Last December, I reflected in my little blog on the church shooting in Colorado where two sisters were shot to death before the gunman was killed by a church security officer. I predicted that the event would be used as “propaganda” by both anti-gun and pro-gun pundits, and that turned out to be the case. I ended the blog by saying, “Personally, I just don’t think that what we need in our world are MORE people with guns. I think what we need are more people who have GOD.”
As it turns out, I have become something of an expert on church security. I know that because last week Jennifer Latson of the Daily Press called to interview me for an article she was writing on church security. She had read my blog article and called because I was an expert on church security. I think (hope) she was being funny, but the article was in the paper yesterday, and sure enough I was quoted.
The article is about a local guy who gives training seminars to church on security issues. Some of the larger churches employ retired and active police officers as (often armed) security guards during church services. I think that most churches are pretty naïve when it comes to security, and the larger a church is the more likely it is to be the target of some kind of incident. I don’t think it is unreasonable at all for large venue churches to have people in charge of security. It was an armed security guard and former cop who stopped the killing rampage in Colorado before it got to be a rampage.
My part in the article was in the “on the other hand” section. I was quoted as saying, "I don't have guns in my house, and I don't want them in my house of worship… Somehow it seems counterintuitive to what churches are about." For the life of me, I don’t remember using the word “counterintuitive.” Maybe I was showing off my vocabulary for the press? Maybe the reporter inserted "counterintuitive" to make me seem more intelligent? I don't know. But I do believe that people packing heat in church is counterintuitive to the church as "the peaceable kingdom." David writes, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in our Glock G17 9mm automatic.” Or something like that.
Lynn's response when I told her about the article was, “If you are going to have armed guards in every public setting where there is a possibility of some kind of attack, then we would be back to the old west where everyone wore a gun.” She's right. Of course, the first thing Wyatt Erp and his ilk did when they cleaned up towns like Tombstone was to outlaw guns in town limits. When all is said in done, there is no real security in this crazy world of ours. Yes, we need to do what we can to be as safe as we can—lock our doors, wear seat belts, stay away from alcohol, don't make gestures to guys who cut you off in traffic, etc. But ultimately we have to live out by faith David’s real sentiment from Psalm 20, “…but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”
7 comments:
Tuck you got me thinking, I don’t think anyone will be breaking into your house when you are away to steal your handgun. I’m not sure that I would want people to know that I was an unarmed pacifist.
It has been my experience that most violent people will only pick on those who do not fight back and that it is sometimes the guy who throws the second punch who stops the violence. If no one puts a stop to it the violent ones will have their way with the ones we love.
I don’t want to see armed guards in church or home but it sure is nice to know they are out their. Every day they are putting themselves in harms way to keep our families safe. They should have our support and we should give them all the help we can, stand back and let them do what there job and don’t be afraid to tell them you appreciate them as they serve and protect you. They have to handle drunks, drug users, help those without a home or hope and stop those who are totally void of any morals who would pray on the week if it were not for the ones who volunteer for little pay to do what others will not or can not, they continue to put themselves between us and the bad guys. They are to be treated with respect.
Yes, the Lord is trustworthy and those who know him trust in him. People make mistakes and let us down even our friends will let us down from time to time but the one who sees it all will never forsake us as he did his own son for our sake because he loved us that much.
There are those who are brave and able to put themselves in harms way for others sake and there are those criminals with guns who live for self, they are in fear every day (they believe when they die that will be the end of it) and those are dangerous and need to be exposed before they can harm again.
I feel a need to add this, If you or someone you know has a firearm, secure it.
Lock it up! if you can afford a gun you can afford a vault to secure it in. “If your gun is stolen and used to harm someone you will be held liable for that harm.”
Most handguns that have been used to murder people were stolen.
Don’t be negligent, if your gun is stolen it will be in the hands of a criminal and criminals often do bad things with what they have.
If you have a gun and desire to sell it DON’T sell to someone who does not do background checks.
Be responsible, Lock it up and lock up the ammo, call the police that is what they get paid for and they will be glad to educate you concerning the laws that govern the proper handling, storage, selling and/or disposal of firearms.
“Guns do not have a brain and those with guns should keep their brains about them and insure that they do not fall into the wrong hands.” You wouldn’t leave razor blades where unsupervised children might find them so don’t leave your guns where they could be used outside your control.
The police don't like to be suprized by guns anymore than the rest of us do, if you have one tell them were it is don't hide it from them. and follow instuctions. Stay safe and stay free and always try to stay happy.
While we are on the subject of pacifism; “if it is a sin to defend your family against the evil ones who intend to do you all harm, than it is a sin for you to call on someone else to do it for you.”
About home security, nothing makes bad guys more nervous than the yapped y bark of a dog (big or not) (the bark tells them they are not invisible and they can not hide). I say, why not. . . “let your dog take the first hit”. . .
“don’t worry about the dog it taint got no soul, it can be replaced and you wont be seeing it again in heaven.”
God made man first, with a spirit and in his image, then he made the dogs and such of a different flesh, to be ruled over and subdued by mankind. . . And thank God that He made woman directly after man, of the same flesh. What better help is there? (Can I get an amen on that?)
It is easy for some to lay down their lives for others. No one should or can make someone else do it for them or theirs. Volunteers make the best warriors, they always have and they always will. And I should add, “if you can’t trust them to do the right thing at home you can’t trust them any where else.” (Don’t send those that you can not trust to do the right thing, there will be times when they are unsupervised. We all know what they call unsupervised children. Make sure that the children are supervised at all times by more than a few trustworthy person and as they grow they will not become a bunch of bastards.)
What this whole thing really says is how much you need to dount what "they" say in the papers about anything. They interviewed me for this story because I have a blog!
Please provide a definition of the word 'dount' as it was used in your comment, I am becoming more than a little confused as to what it means? I assume you meant to say doubt but than again that would be an asumption and I don't want to presume anything at this point.
Dude, you're an expert!! How cool is that!
Like ice water, at the crack of dawn?
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