 | |
|
| |
| Fred Smith | |
Don't look for them to start checking their weapons at the pew, but some members of East Chattanooga Church of God will know a lot more about guns when they arrive for Sunday services.
The Highway 58 area congregation is hosting a class this week on gun handling and safety for about 40 people -- a quarter of whom are visitors, according to pastor Fred Smith.
"We're not a pistol-packing church, by any means," he said, "but many outdoorsmen have an interest, and we want to get them trained properly."
Mr. Smith said the congregation also had an ulterior motive.
"It's new people coming onto the property," he said. "We'll (also) give a devotion and introduce them to the church."
Nationally, the Church of God has no stance on guns or policy on guns in church, according to spokesman Kevin D. Brooks from the denomination's international office in Cleveland, Tenn.
Kristi Carter Manning of Carter Shooting Supply said this week's class is not the first she has led in a church. East Chattanooga Church of God had a class more than five years ago, and Bayside Baptist had one about three years ago, she said.
Gun classes overall have picked up sharply this year, she said.
"Since the holidays last year, classes have quadrupled," said Ms. Manning, who has taught classes for seven years. "It slowed down for the summer, but we're packed for November.
"Since the economy (slowed), people are more scared," she said. "Where people felt safe before, they're not feeling safe anymore."
Mr. Smith, a hunter for about 25 years, said that when he suggested the idea of the class as an outreach, he expected a handful of people to sign up.
"It's been overwhelming the response we've gotten," he said. "Many who might not be as comfortable to go to a shooting range or a gun store would come here. There are a lot of ladies who signed up for the class."
Don Jones and his wife, Vickie, are among members of the East Chattanooga Church of God congregation attending the course. Mr. Jones previously took a course through Carter's Shooting Supply but said he and his wife had talked about her taking one, too.
"A lot of women are real timid about that," he said. "(The course) will make her more comfortable around a pistol."
Ms. Manning said some of her classes now have more women than men.
"We don't want to push the issue of somebody being ready to shoot someone," she said. "We just want (women who take the class) to be self-aware of what's going on around them."
Mr. Jones said the course will provide his wife a measure of protection and, if completed properly, give her a legal permit to carry a gun.
The course includes an explanation of the parts of the gun, gun handling, shooting stance, gun safety and the responsibilities of owning a gun, he said. Class members must score a certain percentage on an indoor target range and pass a written testr to get their permit, he said.
"It gives us another opportunity to reach out to the community," Mr. Jones said.
Text Size:
A gun class in a church??!? What's this country coming to?
"Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition."
More taglines from Thunder Ranch or learned from a US Marine:
- If you carry a gun, people will call you paranoid. That's ridiculous. If you have a gun, what in the hell do you have to be paranoid for.
- You cannot save the planet but you may be able to save yourself and your family.
- If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck.
- I carry a gun because a cop is too heavy.
- When asked why he carried a Colt Model 1911 .45 ACP, the Texas Ranger replied, "Because they don't make a .46".
And my personal favorite is from G. K. Chesterton, "The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him but because he loves what is behind him."
Jesus wept.
And, no, we are not anti-gun. We own several, including handguns and my spouse can carry a concealed weapon.
G.K. Chesterton (1911) "One sees great things from the Valley, only small things from the Peak" (or how the arrogant see themselves from their 'high' perch compared to those who live and do good works in reality).
It is sad though that in these days many folks and churches feel the need to arm themselves. With church burnings and shootings in churches on the rise the last decade, can we blame them? I grew up around rural areas (in the South) and farms and ranches (in the North). All farmers/ranchers had guns for protection against predators (the animal kind). Most never used them and taught their kids to respect the power of a gun. My dad taught us to target shoot and strictly forbade shooting animals or humans. He called me a "sure shooter" yet I never shot anything living. Still don't to this day, the power of the pen and the Sword of the Spirit is sufficient for me.
