Last night, the Northwest Baptist Church, in Toledo, OH, held a rally celebrating the right to keep and bear arms, and spreading the message that the exercise of that right is in no way incompatible with Christian values.
The rally will point to numerous biblical references claiming Jesus Christ would support second amendment rights. "We're just informing our folks you got to be able to protect yourself and what does the Bible have to say about it. We know our constitution. But this is the final authority here above our Constitution is the word of God," said Reverend Andrew Edwards with the Northwest Baptist Church.
Near the beginning of the following video clip from WTOL 11 (the West Toledo CBS affiliate), a rather provocative question is posed by the newscaster:
Should Christians be allowed to carry guns?
I trust that he's referring to the question of the compatibility of armed self-defense and Christian values, rather than whether or not the laws regarding the keeping and bearing of arms should be different for people of differing religious faiths.
As one might have guessed, there were some with whom this rally did not sit well. The Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence (OCAGV) was particularly apoplectic.
“It is an embarrassment to people of faith that pray for peace and non-violence to have gun proponents use a house of worship to encourage the ownership and defend the use of weapons.
“Firearms are not sacred relics of worship. They are tools of violence- lethal products designed to kill and injure human beings, to destroy lives, and cause terror in our communities.
“Guns allow a person to decide who lives and who dies. It is absolutely immoral to suggest that the Bible supports violence. We need to reduce gun violence, not use fear to divide and distract us to the suffering caused by our gun culture.
There's more, but you get the idea.
What struck me about that press release was not the over-the-top emotionalism of the rhetoric, which is, after all, fairly typical for citizen disarmament propaganda. No, what floored me was the arrogance inherent to telling people that they're worshipping "wrongly," and that their church service is "immoral."
It seems that along with the right to keep and bear arms, even freedom of religion offends OCAGV.
See also National Gun Rights Examiner David Codrea's Church event misguided
Finally, my own Are churchgoers' lives less worth defending?
Check out other Gun Rights Examiners:
- Atlanta: Armed customer stops robbery
- Austin: The world according to Brady (Part 2)
- Boston: More Federal and State Government tyranny on the way
- Charlotte: Dangers of gun registration: 'The Belgian Corporal'
- Cleveland: Favoring gun rights isn't subversion
- DC: Under Obamacare, where will Canadians go for medical services?
- Denver: H.R. 2159 is yet another grab for guns by the government
- Los Angeles: Why I Write For Examiner: The 66% Solution.
- Minneapolis: Taking to the air in defense of open carry
- National: Will N.J. 'one gun a month' bill stop the violence?
- Seattle: Gun rights activists, prohibitionists battle over what is ‘reasonable’
- Wisconsin: Gun rights advocates make progress
Comments
Heh. I can just IMAGINE what those idiots would say about Pagans with guns.
Yet in the New Testament all four Gospel authors clearly state that Jesus's disciples were armed with weapons common at the time, as were Jesus' opponents.
See Matthew 26:51, Mark 14:47, Luke 23:49, John 18:10 and 18:26.
I have attended services a few times in this church and believe it that they mean what they say and live accordingly. I have attened their game dinners several times and always had a great time of fellowship with fellow outdoors men and women. After 911 the pastor ahd on the sign out front a messaage that 'Allah is not the God of Christ'! He got a lot of flack for that one also. Bill
Isn't it amazing that these self-righteous, poor ignorant souls continue to cherry-pick their "facts", even from the Bible. It is an insult and disgrace to their "religious superiority" when they blatantly manipulate the Word to support their illogical, immoral agenda. There are numerous Biblical passages that admonish the faithful to be righteous and of pure heart. Along with this are numerous references regarding the Judeo-Christian obligations to oppose evil, defend life, the Most Prcious Gift, and defend the innocent from violence and evil. I actually pity these poor, misguided, blind souls for their lack of Biblical honesty. Forgive them Lord, for they know not what they do.
"It is absolutely immoral to suggest that the Bible supports violence." It is absolutely ignorant to make that statement! David stoned Goliath and cut off his head, killed two hundred Phillistians, lead an army and was proclaimed "a man after God's own heart"; Moses lead Isreal in battle at God's command; Peter carried a sword and cut off an ear; and Jesus the Son of God shall "return in flaming fire taking vengences on them that know not God". These are all God ordained acts of violence! God also gives both government and civilians authority to defend country and family as well as punish evil doers which are more acts of violence supported by God! Perhaps these people have a different Bible and do not know the only true God the Father and Jesus Christ the Saviour.
The only thing that could make the story better than this happening in Toby Hoover's (OCAGV) home town of Toledo would be to tell me she also attended that Baptist church ;-)
Guess she doesn't, google Toby Hoover and read the first hit LOL
My Bible Church pastor goes hunting twice a year or so as do many of the parishineers. Rifles and pistols and knives, OH MY!
Not to worry, Hecate. They probably don't like Atheists with guns either.
I still find it interesting that almost every pro-gun site I have visited supports reader comments while VERY FEW anti-gun sites do the same and those that do require registration to post.
That said, the Bible is FULL of self defense of people and country, anyone who can not see that is blind AND stupid.
The anti-gun people need to learn a little history. The European settlers who came to America, as well as those who moved westward, commonly attended church with their weapons in order to defend themselves against attack.
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