By Wesley Brown, The Augusta Chronicle
Many places of worship in the Augusta area will not allow firearms to be brought on premises even though Georgia law allows a wide expansion of the state’s gun laws beginning July 1, according to their leaders.
Some religious groups, however, toldThe Augusta Chronicle that they are leaving the decision to allow or restrict guns use up to individual churches.
Dubbed the “guns everywhere” legislation by opponents, House Bill 60 passed on the final day of this year’s legislative session and expands where Georgians may legally carry firearms, including schools, bars and government buildings. Gov. Nathan Deal signed the 2014 Safe Carry Protection Act into law last month. …
… The association is not the only group to take such an approach to the new law. The Northeast Georgia Presbytery, which includes Augusta, has not taken an official action or position on the bill, nor has any of its more than 100 ministers and roughly 55 churches asked for clarity in reaction to the law.
The Rev. Joe Berry, the stated clerk for the presbytery, said more information might be provided at a meeting next week. He said the presbytery currently does not have a policy prohibiting weapons at churches but said the congregation assumes its parishioners know not to take firearms to church. …
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It is so interesting to note that nearly all mass-casualty shootings in recent decades have taken place at “no-guns” establishments and locations – post offices, theatres, schools, churches. And it is also important to note that a google search will turn up many thwarted attempts at violence by armed citizens with legally owned and carried firearms. And even a quick search will provide references back to colonial times when the church bulletins announced that each boy and man should bring his gun to the next Sunday’s gathering so that the concregation could be trained and practiced at defending themselves and the townspeople. We have come to believe falsely that we cannot protect ourselves and that we must rely on someone else to defend us. Now our “victim status” threatens to remove all legitimate attempts to provide self-protection for ourselves, our families and our parishoners. Thank you, Georgia! I hope many will follow your example soon!
I agree with you, Tom.
Take King Saul, when it was time for him to die. First he had to beg for a sword from the armor-bearer. 1 Sam. 31:4. When that didn’t work, he called on a passing Amalekite to shoot him. 2 Sam. 1:6-10. It would have been much more convenient if all these anti-gun laws hadn’t prevented him from having his own weapon. Another problem was that his armor-bearer was his enemy, David. See 1 Sam. 16:21: ” And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.”
You see, Tom,
There wouldn’t even be churches without guns. It says: (Mat. 16:18): “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church.” What’s this rock? Peter’s faith. See (Mat. 14:29): “And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.” In his rush to meet the Savior, Peter forgot to undo the holster at his waste. What happened? (verse 30): ” But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.” Peter began thrashing about in the attempt to strip the holster that threatened to drown him. (Only navy seals can swim strapped to weapons.) Fearing the loss of the pistol that would prove useful against graverobbers after the crucifixion, “Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” (verse 31). The PCUSA in its apostasy ihas turned Peter’s lack of faith in his pistol into a fundamental tenet and banned guns from its services. See David’s lament at 2 Sam. 1:27: “How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!”