Concealed Carry in place of worship??

[witt99]

Am fairly new to concealed carry and new to this sight. I have heard some say that it is legal to carry in churches and some say that it is not. Could use some help with the statues that states that it is or isn't legal. Thanks in advance for the ifno.

[Oldgringo]

Am fairly new to concealed carry and new to this sight. I have heard some say that it is legal to carry in churches and some say that it is not. Could use some help with the statues that states that it is or isn't legal. Thanks in advance for the ifno.

Do you mean in churches, synagogues and other houses of wOrship? If so, the answer is yes unless properly posted or noticed otherwise.

[ELB]

You can carry concealed in church under authority of your CHL unless your church posts the 30.06 signs, provides you written notice using the 30.06 language, or orally tells you you may not carry.

If you search this site using the terms "church carry" you will get about 88 pages of posts dealing with this in one form or another.

You can look up any Texas statute here: http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
although not all the changes from the last legislature have been incorporated on line yet.

The part you are looking for is in the Penal Code, section 46. To swipe Mr. Cotton's summary from another post (with my emphasis):

TPC §46.035(b)(4)-(6) makes it unlawful for an armed CHL to go on the premises of a hospital, nursing home, amusement park (as defined) or church.

TPC §46.035(c) makes it unlawful for an armed CHL to go on the premises of a meeting of a governmental entity.

However, TPC §46.035(i) adds another element to the offense by stating that the above-referenced locations are off-limits only if the CHL is given effective notice as required by TPC §30.06.

[longtooth]

Fixed it for the new guy.
Welcome aboard & we are glad to have you.
Several on this board are in the ministry & several of us are pastors. As stated above, you may carry in church. To prevent CC they must legally notify you of trespass. That means a 30-06 sign, written notice w/ proper language, or verbal notice.

Bunch of us preachers carry at church.
Bunch of our folks carry at our church.

Where are you located?
If Witt happens to be you last name, WELL, PM to you.
LT

[RPB]

Welcome and ...
The above posts are correct. I have nothing to add except ...
(There have been way too many shootings at churches for us not to protect each other in church..... just Google "church shooting") SO, my church will NOT put up a 30.06 sign, since Pastor, other preachers, half the congregation and all but 1 deacon are carrying CHLs.

[tropicalsun]

Yep..bunch of us preachers carry..as do my deacons and several others in church including Mrs. pastor.

[marksiwel]

wow, this was not the response I expected. I've been on other forums where people give silly reasons not to carry to church. Glad you guys are more level headed.

[chabouk]

wow, this was not the response I expected. I've been on other forums where people give silly reasons not to carry to church. Glad you guys are more level headed.

There are lots of regular church-goers (and others) who cling to the belief that attending church (or Sunday in general) is somehow separate from the rest of our lives. Their attitude is that sins committed six days a week don't count as long as you dress up and show up on Sunday morning. Or, that things done six days a week are somehow sinful on Sunday, but not the rest of the time. Or even that acknowledged vices are somehow "more sinful" on Sunday.

(Insert your alternative day of worship if appropriate.)

God's commands and our religious beliefs should be 24/7. What goes for church should go outside of church, and vice versa.

[The Annoyed Man]

wow, this was not the response I expected. I've been on other forums where people give silly reasons not to carry to church. Glad you guys are more level headed.

Mark, a number of us are also involved in leading worship, and we carry on stage during that part of the service, myself included. At my church, about 1/3 of the musicians (there are 15-20 of us, and we serve in rotation) are in the process of obtaining our CHLs. Once our worship pastor learned (through a friend of mine who is getting his permit) that I carry on stage, he approached me about it, and then he professed that it made him feel good knowing that I was armed and up there with him on stage. He's one of the guys who's working on getting his license.

[Oldgringo]

There are no more target rich settings for deranged devil worshippers than churches or schools. We don't have any reason to go to schools, but we do carry to, and in, the church house and pretty much everywhere else we go including the Drs'. office, the hospital and other places where bad people may be lurking.

[RPB]

There are no more target rich settings for deranged devil worshippers than churches or schools. We don't have any reason to go to schools, but we do carry to, and in, the church house and pretty much everywhere else we go including the Drs'. office, the hospital and other places where bad people may be lurking.

WELL SAID

Seriously, if one thinks about where all the newsmaking deranged shooters were:

Fort Hood (more than once)
Schools like Columbine and the Amish School, and the one in Russia, etc
Colleges like Virginia Tech, U.T, in Austin (Charles Whitman) etc.
Here's a list of school shootings (except I don't see the ones in/near Russia) http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0777958.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
and all these Church shootings http://www.google.com/search?q=church+s ... lz=1I7GGIC" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rls= ... f&oq=&aqi=" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and others

One should realize that places where people are NOT likely to be armed, are the same "target rich" places the "deranged devil worshipers" CHOOSE to go to commit their crimes.

I believe that's the reason legislation passed allowing Churches among other places, to decide for themselves whether to allow Congregations to protect themselves and their brothers and sisters, or to put up a sign informing the "deranged devil worshipers" that a particular place is "target rich"

[roberts]

There are no more target rich settings for deranged devil worshippers than churches or schools.

They attack airplanes and army bases more often if you believe the news.

[RPB]

There are no more target rich settings for deranged devil worshippers than churches or schools.

They attack airplanes and army bases more often if you believe the news.

Still, places where citizens can't carry.

[SNeal]

I'm a pastor too. We have MANY people who carry in worship and I love it. We have hosted a Texas CHL class and will be hosting a UTAH CHL class in February.