Pastor Asks Members To Bring Guns To Church
LOUISVILLE, Ky.
A Kentucky pastor is inviting his flock to bring guns to church to celebrate the Fourth of July and the Second Amendment.
New Bethel Church is welcoming “responsible handgun owners” to wear their firearms inside the church June 27, a Saturday. An ad says there will be a handgun raffle, patriotic music and information on gun safety.
“We’re just going to celebrate the upcoming theme of the birth of our nation,” said pastor Ken Pagano. “And we’re not ashamed to say that there was a strong belief in God and firearms — without that this country wouldn’t be here.”
The guns must be unloaded and private security will check visitors at the door, Pagano said.
He said recent church shootings, including the killing Sunday of a late-term abortion provider in Kansas, which he condemned, highlight the need to promote safe gun ownership. The New Bethel Church event was planned months before Dr. George Tiller was shot to death in a Wichita church.
Kentucky allows residents to openly carry guns in public with some restrictions. Gun owners carrying concealed weapons must have state-issued permits and can’t take them to schools, jails or bars, among other exceptions.
Pagano’s Protestant church, which attracts up to 150 people to Sunday services, is a member of the Assemblies of God. The former Marine and handgun instructor said he expected some backlash, but has heard only a “little bit” of criticism of the gun event.
Up in arms
John Phillips, an Arkansas pastor who was shot twice while leading a service at his former church in 1986, said a house of worship is no place for firearms.
“A church is designated as a safe haven, it’s a place of worship,” said Phillips, who was shot by a church member’s relative for an unknown reason and still has a bullet lodged in his spine. “It is unconscionable to me to think that a church would be a place that you would even want to bring a weapon.”
Phillips spoke out against a bill before the Arkansas General Assembly that would have permitted the carrying of guns in that state’s churches. The bill failed in February.
Pagano, 50, said some members of his church were concerned that President Barack Obama’s administration could restrict gun ownership, and they supported the plan for the event when Pagano asked their opinion.
‘Responsible’ gun ownership
Marian McClure Taylor, executive director of the Kentucky Council of Churches, an umbrella organization for 11 Christian denominations in Kentucky, said Christian churches are promoters of peace, but “most allow for arms to be taken up under certain conditions.”
Taylor said Pagano assured her the event would focus on promoting responsible gun ownership and any proceeds would go to charity.
“Praise The Lord & Pass The Ammunition” – Harry Kaye
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Wild Thing’s comment………
Wasn’t bringing your guns to church a frontier tradition back in the day? Simple good manners and common sense when injuns or bandits might strike at any time? At least in all the westerns I loved watching as a kid.
John Phillips, an Arkansas pastor who was shot twice while leading a service at his former church in 1986, said a house of worship is no place for firearms.
“A church is designated as a safe haven, it’s a place of worship,” said Phillips, who was shot by a church member’s relative for an unknown reason and still has a bullet lodged in his spine. “It is unconscionable to me to think that a church would be a place that you would even want to bring a weapon.”
Apparently, this particular church also requires you to leave your sense of irony at home.
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
There was a church in Colorado Springs a little over a year ago that had a shootout. One of the parishoners with a concealed permit shot a potential mass murderer. He had already shot two or three people in the parking lot and entered the church to shoot more when she pulled out her pistol and nailed him.
Gun ownership was basically a requirement for membership in the church (Baptist) I attended in Montana. Firearms are a way of life up there.
That’s right, demonize the firearm and the ones who bear firearms. GFZ’s really work, don’t they? Let’s see, London, Bombay, Breslan, our schools, even our airports.
Quote: “John Phillips, an Arkansas pastor who was shot twice while leading a service at his former church in 1986, said a house of worship is no place for firearms.”
I agree with John Phillips, it’s no place for me either. I’d rather not be a part of his hypocrisy. If I’m labeled non – Christian so be it!!!
This is the liberal mantra espoused by the sheeple, where the parishioners pretend to be pious. Fornicating all week, hopping from bed room to bed room with different spouses, slipping off to their abortionists when they f’k up, then they preach to the rest of us about values, some spend their after hours in bars instead of with their wives and children, some abuse their families, pretending to be devout, then come Sunday they dutifully file into the churches to be absolved for another week by the man of the cloth.
The Deity has never blasted my sinning ass for packing heat in his forests where he dwells in complete harmony with we infidels, I can commune at will without peer pressure to conform.
LIFE, IT’S THE WAY OF NATURE
Editor:
Everyday some new do-gooder is trying to save us from ourselves.
We have so many new laws and safety commissions to ensure our safety that
it seems nearly impossible to have an accident. The problem, though, is
that we need accidents, and lots of them.
Danger is natures way of eliminating stupid people. Without safety, stupid people die
in accidents. Since the dead don’t reproduce, our species becomes progressively more
intelligent (or at least, less stupid).
With safety, however well-intentioned it may be, we are devolving into half-witted
mutants because idiots, who by all rights should be dead, are spared from their rightful
early graves and are free to breed even more imbeciles.
Let’s do away with safety and improve our species. Take up smoking. Jaywalk.
Play with blasting caps. Swim right after a big meal.
Stick something small in your ear. Take your choice of dangerous activities and
do it with gusto. Future generations will thank you.
Lawrence A. Bullis
Phoenix
2000 years ago, the sword was the most powerful and deadly personal weapon a man could carry. The sword was the 45 auto of its day. In one of his last instructions to his disciples, Jesus Christ told them sell their clothing if necessary to purchase a sword
Luke 22:26 Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.
Reading the Gospels, it’s evident that some of the Apostles carried swords as they accompanied Jesus. When the Roman Soldiers came for Jesus on the night of the crucifixion, Peter drew his sword and cut off the ear of a soldier. So, for that Arkansas pastor to say a church isn’t a place for firearms, he doesn’t know christian church history. The Apostles carried swords and when the Pilgrims came to America, they came with a Bible in one hand and a rifle in the other. Some prayed while others stood watch, just like in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus prayed and Peter stood watch.
Tom, thank you for mentioning that. I
remember that I posted about it and had
forgotten all about it. Good point Tom
that saved so many lives having a gun.
BobF., that is interesting, thank you.
Jack, excellent, thank you so much.
BobF., thanks for that too, the history of
the Gospels.