Loading ...Assembly of God pastor invites people to bring guns to church
flockwoodI’ve attended a snake-handling church in Kentucky, but I’ve never been to a hand-gun handling congregation. This is new territory, as far as I can tell.
The Assemblies of God, by the way, rejects snake-handling. My hunch is that church officials in Springfield , Mo. won’t be too keen on “Bring Your Gun to Church Day.”
Click here to read all about it.
h/t: Caleb and Bart
June 6th, 2009 at 8:20 am
I’m moving to Louisville, where this guy is. Great. The wife and kids leave at the end of this month, and I’m going in December, when I’ll be ABD.
June 6th, 2009 at 9:11 am
Somebody trots this spectacle out every few years. So embarassing. . . .
June 6th, 2009 at 11:54 am
Bring your concealed carry permit, Joe, and you’ll be alright.
In Kentucky, we LOVE that second amendment bestest of all!
June 8th, 2009 at 9:18 am
Wow. I thought it was wild west here!
June 8th, 2009 at 11:21 am
Nah, Mike, here in Kentucky, we think that when Jesus returns, he’ll be well armed and a life member of the NRA! And a conservative Republican to boot! And white (see Republican)! And Baptist (preferably Southern)!
June 8th, 2009 at 11:24 am
While I have strong objections to this whole thing as publicity stunt, I believe it’s not necessarily unsound policy to allow concealed carry by parishioners. In such a case, if you are uncomfortable attending a church which allows concealed carry inside the church, I would recommend not attending.
This, however, is a matter that goes to the heart of the seriousness that the leadership takes in terms of its Gospel mission and doing nothing to add offense to the offense of the cross.
Why put any offense in front of the offense of the cross? The church shouldn’t crusade for left- or right-wing political pet issues.
June 8th, 2009 at 11:31 am
Right, Tertius, cause we certainly have never had anyone murdered in a church by someone with a gun. Might be good public policy to just arm everyone on the way in. In Episcopal churches, years ago, they had little doilies in the back of the sanctuary for the women to wear on their heads if they weren’t wearing a hat (in those days, women were expected to cover their heads in Episcopal churches); now, we could just substitute guns for the doilies. I guess we’d have to provide ammunition, too.
June 8th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
I think that it needs to be a law that everyone over the age of 13 must carry a firearm with them at all times. This includes, churches, courthouses, airplanes, and so forth.
June 8th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
Absolutely, Bart, and I wouldn’t limit it to those over 13, either. Let’s arm those elementary school kids: That would put an end to this problem of too much homework!
June 9th, 2009 at 11:50 am
The New Apostolic Reformation branch of the Assemblies of God has been preaching “another Jesus” for quite some time now — their teachings bear very little resemblance to anything found in the Bible. There’s a ditch on both sides of the road — in their way these guys are every bit as heretical as Gene Robinson or PB Schori. Just google “New Apostolic Reformation”, “transformations”, or “joel’s army” and see for yourself.
Here’s what St. Paul said about people who preach another gospel:
“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:8, 9
June 9th, 2009 at 7:05 pm
Caleb, I totally agree with you. I am a gunowner who does not think that my gun is some means by which I would be able to save anyone in an emergency. I believe the 2nd amendment gives me the right to have one and I enjoy shooting when I have time. However, I do not even keep ammunition in my home and I do not carry it on my person. I submit that those who say their gun will save them in an emergency have never been shot at and had the survival mode kick in. Most would run away and around a corner when the bullet comes your way, just as I did.
All that being said, a church is NOT the place to carry a loaded weapon.
June 10th, 2009 at 10:28 am
David, for once we agree, except about that second amendment thing. To me, the second amendment obviously and openly refers to a “well organized militia,” and I think that all it means is that the states have the right to have militias.
But as to your point about guns, I agree fully. I’ve owned guns all my life and went through some level (low) of military training in my youth, and I would never see a gun as something promoting safety or self defense. The fact is that the average gun owner couldn’t hit the side of a barn in an emergency, and would probably end up getting shot him or herself instead of shooting an intruder. But the NRA teaches otherwise, and we must all bow down to Charlton Heston . . .
June 10th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
To think that the Assemblies of God was originally a pacifist group.
June 13th, 2009 at 10:56 am
I didnt’ know that, Sherri. Can you give us some background? I am fearfully ignorant concerning the denomination.