Do Pastors need a gun?

[Omegaman 3.0]

18 minutes ago, hmbld said:

When in real life, someone already breaking the law is probably going to shoot you at first sight of your weapon.

Maybe, but it real life, that person could also have a gun trained on him before he sees the weapon. I am thinking that a nervous crime victim with a finger on the trigger of a gun, aimed at a perpetrator, will likely win that fast draw contest.

Estimates vary widely on how often firearms are used in self defense, but the vary from a low estimate of 55,000 to 80,000 incidents per year, and a high estimate of 4.7 million incidents per year.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defensive_gun_use

[The_Patriot21]

32 minutes ago, hmbld said:

Then again, a guy can have weapons stockpiled, carrying multiple guns, even have one in his hand, squeezing the trigger, and be picked off from behind by a perp who would never kill anybody except he found you aiming for his buddy so he decided to save his buddy.  My hope isn't of this world, and being killed by a perp will result in finally going home.  A gun could be useful, or, it could even hasten your demise simply by having one in your hands when the perps come.  

All possibilities. But then there are thousands of perps who run at the mere sight of a gun. Most of your common criminals don't want a gunfight they want an easy target. Even in the case of mass shootings they typically pick soft targets. In the case they are armed and willing to fight I'd take my chances with me having a gun over not. 

[Guest shiloh357]

19 minutes ago, hmbld said:

Its also disturbing to see so much support of weapons intended to kill, here on a christian board, especially with all the statements about how they can save you or your wife or kids.  When in real life, someone already breaking the law is probably going to shoot you at first sight of your weapon.  Maybe not someone out to steal your wallet, they might be too scared.  But any hardened criminal would instinctively shoot you first, or one of his buddies when they learn of your intentions.  Putting your faith in weapons is throwing caution to the wind.

Most of the time, it's the victim that has the element of surprise and law enforcement confirms that armed citizens reduce the crime rate.  Owning guns is about wanting to kill people.  Most of the time, its about deterring criminals.  And when a population is armed, crime rates go down and not up.   Cities like Chicago, Detroit, and Washington DC have the highest crime rates and they are places that have the strictest gun laws preventing people from being able to defend themselves.

It's not a matter of putting faith in a gun, anymore than I am putting faith in insurance or other commonsense measures of personal well-being.  Does eating healthy mean that I am putting faith in healthy, nutritious food?   Can you not see how absurd that is?

[Kindle]

9 hours ago, Robert said:

(Yes, I am breaking my self-imposed silence; but this has gotten ridiculous)

And with that, I return to my isolation.

lol

15 hours ago, Sharnadeen said:

I used the word afraid which speaks to fear. Why would anyone carry a gun if they have 'no fear'? That just doesn't make any sense. Fear has to be involved, it may not be extreme to the point of death but whatever it is that is being 'protected' by the gun is what the person is 'fearful' to lose on the flipside. Think about it...

So Christ was fearful when he told peter to buy swords

13 hours ago, nebula said:

Who's up for walking through the run-down areas of Detroit without a self-defense weapon?

not me

15 hours ago, Sharnadeen said:

Ok just to clarify, I said the Lord's Angels will suffice. The Lord's angels operate when we give them something to work with, and that it through prayer. Having faith without praying is futile. It is possible for an Apostle, Pastor and any leader to be armed if He does not Pray. So as it relates to your argument regarding Apostles being gunned down, it is highly possible that they did not cover themselves prior to the attack. The title that anyone wears in the body of Christ, does not guarantee one's protection. But prayer does...always....and in that way the Lord's angels do suffice.

That is true you must pray before you go anywhere that the lord would protect you. Also you must remember that you are a human and carry so weapon of defense even if it's a sling shot lol. You just need something to detour an intruder 

2 hours ago, kwikphilly said:

Hey Pat,thats about how old I was when I was taught by family how to shoot,my dad used to bring me to the archery range as well & taught me how to handle a bow & arrow......the first thing we were taught was that we had to respect the sport & only participate under supervision.....good training  makes for responsible adults ,good stuff Pat                               

I LOVE archery 

[kwikphilly]

Forgive me if someone posted the same already,I've honestly not read all the posts here.....

