Arkansas’s House just passed a bill approving concealed carry in church.
I applaud this. Texas’ concealed carry laws originally prohibited carry in church but the law changed to allow it (unless, like any place they post a valid 30.06 sign).
Like I said before, having such laws only stop the law-abiding good guys. The law-breaking bad guys don’t care. The wolves will roam where they please, especially to places where it’s easy to pick off the sheep. Laws don’t erect magical force-fields to keep out the bad guys.
From the article:
Rep. Steven Breedlove, D-Greenwood, a minister at the Valley View Church of Christ, said allowing concealed handguns won’t stop someone from opening fire inside a church.
“Ronald Reagan was completely surrounded by armed guards and he was still shot,” Breedlove said. “And that is why we must put our faith in God and not put our faith in something else … Let us keep the sanctity of churches and put our faith in God and not in guns.”
No, it won’t stop someone bent on crazy. John Hinckley Jr. was crazy. A minister should know that bad things can happen to good people and we can’t stop it all. And although a subject of much debate, it seems rather a Christian thing to defend yourself and others.
Self-defense may actually result in one of the greatest examples of human love. Christ Himself said, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:14). When protecting one’s family or neighbor, a Christian is unselfishly risking his or her life for the sake of others.
Theologians J. P. Moreland and Norman Geisler say that “to permit murder when one could have prevented it is morally wrong. To allow a rape when one could have hindered it is an evil. To watch an act of cruelty to children without trying to intervene is morally inexcusable. In brief, not resisting evil is an evil of omission, and an evil of omission can be just as evil as an evil of commission. Any man who refuses to protect his wife and children against a violent intruder fails them morally.”
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
2265 Legitimate defense can be not only a right but a grave duty for one who is responsible for the lives of others. The defense of the common good requires that an unjust aggressor be rendered unable to cause harm. For this reason, those who legitimately hold authority also have the right to use arms to repel aggressors against the civil community entrusted to their responsibility.
So while allowing good people to possess useful tools wherever they man roam may not stop crazy, it can act as a deterrent and discourager, and at least give you a fighting chance. Yea, it even appears to be a moral obligation.
I agree. Do not put your faith in an inanimate object — a gun. But perhaps you can have faith that God might be guiding some to do His will, to be the sheepdogs helping The Shepherd guard his flock. Just ask Jeanna Assam.
Update: Robb chimes in with his take on the matter.
Stuff From Hsoi 
“But perhaps you can have faith that God might be guiding some to do His will, to be the sheepdogs helping The Shepherd guard His flock”.
This was beautifully said. St. Teresa of Avila once said that Christ has no hands but ours. We are to open ourselves up to the will of God because He works through us and through many, He works in the role of protector. No one thinks twice about those serving our country willing to sacrifice their lives for protection of life and freedom, or members of the police force who also have made that same ultimate sacrifice. I fail to understand why the same sense of respect and gratitude is not given to good people who choose not to wear a uniform, but for the same reasons, would willingly put themselves in harm’s way to protect life.
Pingback: Sometimes violence is the answer « Stuff From Hsoi
Pingback: Legitimate defense can be not only a right but a grave duty for one who is responsible for the lives of others. « Stuff From Hsoi