Why do Christians own & carry guns? Isn't gun ownership a rejection of faith?

[AnArmyVeteran]

If a Christian truly had faith in Jesus why would they carry a deadly weapon that is used to kill other people? If they carry their guns to use in self defense then doesn't that mean their faith in Jesus isn't as strong as they would like to admit? Wouldn't a true Christian just accept the consequences of being attacked by a mugger as 'God's Will'? By carrying a loaded weapon they are usurping God's will and forcing their own will in a situation. So according to their own beliefs, if they interfere with God's will they will be judged by God and possibly be sent to eternal damnation for their transgression.

I have a family member who is a conservative extremist Christian who is about to buy a gun. He posted on Facebook asking people what kind of gun to get, the most effective killing weapon, etc... His fellow 'Christian' Facebook friends were all too eager to give him all kinds of information of calibers and types of handguns. He was willing to spend at least $500 for a gun and then take a concealed carry class so he could carry the gun everywhere he goes. But he usually only goes to church on Wednesdays and Sundays and stays home the rest of the time so I find it almost humorous that he would be carrying his gun to church too. I guess he feels threatened by all the other gun-toting Christians at his church, or he has gun envy and wants to keep pace by getting a gun to fit in with his congregation. Or should I call his Baptist church a gun club instead? It would be hilarious if it wasn't so strange and even deviant.

This conservative extremist Christian also didn't have any health insurance at the time he was pricing guns. And yet he posted on Facebook how anyone who isn't responsible should not get health care. He talked about his aunt who complained to him about all the people who showed up in the emergency room with expensive shoes or jewelry, and said those people were irresponsible so they should not be treated.

Someone help me with this. This conservative extremist Christian believes it is not irresponsible to be buying an unneeded gun instead of health insurance for his family. He has a wife and three very small children. People who have concealed carry permits don't use trigger locks on their guns because that would defeat the entire purpose of having a gun in the first place. If you were assaulted having a trigger guard on your gun would negate the entire purpose of even carrying a gun. So that means this loaded handgun would be laying around or in the possible reach of three children, all less than 10 years old.

So what about it people? Why do Christians carry guns? If they have faith, REAL faith, they wouldn't even think about carrying a deadly weapon. Wasn't it Jesus who said turn the other cheek? He didn't say pull out your 45 caliber pistol and start blasting away. Or maybe I missed that part of the Bible.


WIKIPEDIA REFERENCES:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turning_the_other_cheek

IN THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT IN THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, JESUS SAYS:
"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you." — Matthew 5:38-42, NIV

A PARALLEL VERSION IS OFFERED IN THE SERMON ON THE PLAIN IN THE GOSPEL OF LUKE:
"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you." — Luke 6:27-31. NIV

ANOTHER VERSION WAS FOUND IN THE SERMON OF THE TEA BAGGERS ON MOUNT HYPOCRITE IN THE CONSERVATIVE EXTREMIST CHRISTIAN BIBLE IN THE GOSPEL OF SARAH PALIN:
"If someone dare looketh at you in the wrong way, taketh thou gun from its holster and keep pulling the trigger until you kill the goddamned son of a bitching bastard, for it is better to spit in the eyes of God than to follow the real dictates of the Bible, and furthermore, fuck faith, for I trust in my Smith & Wesson, not in those socialist, communistic and Marxist bastards God or Jesus." — Palin 12:33-13. NIV

[midnight]

1. k&R.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

2. Jesus didn't use weapons he said, " "

[flvegan]

3. Hot diggity damn.

Line up, kids.

:popcorn:

[rpannier]

4. Jesus didn't do a lot of things

Like serve in the military -- which I did and I'm guessing you did too

on note: I don't own guns

[differnet]

5. I have an nephew who is an extremist right winger and

an atheist and who is so in love with guns that it frightens me. He honestly believes that the government is conspiring to take away his guns. My brother who is agnostic is also in the gun-nut catagory. I don't think it's just the whack job Christians. I go to church almost every Sunday and at least in my denomination, peace is preached.

[Walk away]

15. I advise that you skip family gatherings on Thanksgiving. ...nt

[AnArmyVeteran]

21. I believe you misinterpreted the premise of my question...

I didn't say only Christian extremists carry guns. I know there are gun fanatics of every stripe. My question had to do with Christians who feel the compulsion to buy weapons to defend themselves. By doing so they seem to be going against God's will, because if God has preordained their lives, then that would also include them being a victim of a violent crime with no weapon to defend themselves. They should rejoice that if they were killed during such an attack they would get to be beamed up to be with Jesus. But my bet is their faith isn't strong enough to believe they will actually have an afterlife with Jesus, so that's why they buy guns.

My question dealt with conservative extremist Christians who buy weapons to defend themselves, not the regular 'semi-light' Christians who use guns to go hunting.

[johnaries]

6. I have yet to find a "Christian" church

that actually follows the teachings of Jesus.

[The Straight Story]

7. Hunting, target shooting, for fun - guns are only scary to a small minority (nt)

[Fumesucker]

9. Guns aren't scary..

Whackjobs *with* guns is another matter entirely..

And all too often it's the whackjobs who are obsessed with guns.