   Anyone ever hear of Sam Childers,he is referred to as the "machine Gun Preacher".....for those that believe a man is less "Godly" because he carries a gun should hear his story      Sam has helped many,he has been used by God to bring many to Jesus....if he didn't tote around his machine gun I think he would have been long gone & so would many innocent children                        Praise Jesus!                     With love-in Christ,Kwik

[Kindle]

4 minutes ago, kwikphilly said:

Forgive me if someone posted the same already,I've honestly not read all the posts here.....

   Anyone ever hear of Sam Childers,he is referred to as the "machine Gun Preacher".....for those that believe a man is less "Godly" because he carries a gun should hear his story      Sam has helped many,he has been used by God to bring many to Jesus....if he didn't tote around his machine gun I think he would have been long gone & so would many innocent children                        Praise Jesus!                     With love-in Christ,Kwik

Thanks for sharing no one has posted that information yet

[HAZARD]

15 hours ago, Sharnadeen said:

You can have a firearm and the powers of the spirit prevent it from going off as you have planned. Bottomline, if the powers of the spirit have the final say in all things, why not just leave it up to God to be your personal body guard by making intercessions?

Jesus never said, "If you are attacked or threatened, or feel as if you may be killed by a robber, don't worry, just kneel down and pray, and I will protect you?"

He did say this;

Luke 24:36, 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.

Proverbs 25:26, A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.

[other one]

4 hours ago, hmbld said:

Not quite the same thing as being prepared to take another's life to save your own, but nice story!

you don't have to take another's life to save your own with a gun...   most people who are shot with guns don't die.....   but they will stop what they are doing to put you and your family in harms way.

[HAZARD]

11 hours ago, shiloh357 said:

God doesn't promise that we will not encounter danger if we pray hard enough or long enough.  That aspect of prayer is necessary and vital, but it is presumptuous to assume that we don't need to take practical measures, as well, to defend self, family and property.

You seem to put owning a gun on the same level as a lack of faith in God.   It's either own a gun or trust God to defend you as if the two are mutually exclusive concepts.

David's sling was used by God to defeat Goliath.  David having a sling and stones didn't represent a lack of faith in God.  Rather, they became instruments in God's hand in the defeat of evil.   If anything the praying pastor who trains with his weapon, who cleans it and stores it properly and carries it responsibly can be a force for good in God's hand.   God can empower him and use his weapon for His purposes and glory just like He used a little shepherd boy and the weapon he carried on his belt.

I purchased the DVD movie, Machine Gun Preacher, A TRUE STORY, staring Sam Childers who plays a former drug-dealing biker tough guy who found God and became a crusader for hundreds of Sudanese children who've been forced to become soldiers. At the time, the Lord's Resistance Army, a brutal rebel militia that had kidnapped scores of children and murdered hundreds of thousands of villagers, was laying waste to the area. Sam was adamant and held fast to God's mandate. He would build the orphanage there! Slowly the orphanage began to take shape. During the day Sam cleared brush and built the huts that would house the children. During the night, he slept under a mosquito net, with a bible in one hand and an AK-47 in the other. Sam began to lead armed missions to rescue children from the LRA. It wasn't long before tales of his exploits spread and villagers began to call him "The Machine Gun Preacher." Thirteen years later the orphanage is one of the largest in Southern Sudan and has fed and housed over 1,000 children. Today around 200 children call the orphanage home. Unfortunately, there are still many Sudanese children suffering and in need of rescue.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1586752/

Trailer link;

http://www.machinegunpreacher.org/movie/

[Guest shiloh357]

Church Opens  Gun Range Ministry in the Name of Jesus Christ

 

JEMISON, Ala. (WIAT) – What started out as an overgrown gully behind the Rocky Mount United Methodist Church has turned into a ministry, complete with guns, bullets and the Bible.

Pastor Phillip Guin says the gully, once full of kudzu, snakes and other vermin, had been there since before he arrived at the church. Much of the dirt used as fill was from a recent expansion.

When brainstorming about what to do with the area, the idea of a gun range came up.

“We had quite a number of church members, some elderly ladies, for example, and some not so elderly women that had purchased guns, but didn’t know how to use them,” Guin said.

Originally, the range was used to teach firearm safety. But about a year ago, that changed. The thought of a ministry started becoming more and more clear.

http://wiat.com/2015/08/12/church-opens-gun-range-ministry-in-the-name-of-jesus-christ/