We should give our leadership the respect they deserve when it is not a matter of Doctrinal Issue.

6. If you feel the need to carry strongly enough, then it might be better to remove yourself from this congregation, making sure that the new congregation's leadership doesn't have a problem with you carrying, and it might be advisable to keep this between you and the leadership. If you decide not to mention it to them, I can't say I would have a problem with that, either. I see nothing wrong with it, and think there have been a number of occasions that someone with a weapon who is skilled in it's use would have prevented further tragedy, and if I am not mistaken there have been examples of this being true.

However, for me personally, I have never felt the need to carry, and trust in God in regards to what happens. My work takes me into the worst neighborhoods in the city, and again, as mentioned before, this too is a matter of being the right person. They say that 90% of what people worry about never happens, and that which does happen people never see coming (or in other words they failed to worry over what did happen). That doesn't mean I dismiss your position, because as I said, I don't have a problem with it and would not in the least mind to find out members were carrying weapon (providing they were responsible adults, lol).

Are you happy with this fellowship? Apart from this particular fellow you mention? Are you growing in Christ and making friends? If so, it may be that discretion will be the better part of valor here, and if this is where God would have you right now perhaps carrying should be reconsidered. But you have to weigh all the elements of the issue and decide for yourself, as I said, I wouldn't want to advise you on something that I see is really between you and the Lord. There is always going to be certain among the fellowships we attend that cause problems, so when we remove ourselves from one fellowship we are either going to run into the same thing elsewhere or get a new source of irritation. That is just par for the course when we interact with people.

Lastly, thank you for your service. I am all for having as many Christians as we can get into the Military.


God bless.

 

I think if you asked most leadership they would say yes, but, carrying is a right of an individual, so perhaps we might see both a reasonableness to both views. Both views could be argued reasonably, I think.

So the question would be for us, do we take a "don't ask, don't tell" mentality towards this, or does the leadership have a right to know? I think the conscience of the one carrying would probably dictate an individual response, because some might not even give it a thought that telling the leadership is something they should do. Carrying a gun would be for some, I think, no different than carrying a wallet, it's just something they do.

Out of sight, out of mind, right?

The OP obviously felt compelled to ask permission, and I think that was decent of him. But not everyone might think this necessary.


God bless.

 

Which church do you attend?
I want to make a special point of keeping well away from it when I visit America next year.

 

You don't think it possible that he could assist in a situation where a nut comes in?

And, not talking about your upcoming trip by the way...




God bless.

 

Yes. Well I shall exercise my liberty in staying well away from gun-toting septuagenarians who describe their weapons as 'toys.'

 

Wow, a great conversation run amuck just like that, lol.

Well, if you stop by Virginia let me know, be glad to have you come visit my own fellowship, and I will treat you to lunch. My Pastor, by the way, is a huge Spurgeon fan, lol. Don't agree with everything he says but he's a good man and one of the few I have known I feel has been called of God to preach.

As far as those who do treat firearms without the care demanded, not everyone in America is like that. While I am not a hunter and routinely use weapons, I do know a number of enthusiasts that are responsible with guns and treat it as the privilege it is to own a gun.

But isn't that the way a lot of times? The actions of a few result in the loss of privilege for the many? Kind of like a city park: people trash it then complain that it is trashed.

But back to the topic, again, I would actually have no problem with someone like the OP having a firearm on him during a service. I would not expect carelessness on his part, which is not a characteristic of any enthusiast I know. I can understand a desire to be prepared, particularly in light of the shooting he spoke about near his house. We can only speculate about what might happen, but, better to be prepared than to ruminate in hind sight.

Lastly, there have been quite a few shootings here recently which have made the news. Some of them have taken place in churches, and our own fellowship has adopted a policy of locking the doors during the service on account of this. So as I said before, I think both sides can be reasonably defended, and the bottom line for the OP is that according to the Laws of his state he has a right to carry a gun to church if he desires to. I give him credit for having the courtesy not to be defiant in the matter, and to seek out the advice of brethren. Some of us don't feel compelled to do this, but, I think we should take into consideration the areas some people may live in. Just heard on the news the other day our state has already had twelve murders. Richmond was, years ago, the murder capital of the nation. So I wouldn't blame some people for wanting to be prepared if some nutcase did walk in and open up.


God bless.

 

Hmm, I think I see a correlation...Roflmao