Today, predators (the human kind) stalk the US country-wide. Police and local officials sometimes look the other way or are too busy to protect the public. Why should churchgoers not be allowed to take a gun course amongst themselves? I don't have a problem with that. I would only caution people to keep them out of reach of your children and criminals. If you can. If a criminal enters your church, don't ya'll shoot at once. Flying bullets have a way of hitting the wrong target(s). (maybe the martial arts would fare better in some cases, esp. kickboxing, eh?)
What's your problem lkeithlu? Do you think only atheists should be allowed to learn to shoot guns?
Instead of "what's this country coming to?" in terms of churchgoers learning to shoot guns, I would question "what's this country coming to?" in terms of why do so many of us law abiding citizens feel the need to carry guns.
The fact is there are many predators out there, animal and especially human, who will take what they want if they are able, not caring the least for your life, liberty, or property or that of your family and friends. Cops can't be everywhere ... usually they only show up after the fact to examine the evidence and try to identify and arrest the perpetrator. By then you are already dead or in the hospital.
When we finally get smart enough to get rid of gun-free zones, otherwise known as Victim Disarmament Zones, where criminals have free rein to act as predators, then we will have a lot fewer situations like Columbine and Virginia Tech. Wolves don't like it when the sheep have fangs, too.
God respects those who protect their own; He built that ability into each of us. Some of us have discarded it.
"Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not."
- Thomas Jefferson
Mountain Joe said:
"Instead of "what's this country coming to?" in terms of churchgoers learning to shoot guns, I would question "what's this country coming to?" in terms of why do so many of us law abiding citizens feel the need to carry guns."
What made you think that this wasn't my exact reaction? That our country has become so dangerous that even churches have to promote this? And no, atheists aren't the only ones allowed to shoot and own guns. I never insinuated this. It just sad that churches feel they must provide this service.
Yes, it is sad. I just wish preachers would stick to the Word of God to do their jobs. It is way more powerful than trying to "trick" someone into coming to church.
Chattynooga, unfortunately, people don't just wake up one day and say "I need to go to church to hear the Word of God." Churches use tools like this to bring people in that otherwise would not have come on their own. Then they hope that what they hear there will keep them there. It's is a great effort to get people to go to church, especially these days.
I love the fact that this church is doing this. Though not completely unique, it is more unorthodox. It is creative. And it is useful. It is sad that what Canary and MountainJoe said is so true. It's almost to the point that you feel you have to carry a gun just to feel safe in some areas. Luckily, our wonderful Chattanooga area is not to that point yet.
I loved the quote Rolando posted "I carry a gun because a cop is too heavy". Since cops are not precognitive and cannot be everywhere at once, it is not a bad idea to carry a gun.
Just be careful. These days, if someone breaks into your house and you shoot them in self defense, you can still get sued for it by the perpetrator... that's the saddest part.
Whoknows, if they are going to church to learn about guns, they have missed the mark anyway (pardon the pun). "Hoping" that a gun class will keep them there is extremely sad and just furthers the point that only those with a real, genuine faith in God will be able to win anyone to Christ. It is no wonder so many people have a negative view of churches.
As I mentioned, genuine faith in God does not come to those who don't hear about it. And the church is not hoping the gun class will keep them there. As I said, the gun class is to get people to come. And they hope that the love, fellowship and Word of God they hear while there will keep them. These types of outreaches are not just done and then you send everyone home. Typically, after the class, or before the class, the church will do a Bible Study or something of that nature to tell the ones who are visitors about God and what he did for them. This is called outreach. Without it, those who don't know Him, never will. Not everyone in America is raised in a home where the family has always gone to church. This is one of the more effective forms of outreach in this day and age.
Like I said, if it takes a trick, gimmick, etc. to get them there....seems a little fishy!
It is whatever works, Chattynooga...it is not a "trick", it is following Jesus' words to get the word out.