[The Straight Story]

13. Roughly half of the US population owns guns

And since about half are repubs there really are a lot of whackjobs with them :)

[proteus_lives]

12. +1

[Chulanowa]

17. I can play pretend guitar on a broom, but it's still made for sweeping.

A gun is a weapon. The purpose of a gun is to put a lead pellet into the body of a creature with enough velocity to cause serious damage to the tissues of said creature with intent to cause its death. If you choose to instead shoot at a target, this doesn't make your gun not a weapon. it just means that you're using it for something other than its primary purpose. I imagine you could use a pistol as a makeshift hammer, doesn't mean it's a hammer and not a pistol, though.

This isn't particularly scary. What is scary is the salivating reverence and idolatry so many people give this tool.

Guns aren't scary; gun owners are. :P

[beardown]

20. You can pretend you stated a rational argument too.

How it's used it the difference, regardless if we are talking about guns, cars, fire, or even words.

Speaking of your love affair for your broom, typical broomnut rant by the way, there have been some very nasty cases of your broom guitar being used on a person in police custody that makes the world of non-broomnuts sick to our stomachs. Typical, you broomnuts ignore all of the damage and evil associated with brooms and only focus on the responsible broom owners actions.

What is scary is seeing the same knee jerk unrational response based on the gut and not the brain that has dominated the right wing making such a large inroad in the anti-gunners.

[AnArmyVeteran]

22. Witches ride on brooms too ;)

[Statistical]

8. "He that hath no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one"

The idea that faith means you just sit around and let life happen is silly.

Why work? God will provide.
Why even eat? God will provide.
Why even dispose of your shit? God will provide.

By your logic Christians should simply sit naked in the dark starving and praying for God to provide.

[Fumesucker]

11. You can play dueling scriptures damn near forever..

Matthew 5:39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also

[AnArmyVeteran]

23. Here's what my question really asked...

I didn't say anything about working, eating or throwing out your trash. I was talking specifically about why conservative christians buy guns to defend themselves. Since Obama ran for office a record number of weapons were sold. I even used a reference to a religious fanatic in my family who wanted a gun to protect him. He didn't even have health insurance but he wanted to buy a $500 gun and pay to get a concealed carry permit. This same conservative christian whined on the same Facebook page about 'irresponsible' people showing up at emergency rooms. He classified anyone wearing jewelry or having a cell phone as being irresponsible. He figured that if they had money to buy expendable items, they had the money to buy health insurance. But this blatant hypocrite didn't even have health insurance himself and yet he was shopping for a $500 gun. I find this guy very typical of right wing conservative christians.

What I know of 'faith' is, a true Christian would not even think about getting a deadly weapon to kill another person. It not only diminishes their faith, but also instills in their minds the premeditated intent to kill another human being, a violation of God's commandments. But most conservative Christians believe in the death penalty and having wars started by lies too, so it seems they have no problem violating God's commandments.

If they truly had faith they would trust in their 'god' to protect them, and if it was 'god's will' they would be killed by a mugger and then they would get to go to heaven. So if you want, you can also assume they are filled with greed because they want their will ( and desire ) to remain on earth, even if God wanted them killed by a mugger.

I did not at any time imply Christians or anyone else should sit naked and just assume 'god will provide'.

[gateley]

10. Okay. So there's a flood coming and the townspeople were ordered to evacuate.

One family said "No, we're staying. Jesus will save us."

The water comes rushing into town and is about a foot or two deep in the streets. The sheriff's department pulls up in a four wheel drive to the house and hollers "Come on! The water's rising. Come with us!" "No, we're staying. Jesus will save us."

Water, water, water. The family climbs up to the second floor and the water is up to the windows! Gotta love the sheriff's department, here they come in a rowboat, pleading with the family to save themselves, it's going to get even worse! "No, we're staying. Jesus will save us."

And yet more water. They climb out of the windows and clamber up on to the roof, arms wrapped around the chimney. The sheriff's department sends a helicopter and pleads through a bullhorn to PLEASE reconsider, this is their last chance! "No, we're staying. Jesus will save us."

The waters rise, the family dies.

As they're trudging up to the pearly gates they behold Jesus. "Jesus! We believed in you! We thought you would save us! Why did you forsake us??"

Jesus said, "I sent you a four wheel drive, a rowboat and a helicopter, what more could I do?"


I think these people think Jesus sent them their guns.

[John Q. Citizen]

14. Yea, though I walk through the valley of death, I will fear no evil, for my gun art with me...

I think your family member lacks faith in God, but he makes up for it by placing his trust in a hunk of metal and in his ability to shoot straight, which is truly an act of faith.

[Swamp Rat]

16. You must be talking about some other Jesus

[John Q. Citizen]

18. Praise Bob. It's "the fighting Jesus."

[Zoeisright]

19. You bet!

K&R

[Deep13]

24. Often wondered the same thing ...

[AnArmyVeteran]

25. GREAT poster Deep13! That one picture says it all...

The Pope puts his faith in glass, not God... It's both humorous and pathetic.

[AnArmyVeteran]

26. GREAT poster Deep13! That one picture says it all...

The Pope puts his faith in glass, not God... It's both humorous and pathetic.