"Bringing new meaning to the term "wearing your Sunday best," a pastor in Kentucky is encouraging his parishioners to strap a holster to their church clothes and proudly display their weapons.
Pastor Ken Pagano of the New Bethel Church in Louisville has declared June 27 -- actually a Saturday -- as "Open Carry Celebration" day, to promote responsible gun ownership. Pagano told ABCNews.com:
"As a Christian pastor I believe that without a deep-seeded belief in God and firearms that this country would not be here. I'm not ashamed of that fact. I'm proud of it."
Pagano said no one will be taking out their guns and waving them around. In fact, all guns must be unloaded. Extra security will be on hand to make sure things stay safe. Pagano defends the celebration, saying the congregation voted in favor of it. There will be videos with information about gun safety, patriotic music to celebrate the upcoming Fourth of July holiday, as well as a raffle for a brand new handgun."
Some Questions:
~Is this a good idea?
~Should the right to bare arms be tied to Christian teachings?
~Why or why not?
~Should this message be preached from behind the pulpit?
7 comments:
"Blessed are the gun-carriers, for they shall shoot tin cans for target practice and keep their guns and bullets locked in separate locations to avoid potential accidents"
Doesn't sound like something that Jesus would say...
Well, people do get shot in church from time to time, so I've got no problem with people being encouraged to defend themselves against nutjobs.
"Blessed are the gun-carriers, for they shall shoot tin cans for target practice and keep their guns and bullets locked in separate locations to avoid potential accidents"
HAHA That's funny.
I agree, Matt.
I don't know that this does have a place in the church. I understand that most Christians are also conservative and that most conservatives support second amendment rights. However, I don't know that this is a A equals B and B equals C, so A must equal C situation.
As you alluded to, I don't know of any place in the Bible that says to carry a gun.
I think the pulpit should be reserved for exegetical preaching from the Bible. Not for the preacher to push his political views on his church.
I do not think this should be the focus at/of any church as the scriptures do not allow for this to be the focus. What this pastor did/is doing is to take the focus off of Christ and place it on a hot-button issue that is undeserving of that spot.
What purpose does carrying weapons serve if they are effectively useless for their intended purpose? No bullets = useless. I don't even understand the intended purpose behind what this pastor is trying to accomplish. In my opinion, it serves the opposite. It glorifies guns while diminishing the position of God by attempting to put them on the same level. And again, why is this being advocated by this church? I can't see a single reason for it. His focus should be Christ and Christ crucified. His focus should be discipleship. His focus should be preaching the gospel to those under his care (as he will have to give an account to God one day according to scripture) and preaching/teaching it, and its implications, to the lost. Titus and Timothy have lots to say about what his focus should be.
I will say this however, Christ does tell his disciples there will be a time when they will need swords.
j razz
So no guns, just swords. That's going to make pew-sitting that little bit more uncomfortable than before...
The New Apostolic Reformation branch of the Assemblies of God has been preaching "another Jesus" for quite some time now -- their teachings bear very little resemblance to anything found in the Bible.
Google "New Apostolic Reformation", "transformations", or "joel's army" and see for yourself.
Here's what St. Paul said about people who preach another gospel:
"But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." Galatians 1:8, 9
CJ,
Yeah, but the 'New' Jesus (might have) said;
"Don't pay any attention to Paul, he doesn't know what he's talking about. And even I don't know what a Galatian is!
"Now, about these guns..."
Or not.
Ok, so I'm a little late to this party...
I think Jrazz said it. This pastor has taken the focus off of Godly worship and placed it on man. Extolling the virtues of the 2nd amendment has no place in the pulpit.
And by advertising that every gun would be checked to ensure it's unloaded, he has, for all intents and purposes, set a sign outside that says, "Robbers! Thieves! Miscreants of all ages! Come one, come all! Plenty of guns for the taking!"
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