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| Whether deranged active shooters or Islamic terror attacks, Christian churches are watering holes for violent predators. |
In the house of the Lord there is only one thing that will save you from an active shooter or terrorist intent on killing you, your family, and members of your congregation. I am sorry to inform you that it is not the All Mighty.
God is in the business of souls, not living beings. You are responsible for your own protection, that of your family, and those incapable of defending themselves from criminal deadly force. Doubts to the contrary can reference any number of mass shootings in places of worship, including the most recent at the Emanuel AME Church in South Carolina.
Although I am not a regular church goer I do attend with family on occasions throughout the year, and I never enter church unarmed. Many pro-gun Americans have a strange notion, when is comes to carrying on Sunday, that they are "safe" at church or should not enter the house of God with a gun.
To those with this belief, the anti-gun establishment thanks you. Look how well your "no guns in church" notion is aiding progressives in promoting gun control after the murder of nine innocent worshipers in SC last Wednesday.
"My church has armed police security so I don't need to carry a gun."
For many, notably those with little or no training, this is exactly the case. Sadly most Americans obtaining licenses to carry handguns in public do not seek professional training to use their firearms in a public or during an active shooting event. I see this weekly at the facility where I train. Groups of people spend eight hours in a licensed carry class, dump a mag to show "ability" in operating their carry gun (many with an informal knowledge of their own platforms), and followup with a few shots on a static range whenever they feel the need.(1)
Those with experience and training in protecting innocent life with guns, however, have an obligation to carry, particularly at church. The church I attend has at least one local LEO stationed at its main entry/exit. I do not personally know the officer, who is a different person each Sunday, but as a legally armed American trained in active shooter mitigation I approach the officer, look him or her in the eye, offer a friendly greeting, and thank that person for being there. The officer says "thank you" in return then looks me up and down, possibly noticing the guns and extra magazines bulging from my suit jacket.(2)
Note I do not engage the officer in conversation or rattle off my resume as an armed citizen. That LEO has a job to do, protecting people at church, not suffocating on hot air emanating from my mouth hole.
I make brief visual and verbal contact with the officer to let them know, "Hey, if all hell breaks lose and you see me shooting violent criminals or terrorists, think FRIENDLY!"
The Emanuel AME Church shooting will, without question, bring more police off the streets and into churches for the purpose of armed security. This does not, however, excuse trained, armed Americans to delegate our responsibility to carry at church and other public places in Obama's America where racial hostility, active shootings, and Islamic terror have become the norm.
(1) I am one hundred percent in favor of arming every decent American citizen, but current threats to our communities, from deranged active shooters to Islamic terrorists, mean more training is needed for growing multitudes of Americans armed in public places.
(2) I do not shake hands with the officer or make any physical contact what so ever. Touching an on-duty, uniformed police officer is a bad idea even in a church atrium on Sunday morning, notably if you happen to be carrying. Know your boundaries, especially when armed.
