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Ex-San Francisco 49er Glen Coffee, who faced gun possession charges (since withdrawn), talking to sacbee.com:
That’s funny to me because I feel like people fall in the area of judging, and it really hurts me that they’ll judge like that because in the end, they’ll hurt themselves.
But as far as the handgun, first of all, I’m human. I see nothing wrong with owning a gun. I actually like guns. I plan to collect guns in the future. I was in the process of collecting guns when I got arrested.
People say, ‘OK, if you’re a Christian, then you don’t need a gun. Christ will protect you. You will never be in trouble.’ I don’t understand that. Because if I’m going to have a gun in my car, I’m going to have a gun.
Now, if I buy a gun telling myself I plan to use the gun in the future, then there’s something wrong with that. But if I just want to have a gun in my car to have one in my car, I don’t see what’s wrong with that.
If you’re going to collect guns, that’s one thing. But why would you have one in your car?
Well, let me see here. In Tuscaloosa (Ala.), I had two instances where pretty much – in one instance a guy pretended he had a gun, and in another instance a guy attempted to rob me. That happened my sophomore year in college. So I purchased a gun. I put it in my car for safety reasons.
So then we go ahead on the timeline: I find Christ, but it’s almost like, I already had the gun in my car. I’m already riding around with a gun in my car. And just because I found Christ, I didn’t think in my head, ‘OK, I don’t need to have a gun in my car anymore.’ You know what I’m saying?
It’s almost (that) it wasn’t as big of a deal. It didn’t cross my mind to say, ‘I need to take the gun out of my car.’ If I had it in my car, I didn’t feel I needed to take it out of my car.
I believe he was following the golden rule, “DO IT TO OTHERS BEFORE THEY DO IT TO YOU”. The Christians should have all carried a really big sword and maybe they wouldn’t have been fed to the lions. They would have been better off dying in battle than eaten alive. My niece who is a sunday school teacher tried to explain the real quote to me, but I prefer this one.
Ah… sung beautifully by Roger Miller in the offbeat western Waterhole #3.
“It’s the code of the west, you must honor your neighbor,
The code of the west, to your own self be true,
The code of the west, you must do unto other, do unto others,
before they do it unto you…”
Really cool film if you like parched desert scenery, Roger Miller, Carol O’Connor and James Coburn…
For Christians interested in being a bit more articulate than Glen Coffee was there if asked a similar question, I suggest the following book: http://www.charlvanwyk.info/books_shootingback.html
The author talks about the book and the experiences that led to it in this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ga-dwP8gME
As a christian man who carries a pistol daily (I live in GA after all) I never know when God may use my body as a vessel to protect someone else.
Everyone is quick to forget that God often time chooses to use us, his people, as his preferred method of staying in touch. I had no doubt when my wife went through cancer treatment that God was moving the Doctors hands and that is what cured my wife.
I’m a strict constitutionalist/libertarian, so I think this shouldn’t even be news-worthy. People may carry for whatever reason they wish, whether it’s for protection, hunting, or because you like the way your new 1911 looks on your hip. Who the hell has the right to ask or criticize?
Again, your car is your private property. You can store whatever you want in it, in whatever fashion you so choose. Period.
Mr. Farago, Et Alii:
So, he’s calling himself a Christian, is he?
Yet, he doesn’t know his scriptures well enough to quote them?
In Luke 22:36, Jesus Christ COMMANDS His followers to arm themselves.
We know that His apostles were armed, for in response to His commandment, two (02) swords were immediately offered, and shortly thereafter, in the Garden of Gethsemane, one of the apostles actually used his sword in defending Jesus Christ.
Don’t just take my word for it – – – , look it up, and read it for yourselves.
The Christian shouldn’t only have a weapon in the vehicle, but he should wear it, fully loaded, on his person.
Furthermore, our scriptures point out that we are supposed to be our brother’s keeper.
How do you do that unless you are adequately armed and trained?
The Book of Mormon, which also tells of Jesus Christ, and in doing so, verifies the Bible, goes even further, telling us we should fight in defense of our liberty, our religion, our homes, our lives, and our families.
So, what’s with all the waffling and apologetic pussy-footing?
Thank you.
John Robert Mallernee
Armed Forces Retirement Home
Gulfport, Mississippi 39507
If life is a gift from God, then refusing to defend it is ungratefulness at best, and insulting to your maker at worst. How can a Christian not carry a gun?
There was a huge storm with a flood, everyone told John to get to higher ground but he just said, “No, God will save me.”
The flood came up to his porch, and some men came by in a canoe and said get in, John, we’ll help you get to higher ground. John just said “No, God will save me.”
The flood came halfway up his first floor, a motor boat came by and the driver said John get in the boat before you Die. John said, “God will save me. ”
The flood was now up to the second floor and the coast guard came by in their cutter and ordered him into the boat, John again insisted God would save him.
Finally when the flood was just below the peak of roof of his house a helicopter came to get him. “No,” John insisted, “God will save me.”
The next day John was dead and met God. Angrily he shouted, “I believed! Why didn’t you save me!?”
“John,” God answered quietly, “I sent a canoe, two boats and a helicopter.”
TTACer,
You might enjoy a short story by George Alec Effinger called Unferno, about a man sent to Hell with very unexpected results…
Many folks think the Ten Commandments say “Thou Shall Not Kill” and use this as their basis for pacifism. If you study the original Greek translations you’ll note that the word used actually used translates to “murder”, not “kill”. This is a huge difference that seems to have been lost in translation over the past few thousand years.
My favorite passage in the Bible comes from Paul’s letters to the people of Rome in Romans 12:21 where he clearly states “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good”.
