TexasCHLforum.com

Texas_Blaze wrote: ↑Thu Nov 28, 2019 10:21 am

LucasMcCain wrote: ↑Tue Nov 26, 2019 2:16 pm

Texas_Blaze wrote: ↑Mon Nov 25, 2019 6:20 pm

LucasMcCain wrote: ↑Mon Nov 25, 2019 3:28 pm Our church is posted 30.07, and that doesn't particularly annoy me. We do have dedicated security, but they are not identified in any way; I just know what to look for. I carry every Sunday, just like I do every other day.

I would not attend or be a member of a church that posted 30.06 signs. Even if I could get some kind of exception letter from leadership. I'm not going to be part of a church family that has adopted anti-gun policies in violation of Biblical principles. It's not just a personal preference or safety issue; it's a theological issue. A church is supposed to be a group of like minded believers. If they don't believe in letting my brothers and sisters in the faith defend themselves, then we are not like minded.

Self-defense and firearms are independent of one another. A theological discussion rests purely on self-defense, independent of any specific type of weapon. An organization may consider all risks associated with allowing / disallowing firearms independently from support of self-defense. Thus, firearms aren’t a matter of theology or scripture.

I disagree. The apostles were specifically instructed by Christ himself to carry swords, even if it meant selling their most valuable possessions in order to afford them. The type of swords in question would be roughly analogous to handguns; short swords carried commonly for self defense. You can't argue that the Bible supports self defense, but restricts the means of said self defense. I don't believe there is any case to be made scripturally for restricting carry in church. There is a strong case to be made for allowing it. Saying that self defense is okay, as long as you leave the most effective self defense tool you own in your car? Is that really your argument?

The Bible is absolutely filled with violence, both offensive and defensive. It is only condemned when it is unwarranted or unjustified. That is not the case when defending your church family against unwarranted violence with the most effective means at your disposal.

As much as I wish to engage in a more detailed theological discussion, this isn’t the forum. But I’d ask that you reconsider the way that He spoke, sometimes literally, sometimes figuratively.