Church Carry

dev_null said:
One case does not a rule make. Perhaps I should have said "...in an overwhelming majority of cases." At any rate, none of these were perpetrated by scary kids in long coats who were walking by, AFAIK.
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Of course one case does not make a rule -- or a statistic. I cited the one church shooting I can remember that I know was not perpetrated by a member of the congregation. I'm sure there are more -- just as I'm equally sure there are some that are perpetrated by members of the congregation.

The scary kids in black dusters is a red herring. Why are you obsessing on that? The issue is, church shootings do happen, and church shootings may be committed either by members of the church, or by outsiders. There is no way to predict IF there will ever be a shooting in your church, so there is certainly no way of predicting if a shooting might be committed by an insider or an outsider.

What difference does it make? The bullets are equally dangerous regardless of who fires them?
 
Our church not only allows carry but has a security team at each service that is rotated once a month. We have a small room off the main assembly room with a one way glass window and two carrying members that attend the service in that room. Our pastor and many members are avid hunters and shooting enthusiasts. We also have a huge "wild game" supper every year and the food served is better than any restaurant! The membership is around 1800 now so I would imagine that on any given Sunday the numbers carrying at service are in the dozens.
 
Don't leave us in suspense. What WAS the law before, and what IS the law now?
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http://www.handgunlaw.us/documents/agopinions/VAAGOpinionCarryInChurches.pdf

Conclusion
Accordingly, it is my opinion that carrying a weapon for personal protection constitutes a good
and sufficient reason under the statute to carry a weapon into a place of worship while a meeting for
religious purposes is being held there and it is further my opinion that places of worship can restrict or
ban firearms from their premises.
With kindest regards, I am
Very Truly Yours, Kenneth T. Cuccinelli, II
Attorney General

IIRC It was a $25 fine and not sure if it was ever enforced, well at our Church I know its never been enforced.
 
I carry the same handguns at church I do on the street, compact or full-sized 9mm, .40, or .45. A lot of people not happy with the Catholic church lately, and I want to be able to defend my wife, just in case. I always sit where I can see the entrance. Other than an occasional thump when my handgun bumps a pew, it's a non-event. Carry is gunpack under an always untucked shirt.


This is in Texas by the way. Church must post 30.06 to prohibit lawful carry.
 
At first I thought it was disrespectful to carry in church. When I realized that bad things can and do happen in church, I began to carry. I was a little uncomfortable with it at first but that passed. Now, I always carry.

I attend a large church which, because of its size, draws a lot of attention. I know the lead minister has received death threats and I am aware of at least one physical incident (not involving deadly weapons). Very sad to think anyone would profane a place of worship by doing violence in it but that's the world we live in.
 
As an LEO I worked nights and on Saturdays at my church we had an evening service. I went in full uniform before shift, no one batted an eye. I also carry when in civillian clothes in church. The Minister and decons know for sure that I do and I'm sure some of the congregation have caught on. I wouldn't be in a "social" situation without being armed, especially in church.

De Oppresso Liber
 
I spend my time in church worshiping Jesus Christ. If it's His intention I die there, I die there.

I spend way too much money and a ton of my time on my handgunning.

Church is not that time for me.
 
egor20 -

That's a very good letter, but it doesn't represent any change in the law. It simply interprets the law, which apparently has NOT changed in VA with regard to church carry for quite a long while.
 
I spend my time in church worshiping Jesus Christ. If it's His intention I die there, I die there.

I spend way too much money and a ton of my time on my handgunning.

Church is not that time for me.
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Some thoughts...

I carry in church because I carry any time it's legal, not because I want to spend time or money "handgunning" in church, or, for that matter any of the other places I carry concealed. No one's suggesting you spend time or money "handgunning" in church.

Second, we put a roof over our church so that even if it's His intention that it rain, the contents of the church, including any occupants at the time still stay dry. We also have locks on the door and a security system. We pay insurance on the property as well. Fire extinguishers have been purchased and are positioned in various areas in the building. There are rails on the staircase too, so even if it's His intention that someone stumble on the stairs, they can have a chance to catch themselves rather than falling all the way to the bottom. I look both ways crossing the street to the church while walking from where I park--regardless of what His intentions may be--and I also wear my seatbelt while driving to church.

Finally, none of those things, including carrying while in church, in any way whatsoever precludes, hinders or even slightly interferes with worship.
 
Quote:
I spend my time in church worshiping Jesus Christ. If it's His intention I die there, I die there.

I spend way too much money and a ton of my time on my handgunning.

Church is not that time for me.



If you carry elsewhere but not at church you are carrying with the wrong mindset.

Btw, if it's his intention you die at church, I'm sure he can arrange that whether you have a gun or not. Faith in Christ isn't about burying your head in the sand and thinking everything is going to be okay. God already tried that with one species, as an example for what we humans should not be like.
 
You have to do in church what allows to worship. That means not being distracted by a gun. Whether having one distracts you or not having one does.
Read what Paul has to say about eating meat that was sacrificed to idols, starting in 1 Cor 10:23. Carrying a firearm is the same concept. It's a matter of personal conscience. It's not wrong but if it violates your conscience, it's wrong FOR YOU. That's all that matters.
 
Frankly church is about the last place I'd carry and find it so close to pointless it's not even funny. Rank it right up there with going out of my way to strap on a gun to run to the mailbox or taking a gun in the shower with me. Hundreds of millions go to church every year and how many die? Come on, get a grip.

LK
 
Silly argument.
99.9% of us will either die in car accidents or from cancer or some variation of heart disease at a ripe old age and we will do it with a 98% probability of never having drawn our guns in response to a threat, ever.
So what?
Does that mean we shouldn't carry? If we do carry, do threats stop at the door of the church?
Hardly. There's as much of a threat there as anywhere.
Fact is, the only real threat I've ever known against anyone was made by a former church member who was an FFL holder against the pastor and an entire family in our church.
So, in my world, threats are more likely in church.
 
Walk the spiritual path, with practical feet!!

Walk the spiritual path, with practical feet!! ..... ;)


Be Safe !!!
 
A priest told me that a good shepard protects his flock. He was in my cc class and it was in his church that the class was held. God gives us the precious gift of life. It is our responsibility to try to protect it.
 
Our Catholic Diocese has opted out of allowing Conceal Carry. Your pastor should make a statement on his preference to allow CC.
 
This topic makes me laugh because the church my mother's friends go to actually has a handgun training class. I don't conceal carry, I'm not 21 yet, but if I did I'd feel uncomfortable carrying at church. If I did, it would have to be something tiny tucked into my boots. They are Harley boots but are much like cowboy boots. Probably could conceal a long barrel derringer very easily with them. But regardless, I feel a little uncomfortable with the idea. And the odds of something happening where I'd need it is so slim, I don't see the point. Only places I'm aware of being broken into in my area are poker machine places and houses. And always at night. If I feel the need to carry at church, then I should look into a different church in a different part of town. Which I won't because it's across the street from my future home. If I did conceal carry it'd just be for carrying at dark mostly, especially my dad's building. It's at the absolute worst part of town and going outside to leave always worries me late at night. And the glass front door just makes it worse, havent had a problem though.
 
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