Tennessee Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey is right about one thing. Christians are under attack, whether it be by jihadist extremism, racial supremacy or aggressive secularism, as he wrote last week.
But it’s not just by people who want to kill but also by those who feel threatened by adherents of a power higher than man’s law, by a tradition that isn’t ruled by the if-it-feels-good-do-it mantra and by a religion that dares to use love to turn away wrath.
However, encouraging “Christians who are serious about their faith to think about getting a handgun carry permit,” as Ramsey said, is not the right way to go.
Christians, those of any other faith and those of no faith have a right, according to the U.S. Constitution and in accordance with federal, state and local laws, to “bear arms.” That doesn’t mean everyone should go packin’, though. Far from it.
One’s mind doesn’t have to wander too far to imagine the scenarios if all those armed with Bibles also were armed with heat: one dead, one seriously wounded in dispute at church; teen couple shot while taking a late-night stroll by late-night Scripture reader who thought they were trespassers; mild-mannered Sunday school teacher in mock discipline moment pulls out gun to threaten child, accidentally shoots him.
Guns are not for everybody, should only be used after proper training and never should be seen as a “Christian” way to end religious disputes.
Jesus, after all, said, “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”