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Pastors carrying guns

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Havensdad

New Member
But a whole lot more accidental shootings and accidental deaths.

I doubt there would be less crime. Probably more second degree murders.

That's ridiculous. It is consistently the case that the more guns are regulated, the higher the crime rate. People who get their licenses, who have to undergo checks, and training, are NOT the people who are causing gun deaths. The gun deaths are a result of criminals. I guess you don't want Police carrying guns either. :BangHead:

Personally, I conceal carry, even when I am preaching (I am licensed); my wife does, too. There are approximately 400 violent crimes in Churches across the USA every year;just last month I saw where a church shooter was stopped by a person with a concealed carry license. Not going to have some guy come in my church and start shooting.
 

Tom Butler

New Member
Personally, I conceal carry, even when I am preaching (I am licensed); my wife does, too. There are approximately 400 violent crimes in Churches across the USA every year;just last month I saw where a church shooter was stopped by a person with a concealed carry license. Not going to have some guy come in my church and start shooting.

Lest somebody think that it couldn't happen, here's a story from March, 2009.
Senior Pastor Fred Winters was standing in the pulpit when a man in dark clothes fired at the pastor four times before slashing himself. Two other parishioners were injured when they tried to subdue the gunman.
Reverend Winters used the bible he was reading to shield himself from the bullets as he was preaching during the 8:15 am service at the First Baptist Church in Maryville, Illinois that Sunday morning.
A parishioner had commented that they saw a man walk to the front of the aisle and started shooting. The gunman’s .45 calliber pistol had jammed after the fourth shot and he then started slashing himself with a four inch knife.
Two other church goers Terry Bullard and Keith Melton were injured when they tried to subdue the gunman. Reverend Winters was pronounced dead at the Anderson Hospital

I know of at least one preacher who always went into his pulpit armed. He was close friends with Pastor Winters, and spent several days at FBC Maryville counseling members who witnessed the horror.

And some old-timers in my church told the story of one of our pastors back in the 1920s who also went into the pulpit packing heat. He was bi-vocational, and his full-time job was as a "revenooer." That is the equivalent of an Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agent today. His main job was going after illegal hooch, bootleggers, and busting up stills.

One elderly lady told me that on one occasion, he simply took his pistol out of his holster and laid it on the pulpit. And nobody thought anything about it, because they knew he was always armed because of his job.
 

Baptist Believer

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
But a whole lot more accidental shootings and accidental deaths.
Statistically, swimming pools are much more dangerous than handguns. We would have a lot fewer drownings and accidental deaths, especially deaths of children, if we outlawed swimming pools.

But you might insist, "swimming pools are used to teach valuable skills! If you teach someone to be responsible around the pool and learn to swim, you will minimize the number of drownings."

Exactly.

If children and adults know how to responsibly handle a firearm, they are learning valuable skills. That will also minimize the number of accidental shootings. As someone who has taught others to shoot, I am amazed at how careless people are with guns before they take their first shots. Even though I tell them that they should never aim a gun (even if they think it is unloaded) at anything they are not prepared to destroy/kill, they tend to be very casual with it. Once they squeeze off a few shots, they realize that they are controlling a force that has serious consequences if used carelessly.

You don't want a gun? Fine. I would prefer you would know a bit about gun safety just in case you encounter a firearm. I don't want you or anyone else getting hurt. But please, don't assume that those who own guns are reckless or uninformed.

I have a conceal carry permit and I carry wherever it is legal. In fact, my Sig Sauer pistol is in my inside-the-waistband holster at the 4:30 position under my shirt as I type this. I've been carrying for years and have never handled the pistol dangerously. Fortunately, I have never had the need to draw it.
 

dcorbett

Active Member
Site Supporter
The US Constitution protects our right to bear arms.

My hubby is a concealed weapons permit holder, as are several
other men in our church. Let one goofy crazy person walk in
and try to do harm, and he will get taken out in a matter of
seconds.

It happened up north here in Colorado. People were killed, and
the female security guard finally took the person out and protected
the rest of the congregation.
 

Oldtimer

New Member
The US Constitution protects our right to bear arms.

If we don't defend that right, then how can we defend the right to worship our God? We shouldn't pick and choose which portions of God's word we choose to obey and which ones to deny their validity. Why would/should we pick and choose from the Bill of Rights?

Ban private ownership of guns. Many Christians agree with that.
Ban private ownership of God's word. Christians don't agree with that.

If you take away the right to bear arms how will you defend your right to have a Bible in your home? Don't forget history, as it does repeat itself. At one time, even the Catholic Church forbid private possession of the scriptures under penalty of death.
 

Crabtownboy

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
It appears that Crabby does not believe in doctors either. Just simply trust in God to heal us of any sickness.

ROFL. Salty I enjoy your strange logic.

I guess you see neither the seriousness nor the satire of my comment.

People go on and on about their trust in God and then go on and on about needing weapons to protect themselves. I find that somewhat strange. Well if you are a Calvinist, and I do not know whether you are or not, a weapon would be useless as everything is per-determined. So if God predestined you to shoot someone he will put a weapon in your hand at the right time ... you don't' need to carry one as he will provide ... if you are a Calvinist.

