Church Carry

Carry in church is OK in Florida, too. I carried regularly until our church decided to have the pianists wear robes, so now I have to take my jacket off and don a robe without privacy. Thinking about adding a little pocket something to my carry options.
 
Virginia's ambiguous law on church carry

Virginia law says carrying in church is permitted only for "good and sufficient reason" but gives no guidance about what reason would be "good and sufficient." Perhaps just self-defense, but I don't think there has ever been a court case to set a precedent. I would carry in church if I were sure of legality but given our ambiguous law, I don't.
 
Even in thin dress slacks I find that my Keltec P32 with plus one and laser is light enough and easy to stuff in the same pocket as my jeans I wear every day. With an extra mag in the off-hand pocket I feel sufficiently protected. Every other day of the week I have a much bigger brother accompanying it iwb, but on Sunday's I just tote the one. B-)
 
The main problems I see coming up in Church would be a regular Church member, or the Pastor bringing an abused wife or girlfriend to church, and having the abuser show up. This can go south in a hurry.

Next along the same line is child custody problems that come to a head in Church. Normally some one is getting away from an abusive situation and taking the kids with them. The drunk father or mother shows up. In my LE experiance alcohol is almost always a factor no matter what time of the day or night a problem comes up.

Armed Robbery can be a problem, but not likely where I live.

The main issue with concealed carry in a church like I attend is it tends to be a little to hug friendly. That adds another issue to work out. A small conceal carry Day Planners might be a good option for warm weather carry.

Bob
 
+1 to the hug issue!

for this reason, all of my friends know that i carry. i let them know in private, and tell them not to talk about it. this way, they aren't surprised when i get a hug or a slap on the waist by a passing friend.
 
Having your CCW at church? If permissible, seems like a "Don't ask, don't tell" situation.
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As is anywhere you carry. Only wife knows and if a close friend or family member ask I might let them know other than that no one knows. Before I got my CCW my wife got upset when a different forum discussed the topic of CC and I said I was for it. She at the time said she thought it was wrong.I got my CCW on 12-3 and when Christmas came along I wore it to church and not a peep out of her she seemed to be ok with it.
 
To me, "I was wondering about the best way to carry in church" is a rational question, while IMHO "I saw two kids and they were wearing something that reminded me of Columbine and now I want to know how I can carry in church" is a question driven by paranoia. (Before anyone says that one person's paranoia is another person's survival instinct, look up the clinical definition of a paranoid belief.)
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Are you qualified to make a clinical diagnosis of paranoia? Were you there? Otherwise IMHO you're just being a jerk and casting aspersions on fellow forumites.

If someone or something raises an alarm in the back of your head, pay attention. Don't overreact because it really might be nothing, but you're getting that message because something is out of the ordinary.

I don't carry in church. My state is may issue and it's a pain to get licensed. I probably could open carry, but I am not going to be a distraction to my fellow worshipers. I'm also on the usher rotation which means OCing really would be prominent and distracting. But hey I know where the first aid kits and the defibrillator are at least.
 
The hug issue is easy. Just hug with your gun side arm under their arm instead of over. As long as your IWB/OWB their hand will never get that low.
 
I happen to glance outside the window and noticed two shady looking individuals both dressed in a Goth-style wardrobe featuring long black trench coats.
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If most of the Goth types I've known are any indication, they were probably looking for a place to smoke cigarettes, take a few gravestone rubbings, and write really bad poetry. The general personality type is generalized self-pity.

Harris and Kliebold were a different breed.
 
If most of the Goth types I've known are any indication, they were probably looking for a place to smoke cigarettes, take a few gravestone rubbings, and write really bad poetry. The general personality type is generalized self-pity.

Harris and Kliebold were a different breed.
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I agree just because someone wears a trench coat or one who wears a lot of black does not mean they are out to harm people. Terror has not distinct look. Sometimes it wears black, blue , red turbans and even suits.
 
Virginia just changed the law on CC in Church, haven't asked my Priest about it though. I don't carry in Church, but my wife does. I'll have to give it some thought.
 
Maybe I should clear this up a bit. While the two individuals looked shady, I was never in fear or paranoid that they would come in and assault the place. However, their appearance was reminiscent of the Columbine students and it sparked my thinking about how the other students and staff were unarmed and therefore helpless much like most, if not all the members of our congregation. In turn, I thought about where my CCW was and how it should be on my side instead of in the glove box.

Permission should be ok, my father-in-law is the senior pastor. I just wanted to see who else felt the need to carry to church and if so, do you carry in a manner other than you would normally.
 
Church shootings don't seem to be common, but they do happening and the motives are all over the board.
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All religions (of any size) have their nut cases who represent a danger from within, and all churches have enemies from without.

Church shootings don't happen often, but when they do, they tend to catch people by surprise and can be horrific. And they tend to happen in succession.

Not an expert, just observations. :cool:
 
How many of you carry to church? Do you carry your usual EDC or a smaller pocket gun???
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I'm not a church going man, but check your laws before you carry there.
As pointed out, it might not be legal.

From there, if it is legal, perhaps check with your Minister / Pastor / Priest prior to carrying. Just a suggestion of course.
 
I also carry in church. Out of respect i talked to my pastor about it and it was a very welcomed idea.Im a officer for a living and This day and time the unexpected happens everywhere. so i carry a full size 1911 with the crossbreed holster and keep my shirt tucked in with no problem. now on the same hand im 6'5 and 300lbs so i have a lot of space to place a firearm.
 
I started carrying in church -- with the full knowledge of my pastor and church board -- before I got my license. We had a woman and her baby daughter coming who was in the process of leaving an abusive husband who had allegedly shown up at her work and threatened her. We think it was legal here (being private property) but not sure; it's a moot point because I've got my a license now.

Church is the one place I always carry. The crazies think churchgoers are sheep waiting to be slaughtered. That may be true, but a few of the sheep have fangs. I'm a Christian but not a pacifist. On "Sanctity of Life Sunday", I had 2 guns and several extra magazines and speed loaders.

Not paranoid, (I actually don't expect any trouble) just prepared.
 
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HDTVSELLER
...and This day and time the unexpected happens everywhere.
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I wish I could argue that as it sounds so sad but as we all know, those folks are the cold, hard facts--CCW is the only logical response I know of (until utopia materializes rendering the need to carry moot:D).

-Cheers
 
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