Do Pastors need a gun?

[Neighbor]

2 hours ago, The_Patriot2016 said:

I dont really want to kill anyone over property. if they want my wallet or my big screen TV they can have it. I carry a gun to protect me and my family, a threat to human life would be about the only reason I would pull my weapon. If theyre just after material possessions, im apt just to let them have them. 

As to your public gathering place, keep in mind most people who carry a gun, are not trained. If someone comes in and start shooting, well, chances are people are going to get killed whether anyone shoots back or not, chances are better if someone shoots back. 2, yes a lot of people now have new permits, but statistically, even in states like wyoming that has a unusually high number of gun owners and people carrying, your still only talking maybe 2 out of 10 people may have a gun on them. and 3, since many are not trained, theres a high chance they may not even shoot back! even trained soldiers, in the first time in combat, wont fire a single shot, but will tell you (and believe) they unloaded entire magazines at the enemy.

In a 1 on 1 encounter, like a mugging, attempted kidnapping, etc. the mere sight of a firearm is often enough to deter a criminal. In the case of a mass shooting, well, the shooter is most likely to choose a gun free zone so as not to be shot at. In the case that the shooter is an idiot and goes after a area with lots of shooters, ill take my chances with friendly fire....because people shooting back is the most effective way to stop a mass shooter. if no one shoots back, we all die. If we shoot back, theres a chance of friendly fire....but its a lower chance then being mowed down unarmed.

 

[whatdoIwant2callmyself]

17 hours ago, HAZARD said:

Criminals obey no laws, Every law abiding citizen should be allowed to carry a firearm. I was camping with permission on a close friends private property with my family, we were on a hunting and fishing weekend when a vehicle drove down the dirt track into our camping area beside the river .We were confronted by three rough looking characters who eyed our camp site, our property, and both of my teenage daughters, muttering amongst themselves. I told them they were on private property and asked them to leave. They laughed, verbally abused me, demanded money, started going through our personal property.

I cried out stop, I have money in my truck and walked straight to the passenger door, opened it, pulled out my Model 870, Remington Express Pump action Shotgun, (Chuck-Chuck), loaded it whilst pointing it in their direction.

They took of like the cowards they were, we never saw them again! My daughters often remember that day saying, "Wonder what would have happened dad, had we not been armed?"

Thank God you had the rifle. Otherwise, we could be reading about the family camping on private property found dead. No suspects. Authorities have no leads.

 

Gun control is about control of the law abiding. Not the criminal.

I'm proud of you. God bless you and your family.

[Neighbor]

 I have enjoyed your viewpoint.

The NRA series of self defense courses walk us through the potential aftermath of when the police arrive, if we are still standing, and an officer comes storming in seeing a prone  figure and one of us good guys with a gun- oh oh.

While a I do have a State  All  Hazards Training Certificate,  which means I took a course for handling all sorts of emergency risk situations- primarily at schools, I make my personal assessment based more on the experiences already endured. Something always goes very differently than  anticipated. Mostly because along the way a good guy fails to follow the training and instructions when the real deal happens. That changes the nature of the ball game. So far funny stuff- in that no one has died.

 Side note: when I received my limited training and paper certificate, I was the only non SWAT member of the class. They are  a very different breed, good people but rather  different, quite the "club".

This last year was an amazing experience! Whenever visiting gun shops, ranges, or shows, after our US President would make a speech, it seemed like  every ball capped and pony tailed lady in the State was buying some outsized handgun for personal protection. The wait times for making a purchase was hours long even for those with permits  because the State's computers capacity  were  so overwhelmed. Ammo was often non existent.

I think that will now calm down a bit and perhaps a lot of weapons will go on re-sale.

Anyway back to the subject; sure pastors have need of  protection, especially in the pulpit, as they are targets of the disgruntled, the insane, and the just plain mean. How that protection is to be provided is  up to the unigue need of each  local body of Christ to work out an dprovide.

 

[HAZARD]

3 minutes ago, whatdoIwant2callmyself said:

Thank God you had the rifle. Otherwise, we could be reading about the family camping on private property found dead. No suspects. Authorities have no leads.

 

Gun control is about control of the law abiding. Not the criminal.

I'm proud of you. God bless you and your family.

Thank you. I knew we were in trouble the moment they stopped in our camping area. I noticed the vehicle they were driving had the plates removed.

God bless you also.

[whatdoIwant2callmyself]

19 minutes ago, HAZARD said:

Thank you. I knew we were in trouble the moment they stopped in our camping area. I noticed the vehicle they were driving had the plates removed.

God bless you also.

Thank you. You're very fortunate to have been so observant about the missing plates. Prayerfully, those people you encountered didn't hurt anyone being they were clearly hunting.

 

The devil has his disciples too. That's why guns even the playing field.

[Kindle]

17 hours ago, HAZARD said:

Criminals obey no laws, Every law abiding citizen should be allowed to carry a firearm. I was camping with permission on a close friends private property with my family, we were on a hunting and fishing weekend when a vehicle drove down the dirt track into our camping area beside the river .We were confronted by three rough looking characters who eyed our camp site, our property, and both of my teenage daughters, muttering amongst themselves. I told them they were on private property and asked them to leave. They laughed, verbally abused me, demanded money, started going through our personal property.

I cried out stop, I have money in my truck and walked straight to the passenger door, opened it, pulled out my Model 870, Remington Express Pump action Shotgun, (Chuck-Chuck), loaded it whilst pointing it in their direction.

They took of like the cowards they were, we never saw them again! My daughters often remember that day saying, "Wonder what would have happened dad, had we not been armed?"

6 hours ago, Sharnadeen said:

 

My point exactly Warrior12. If the Shepherd is afraid, what does he expect the sheep to do?

People that are not christian don't care who you are. If they want something you have they will take it and kill you if they need to or just want to. If The pastor of the church can't defend his flock then shame on him. Christ himself creator of all told peter to go get a sword was he afraid of mere men I think not. If Christ told peter to buy swords and he is the creator of all things. What do you think us humans that are mere mortals should do. You don't know who your enemies are you must remember pastors aren't immortal they are still human.

4 hours ago, LadyKay said:

If someone were to try to harm me. I would do what ever I can to defend myself and keep myself from being harmed. But I am not afraid to die. So don't assume that just because someone carries a gun that they are afraid to die. It maybe that their intention is to protect others. 

With that said I do not like this rush to judgement. The ideal that you can make the call that someone is afraid to die because they carry a gun. Not wanting to die and not being afraid to die are two different things.  The same could be said about someone who locks their doors at night. Am I afraid of someone busting into my home and killing me. No. But I still do not want someone to do try to do it. Is locking my door a sign that I have little faith in God's protection on my life? Not at all. For the way I see it, God is the one who provided me with a door that locks and the  common sense to lock it. 

[Kindle]

8 minutes ago, whatdoIwant2callmyself said:

Thank you. You're very fortunate to have been so observant about the missing plates. Prayerfully, those people you encountered didn't hurt anyone being they were clearly hunting.

 

The devil has his disciples too. That's why guns even the playing field.

I agree

[HAZARD]

John 10:10, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, AND TO KILL AND DESTROY:  .  .  .  .  .  . "

[The_Patriot21]

[whatdoIwant2callmyself]

1 minute ago, The_Patriot2016 said:

Years ago I watched a documentary on the making of the Indiana Jones movie pictured in that poster. They said that particular scene occurred because actor Harrison Ford wasn't going to go through the process of learning a long complicated sword fight stunt.

I think it was one of the funniest parts of the film.