Texas church shooting

[Figure of eighty]

Dont know if someone tackled this but i find it alarming. 

It just makes me wonder.. 

1. Would it be sinful to just remain home on Sundays and watch them online or do home churches? 

2. For those still going to church should they be armed? Should there be armed security at churches so its parishioners aren't sitting ducks or is it a lack of faith?  ( as we all have a time to go whether it be at church or home and not letting God be sovereign or if it werent for those that were armed do you think more casualities would have happened?) 

3. Or do you think its negligent to be a c.c. in this day and time and just throwing caution to the wind?

 

I'd like to get a discussion going. Where do you stand? 

 

Link- https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.usatoday.com/amp/2769428001

Edited December 30, 2019 by Figure of eighty

[AnOrangeCat]

I live about an hour away from where that happened.

Tackling your first question, no. I don't believe it would be sinful to do that. Churches are for believers to worship God, give and receive spiritual instruction, support each other, and act as a place of outreach to the local community. You can get that without walking into an actual church building. Home churches were fine back in the days of the early church. I was pretty shocked when I was first exposed to it, but there are some notions of Christianity being practiced today that are really, really off in the name of being politically correct. As that trend grows I think we'll see more and more actual Christians forsaking church buildings in favor of house and online churches.

I'm a little undecided on the rest of it.

[R. Hartono]

Why fear, we Will die anyway.

[Neighbor]

Having worked to some degree in this arena, I suggest that it is prudent for everyone to know where they are and what they may face at any and all times, not just at a church facility.

Ask the elders  or deacons or pastors at the church you are attending what they are doing in this arena. See if their response enlightens you.

My own involvement took me through State sponsored "All Hazards" training some couple of decades ago with our group's then working on constant upgrade in hardening facilities for protection of it's occupants under all circumstances, from storm to famine to illnesses including heart attack to  physical violence.

All paid personnel are trained, all volunteers are investigated  and trained, having to pass police scrutiny and private background check. We have invested much time and money into safety and security and training.  It continues all the time. I know it does elsewhere as well. We communicate one with another and with fire departments and police agencies all the time.

All technology available is in use as well - electronic door locking systems, cameras, alarms, evacuation systems personnel  armed personnel. It is not a haphazard arrangement, it is quite a serious costly  involvement.

We know where our nurses are, where our doctors are, where our plain clothes security and our uniformed security personnel are. Our members, our students, our children, all have information, and our students drill on it, knowing how to lockdown, how to fight back. Our teaching and administrative staff know and plan on a regular basis reviewing and updating constantly.

I suspect that it is pretty much the same elsewhere. Security is a big serious industry nowadays. I still chat with our local head of the area's SWAT teams just to keep up (I am now retired). I know those active still today are very much  aware and working constantly on safety health and security.

 I do look around  at restaurants grocery stores parking lots, wherever I am  not in fear but in preparation  so that I am less likely to be surprised. I do not just sit at any booth  for example. I want to see what is around me and have access to exits and entries.

 

Sidenote: Don't live in fear prepare trusting God. He sets up events in a manner that shows He is sovereign. His provision is perfect. Rely on His plan as He leads into it.  If he reduces 20,000 to only 300, as example, He has reason for doing that. It is to show He is sovereign , in charge, that it is by Him that security comes and not by the numbers of men.  Reference: Judges 8

Go to the local church body  encourage one another, rejoice in corporate worship. Do not let fear rule, instead go about each day  giving praise and thanks  God in all matters, honoring him in all that is done.

 

[johnthebaptist]

7 hours ago, Figure of eighty said:

Dont know if someone tackled this but i find it alarming. 

It just makes me wonder.. 

1. Would it be sinful to just remain home on Sundays and watch them online or do home churches? 

2. For those still going to church should they be armed? Should there be armed security at churches so its parishioners aren't sitting ducks or is it a lack of faith?  ( as we all have a time to go whether it be at church or home and not letting God be sovereign or if it werent for those that were armed do you think more casualities would have happened?) 

3. Or do you think its negligent to be a c.c. in this day and time and just throwing caution to the wind?

 

I'd like to get a discussion going. Where do you stand? 

 

Link- https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.usatoday.com/amp/2769428001

If you get in a car, you might be in a car crash. If you ride a plane, the plane might crash. If you go to a theater or mall or fast food restaurant, you might get shot. If you don't live in a cave, a meteor might come out of the sky and fall on top of you. What should we do? I'd not worry about it. 

[frienduff thaylorde]

Oh what great peace we have if our mind is stayed upon the LORD .

For if I depart today , I am with the LORD and if not ,  I have the joy of the LORD tomorrow too .

When my time is up its up , till then its onward in the LORD day by day .     And on that note    its time to dance unto and praise the LORD .

[Galleon]

1. I'm not sure that I'd call that sin. So long as one has fellowship in some form, I'd think it would be okay.

2 and 3. My personal feelings as far as self-defence goes is that it should be with the mindset of SUBDUING the assailant, not killing them. Say you wish to defend yourself with a handgun. I would advocate this person use a low calibur and be well-practiced in aiming at the limbs rather than the important, fatal areas (torso and head). If your mindset with that gun on your hip is to kill whomever tries to attack, then that is wrong. I like to keep the mindset of stopping and subduing the assailant until proper authorities arrive, so that they can be charged and hopefully have a chance to regret their ways.

However, as others have said, leave it to God. Everyone there could be outfitted with SWAT armor and mini guns, but without the Lord, it would be meaningless. Our life means little if we have lived well. I don't think it's wrong to defend yourself. Far less wrong to try and defend others (greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends). However, living in fear and paranoia, or wanting to take another's life when it might be needless, is unwise. Trust in God.

[lovethelord]

figure of eighty,

Even if a shooting happened at my own church, I would return back to the church the following week knowing that I cannot give into fear. I know that God has the day/time set for my life on this earth and I could be killed anytime or anywhere if this is the way I'm to go. Most importantly, I cannot allow Satan to have victory over me attending church in person (my preferred choice) rather than watching the service online.  

• 2 Timothy 1:7, "For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love and of a sound mind."

[Figure of eighty]

8 hours ago, R. Hartono said:

Why fear, we Will die anyway.

True true. Id rather go out in the presence of the Lord anyways.

[ayin jade]

Jesus said not a sparrow falls without the will of the Father.

Im not concerned.