I have traveled over much of the world, alone often, and have never needed a weapon. A few years ago, at the seminary in Prague, a young woman from Serbia ask, "Why are Americans so afraid of everything and everyone?" I find that a fairly interesting question.
 
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HAMel

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
More people die each year from medical error than all the gun shooting combined.
 

Tom Bryant

Well-Known Member
I have traveled over much of the world, alone often, and have never needed a weapon. A few years ago, at the seminary in Prague, a young woman from Serbia ask, "Why are Americans so afraid of everything and everyone?" I find that a fairly interesting question.


from serbia??? where men with guns committed genocide against people and then men with guns had to come in and protect the innocent. Maybe she needs to revisit her own history.
 

Mexdeaf

New Member
ROFL. Salty I enjoy your strange logic.

I guess you see neither the seriousness nor the satire of my comment.

People go on and on about their trust in God and then go on and on about needing weapons to protect themselves. I find that somewhat strange. Well if you are a Calvinist, and I do not know whether you are or not, a weapon would be useless as everything is per-determined. So if God predestined you to shoot someone he will put a weapon in your hand at the right time ... you don't' need to carry one as he will provide ... if you are a Calvinist.

I have traveled over much of the world, alone often, and have never needed a weapon. A few years ago, at the seminary in Prague, a young woman from Serbia ask, "Why are Americans so afraid of everything and everyone?" I find that a fairly interesting question.
Never mind...
 

mandym

New Member
ROFL. Salty I enjoy your strange logic.

I guess you see neither the seriousness nor the satire of my comment.

People go on and on about their trust in God and then go on and on about needing weapons to protect themselves. I find that somewhat strange. Well if you are a Calvinist, and I do not know whether you are or not, a weapon would be useless as everything is per-determined. So if God predestined you to shoot someone he will put a weapon in your hand at the right time ... you don't' need to carry one as he will provide ... if you are a Calvinist.

I have traveled over much of the world, alone often, and have never needed a weapon. A few years ago, at the seminary in Prague, a young woman from Serbia ask, "Why are Americans so afraid of everything and everyone?" I find that a fairly interesting question.

Of course...............
 

gators_2006

New Member
After our Easter drama two years ago, we had a man who was acting strange, go up front and talk to the pastor. He then turned to the people and started yelling about how we needed to know Jesus and to listen to what the pastor was saying. He then said for everyone to stay where they were, that he had to get something from his car. You could hear everyone gulp and hold their breath. Fortunately, our sound man for that night is a captain with the county sherriffs office and was able to run downstairs and meet the man in the parking lot before he could get to his car. All he wanted was his notebook and bible.

I was in the front row next to the side doors that he would have had to have come back through. My wife and kids were a couple rows behind me. I was in a full Roman guard outfit and armor. Two other Roman guards and I were ready to do what we had to do if he came back in with anything he should not have had. This was one of those times I hated not being able to have my baby (S&W 40) with me.

After that happened, we discussed the possible outcomes that could have happened. Come to find out, just in the congregation, there are four working or retired LEO's that carry. In the choir alone, there are 7 of us men, including myself, that have our CCW's and carry most of the time during our services.
 

agedman

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
What do you folks with CCW's do when the after Sunday service business or restaurant posts no gun signs?

Do you carry, anyway?

What about the rest of the time you encounter such signs during the week?

Seems to me the signs are a bit self defeating if obeyed.

I noticed a church had such a sign posted and wondered if they gave waivers to the membership.
 

Arbo

Active Member
Site Supporter
ROFL. Salty I enjoy your strange logic.

I guess you see neither the seriousness nor the satire of my comment.

People go on and on about their trust in God and then go on and on about needing weapons to protect themselves. I find that somewhat strange. Well if you are a Calvinist, and I do not know whether you are or not, a weapon would be useless as everything is per-determined. So if God predestined you to shoot someone he will put a weapon in your hand at the right time ... you don't' need to carry one as he will provide ... if you are a Calvinist.

I have traveled over much of the world, alone often, and have never needed a weapon. A few years ago, at the seminary in Prague, a young woman from Serbia ask, "Why are Americans so afraid of everything and everyone?" I find that a fairly interesting question.

Koombayah mentality.
 
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Crabtownboy

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
from serbia??? where men with guns committed genocide against people and then men with guns had to come in and protect the innocent. Maybe she needs to revisit her own history.

You missed her point entirely. She said, "I am not afraid." She went on to say that Serbians, while they had must finished a civil war did not walk around in fear as Americans seem to do.

A young man from Serbia earned his Ph. D. at the seminary. He was in the military during the war, escaped death narrowly ... but said he had not fear. He and his wife returned to Kosovo as missionaries. So, why are Americans so paranoid? I think because we have had it too easy and the military-industrial complex wants us in fear so they can gain big budgets from the government.
 

Sapper Woody

Well-Known Member
CTB, are you going to adress the numbers I showed you, or continue to ignore irrefutable proof of the inaccuracy of your statements?
 
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