Concealed carry in a house of worship...

[MaxReaver]

I am curious what the NES community thinks about concealed carry in a house of worship, church, etc...

Technically, it is legal in MA from my understanding, but I struggle with the decision. We all know some of the worst shootings in the US have been in churches.

I am interested in hearing everyone's thoughts on the matter...and lets keep it civil please

Thanks,

Russ

 

[Davidk]

You say its legal and some of the worst shootings have happened in churches. I don't see the struggle to make a decision

 

[Cloverleaf Firearms Group]

I would just stop short of having the Priest bless your blaster... and you should be ok.

 

[marleythefish]

concealed means concealed no issues.

 

[MaxReaver]

You say its legal and some of the worst shootings have happened in churches. I don't see the struggle to make a decision

Good point indeed. I guess it really should be that simple.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

I know of one Rabbi whose contract specifically stated "the Rabbi will not carry a gun in temple", however, a Jewish friend of mine has been quietly asked to carry at services by his temple leadership (on an unofficial basis, of course). So, opinions differ.

I know the Mormons had a carve-out to the UT carry law enacted that makes carry on a house of worship that denies permission a criminal offense in that state.

I wonder what the Book of Armaments has to say.

 

[jaypap]

Just pray no one sees it.

 

[PATRON]

As a Minister how I see it is your gun a tool just like any other.If you have it in Church to protect yourself,and others I don't think God will mind.Remember the shepherds carried a knife,and a staff to protect the sheep from the wolfs.

 

[Laderbuilt]

Better question is why wouldn't you???

 

[M1911]

Why would you ask such a question? I mean, seriously, why would you even think twice about it?

Do you think "gun free zones" will somehow work in churches, even though 1) they don't work in schools, and 2) history tells us otherwise?

The Charleston church shooting (also known as the Charleston church massacre[5][6][7]) was a mass shooting that took place at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in downtown Charleston, South Carolina, United States on the evening of June 17, 2015. During a prayer service, nine people were killed by a gunman, including the senior pastor, state senator Clementa C. Pinckney; a tenth victim survived. The morning after the attack, police arrested a suspect, later identified as 21-year-old Dylann Roof, in Shelby, North Carolina.

Larry Gene Ashbrook opens fire inside the crowded chapel of the Wedgwood Baptist Church. Worshipers, thinking at first that it must be a prank, keep singing. But when they realize what is happening, they dive to the floor and scrunch under pews, terrified and silent as the gunfire continues. Seven people are killed before Ashbrook takes his own life.

SELMA, Ala. — A man apparently upset over efforts to obtain visitation rights to see his month-old son allegedly shot the infant, the child's mother and the pastor at an east Alabama church Sunday morning, police said.

Aurora Police say the shooting happened in the 10600 block of East Bethany Drive.

9NEWS has learned the shooting took place at the Destiny Christian Center located in a busniess park near Parker Road and Havana Street.

According to Yolanda Marant, the media contact for the church, the shooting happened right at the end of service Sunday, sometime after 2 p.m.

The fact that you are inside a church isn't going to stop an evil man from coming in to kill you.

 

[timbo]

I do it...the minister knows and has absolutely no issues with it.

 

[garandman]

I know the Mormons had a carve-out to the UT carry law enacted that makes carry on a house of worship that denies permission a criminal offense in that state.

Wait - carry isn't mandatory in a Mormon temple? Did not know this....

 

[Reptile]

Ask those fools in Charleston if they thought it was ok not to be armed in church.

One of the politicos who was killed in the church helped make it a "gun free zone".

http://www.openbible.info/topics/self_defense

 

[smokey-seven]

My God son was a reverend in MA. He is an avid hunter and shooter since I brought him up correctly. I pointed him to the blue laws in MA that require parishioners to carry a fowling piece to church. He asked a few questions and discovered that the cloak room was the collection place for long guns in the times of old. His next question was to his Deacons to discover if they had a MA LTC since technically they would be the ones required to accept fowling pieces for storage. Of course he did this tongue in cheek buy was quite pleased to discover that all his Deacons had their LTC's. Quite a giggle.

To answer the unasked question, yes, his Deacons carry in church, after all, they collect the money.

 

[greencobra]

only 2 people gonna know about it...you and god. that makes it a non issue.

 

[mark056]

I don't understand why this question is even brought up. What makes a place of worship off limits for carrying a gun? If you have some theological qualms about carrying there, perhaps it's best you turn the other cheek and not carry anywhere. If the earth is God's creation, then I fail to see how a house of worship is any different from anyplace else, regardless of whether it's been consecrated by some ceremony or not, it is in the final abstraction just a piece of real estate, no more or less sacred or hallowed than the four walls that contain a strip club. Its only your belief or perception that somehow makes it different, which is subjective not objective. A bad guy isn't going to care and based on recent history of church shootings, no lighting bolts are going to come from on all high to smite him dead. In those church shootings that have been unsuccessful, armed response by the parishioners have saved the day.

My suggestion to the OP is that if you have reservations based on theological reasons for not carrying a firearm in a house of worship, is that you best not carry at all. BTW for those who subscribe to the Judeo Christian Ten Commandments the Commandment "Thou shall not kill" is a mis translation. A more accurate translation is: "Thou shall not murder"...big difference.

 

[SKS Ray]

Two subjects that never end well here... religion and where someone can/can't carry.