Although I feel the presence of the Lord with me every day, I also feel the need to be personally responsible for my own protection and for that of my loved ones. I will never “murder” and break the Lord’s commandment, but I will certainly “kill” to defend myself and my family from death. I see no conflict between being a devout Christian and a responsible gun owner.
You took the words out of my mouth Jeff. Well said.
I went down this path as well a few years ago. When I was single, I believed “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”, and was essentially a pacifist.
There is nothing wrong with choosing this path. Many sincere, honest and devout Christians believe in pacifism, and who I am to judge? But there is also nothing wrong in choosing the path of armed self-defence.
I am now married with a family to raise, and as the head of the household, and I now believe I don’t have the right to decide for my wife and sons if they should have me around or not. I can make that decision for myself, but to paraphrase Massad Ayoob, “Once somebody loves you, you give up the right to give up.”
The former rector of my former Anglican church in Amarillo had a gun that he carried all the time, even in the church services (under his vestments, including while serving Holy Communion). He had the consent of the Vestry (essentially, the church’s board of directors). When asked, “why would you, a man of God, carry a gun, especially during a service?” he replied, “There are bad people in this world that want to do good people harm. I’m just prepared to help them meet Jesus sooner.”
Given the number of nut jobs who’ve shot up congregations, and how many people equate churches with “gun free zones” (a.k.a. “target-rich environments”) it’s a happy thing that he carries. Of course, I’m not sure how easily he could get to his gun under the vestments, but that’s a question for a different post.
Asking if a Christian should have a gun is a non sequitor. Every decent man and woman should have a gun and know how to use it ethically, legally and effectively. Decent, law abiding Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, athiests, whatever, it makes no difference. Self-defense is a natural right, prohibited to no one and reserved to all.
Ralph, I was hoping someone would have pointed this out before me! I am not sure how gun ownership has anything to do with religion? I am a firm believer that no government, entity, or person should have any say in the way law abiding people protect themselves. It’s a basic Human Right.
Years ago I had to write a paper as part of testing for a Black Belt. Since our Dojo belonged to the Christian Martial Arts Association the topic I chose was “God Loves a Warrior”. I used 4 examples to make the point, 3 from the Old Testament and 1 from the New Testament. My New Testament example was Jesus himself for two reasons, one he made a scourge out of knotted cords and drove the money changers and animal sellers out of the Temple and second he told his disciples to buy a sword if they didn’t already have one. Why would a Christian not carry to defend himself and his family?
If you want a secular reason look to the Constitution where is says that all men are endowed by their Creator with the inalienable right to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. Carrying a firearm helps protect those against whoever would take them from you.
“look to the Constitution where is says that all men are endowed by their Creator with the inalienable right to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.”
Tony, that’s actually part of the Declaration of Independence. The Constitution is more about the nuts-and-bolts of the government, while the Declaration sets out the basis of an equitable and moral government. Unfortunately, both instruments are currently more honored in the breach than in the observance.
John Malleree: I concur 100% sir.
You just HAD to bring this up, didn’t you, RF?
I mean you couldn’t resist, could you?
You HAD to show Coffee going for 87 yards against Arkansas, didn’t you?
I mean out of all the highlights that might show Coffee, even as a 49er, you had to pick an 87-yard rip against my Razorbacks?
Sheez!
What Would Jesus Carry?
Smith & Wesson 642.
And Satan would carry a 666.
Because only Jesus could hit anything with a 642.
Great minds think alike. Ours too.
Altho I hear comments such as that constantly, I cannot understand the logic behind the question. Why would a Christian NOT choose to carry? We have a moral obligation to be in the best position possable to defend not only ourselves and OUR family, but also, should the situation present itself, ANY other person why may need our assistance. Because we are “CHRISTIANS”, we are NOT required to meekly allow ourselves to be tied to the railroad tracks and wait for the 3:00 Express to see if God will save us!!!!
To answer the original question, here’s another verse I’ll toss out, Romans 12:18, which reads something like this, depending on the translation.
Paul writes to Christians, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all men.”
In a way, Romans 12:18 is the ultimate advice for concealed carry permit holders. If at all possible, based on what you do, avoid conflict if you can.
But the way the verse is written acknowledges that sometimes, no matter how much you try to avoid conflict, some folks just won’t let you live peaceably, and insist on bringing conflict to you against your will.
Why have a gun if you hold a peaceful philosophy? Sociopaths don’t care or abide by your philosophies no matter how much stock you put in them.
-D
“…….why a man of Christ had a handgun in his car. What do you say to that?”
We begin by first looking at the Biblical obligation to preserve life. The Bible clearly teaches that we must preserve life–our own lives and the lives of other people. 1 Corinthians 6:19f teaches that our bodies are not our own. Rather, our bodies belong to God. Our bodies are His property and so we are not permitted to treat or destroy them as we please: 19 Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own; 20 for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body. (1Co 6:19-20 ASV)
Not only are we to take care of our bodies and the life contained. We have an obligation to preserve the body and life of other people. Psalm 82:4 even cites an obligation to protect those who are in danger:
Psalm 82:4 Rescue the weak and needy; Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.
Consider also Proverbs 24:11, which indicates we have a duty to preserve the lives of those who are harming themselves:
Proverbs 24:11 Deliver those who are drawn toward death, And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.
Ezekiel 33 is a well-known passage:
Ezekiel 33 “… 6 ‘But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and a sword comes and takes a person from them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require from the watchman’s hand.
If you know danger is coming to others, and you deliberately fail to warn the others of the danger, you are guilty of harming the victims. This is not to say that you can make people heed your warning.
And I’ll have to plug for another Arkies’ site, Mark Rogers’ christiangunowner.com . He goes into good detail on this issue.
Martin Luther King carried a gun for personal protection.
‘Nuff said.
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