There is no "trick" involved; a real service -- firearms training -- IS provided. If they partake of the training and leave, that's OK. But the Word is provided also. The "pearls" are cast before all...some will pick them up, and unfortunately for their soul, some won't. But the pastor tried. Think of it as you would think of the church for providing food and/or shelter to the hungry or the homeless. All are services provided to folks in the spirit of Jesus' words.
You don't think there is a "trick" to feeding the hungry, I trust...so why see a trick in any other faith-based charitable act?
It isn't as if they will go to jail if they don't pay the church something for their food or shelter...
Whatever works may be ok for businesses seeking new customers, but a church?
"Now little Johnny, see that target? That is one of those people who claim Jesus is a liberal. Just aim and shoot."
Whoknows,
If you are a good enough shot or have enough rounds, you will not be sued by the perpetrator. If one has the "courage" to enter a residence illegally, he had better have the courage to prematurely meet his Maker.
Well put, vtg1955. Maybe the churches also need to have outreach efforts to the criminals, so they will be "right with their Maker" before being gunned down if they are so foolish to come to my house or yours to ply their trade.
Then again, if they were "saved" maybe they would abandon their life of crime and become honest citizens. Criminals being what criminals are, though, I doubt the success rate of such an outreach would be very high.
And lkeithlu, while it may be sad that some churches feel the need to offer classes like this due to the high-crime society in which we live ... I think it is sadder still that so few citizens exercise their Second Amendment guaranteed right to keep and bear (a.k.a. own and carry) guns. If more law abiding citizens had guns and were ready to use them to defend themselves, their families, and their neighbors, we would have a lot less crime. As the old saying goes, "an armed society is a polite society."
I think it's great to have a gun class at church! Why do people think that just because you are a Christian you have to be a door mat for everything? It's time that more Christians start standing up for our rights!
whoknows wrote,
"These days, if someone breaks into your house and you shoot them in self defense, you can still get sued for it by the perpetrator... that's the saddest part."
Not in TN.
If someone is in your home without permission, from you or another lawful resident, or from a judge in the case of lawful search warrants, you can fill them full of lead and you will most likely never face a single charge from the local or state authorities. The D.A. has to have iron-clad proof that it was NOT self defense. Self defense is presumed. The "castle doctrine" rules. Even drug dealers have walked after killing home invaders attempting to take their stash.
If you are not convicted of a crime for putting down a home invader, even if they, or their surviving relatives try to sue you, their suit will be tossed immediately and they will have to pay for any costs incurred by you. There isn't a lawyer in the state who would even try. Whether the home invader dies or lives, they have no recourse against the defender. Per state law. Ain't TN great? TX is even better because the same protections are extended to your property and even by case law, to your neighbor's property.
Little things like this are one of the reasons more people should be educated about self-defense, with firearms or otherwise.
I applaud this church for reaching out to, and providing education for those in the community who are interested in providing for their own earthly security.
Oh my gosh, gun classes at church. No wonder the South has such a reputation for rednecks and wackos. Good grief people the person offering this class, (Kristi Carter Manning of Carter Shooting Supply), is just trying to drum up some business using the church and the fears of the congregation.
Onward Christian soldiers! Excuse my skepticism, but history has shown that persons of faith have shown an alarming tendency to cry for their rights, while percecuting or attempting to deny even basic rights for anyone who disagrees with them.
“The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.”
hotdiggity, who on January 17 2009 wrote,
"Its about time that we have a leader who can inspire confidence and hope for the future without having to resort to fear mongering, partisanship, and arrogance."
is obviously an astute observer of the world with great insight on human nature.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Please do try to attribute any quotes you use lest someone believe you've stumbled upon a nugget of insight on your own.
“The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.”
H.L.Mencken
That quote sure fits well for this article!
hotdiggity,
"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary."
You mean like global warming?
Liberals have been trying to lead us to safety from that hobgoblin for years now. An increasing number of Americans are now joining me in not wanting to be led.
I'd rather trust my safety to myself and my guns than to politicians any day.