Do you think it's Christian to own guns?

[malvina]

Apart from those needing them for living - do you think people should own guns?
I cannot tie Jesus up with a gun-owner that has them for the sake of having them

 

[Biblicist]

Apart from those needing them for living - do you think people should own guns?
I cannot tie Jesus up with a gun-owner that has them for the sake of having them

It can be hard for an Australian to understand the gun culture of the USA in particular but as the US is a vastly different creature to Australia then gun ownership can certainly have its benefits.

Last week I came across an article that said that in our State that one in eight Victorians own guns, which was a big surprise as I thought that outside of our farmers and a few gun collectors that only criminals in our country owned weapons. To my knowledge, I can only think of one person who I know that owns a gun and he legally lives on the rural side of the road in a country town on a 10 hectare property, which means that he can easily own a gun, but I don't know why he needs one but that's up to him.

Up until my wife and I visited the US three years ago, I presumed as with most other Australians that Americans had some sort of blood lust where they maybe enjoyed killing; but through a chance encounter with a gun owner in Death Valley who explained the complexities of gun ownership, after I came back and took a good look at the issue, I realised that within the US that private gun ownership is probably a good idea.

I would imagine that if I found myself living in certain places within the US that I could very easily choose to even open-carry a side arm under certain circumstances; but here in Australia I would be strongly against any relexation of our gun laws as we do not need guns to settle our differences and to better secure our family and home, which can be quite a different thing in the US.

 

[malvina]

Well, Jesus lived His life for an example for us to follow - would He have owned a gun?

 

[Biblicist]

Well, Jesus lived His life for an example for us to follow - would He have owned a gun?

We know that Peter carried a sword in John 18:10 which would make us wonder if he or others carried swords during their travels with Jesus to ward of any potential bandits.

 

[Biblicist]

Well, Jesus lived His life for an example for us to follow - would He have owned a gun?

At the risk of taking your point too far, if Jesus lived in our day, would he recommend that we each have house and car insurance or would he even choose to lock his doors? I seriously doubt if he would be overly concerned with seeking out an appropriate health insurance policy but would he forbid anyone else from doing so?

 

[malvina]

Many years ago I heard a sermon where he said it was not Christian to have insurances. I don't think you can own a car these days without having one.
In actual fact I believe that most people would be better off if they cut out a lot of their insurances as I did some 30 years ago. I was paying all these insurances on my house, car etc and thought - 'So what would it cost if I lost these? I would just have to start from scratch getting some Salvation Army donations etc..( that I had supported for many years) - and thought, 'that wouldn't be so bad it would be a new challenge and the money I will save will pay for that anyway' and I would be relying on Jesus much more to protect me.
In actual fact I saved money by getting rid of my insurances. None of these insurance firms are there to help us but to line their own pockets that's all and I tell them that if they phone to try and get business.
We had a firm here that was advertising non-stop to pensioners on TV - 'Australian pensioners insurance'
'Sign up with us and save all this money....' it went on and made me more cross so one day I phoned up the boss and said, 'Stop trying to steal from old age pensioners who live on a shoe string!
You advertise all the time and try to manipulate them to give you money that is totally unnecessary to their lives! If something goes wrong then their kids will just get a bit less that's all'
These ads stopped coming on! The firm is still there but I rarely see an advert and so it should be!
If people relied on Jesus more they would have a lot more money
Now I know there will be cases where people would have been in trouble had they not had one but overall I think most people would be better off without if they have Jesus

 

[Svt4Him]

Well, Jesus lived His life for an example for us to follow - would He have owned a gun?

Or a car?

Well maybe a honda, as He wants us to be in one accord.

 

[Svt4Him]

Many years ago I heard a sermon where he said it was not Christian to have insurances. I don't think you can own a car these days without having one.
In actual fact I believe that most people would be better off if they cut out a lot of their insurances as I did some 30 years ago. I was paying all these insurances on my house, car etc and thought - 'So what would it cost if I lost these? I would just have to start from scratch getting some Salvation Army donations etc..( that I had supported for many years) - and thought, 'that wouldn't be so bad it would be a new challenge and the money I will save will pay for that anyway' and I would be relying on Jesus much more to protect me.
In actual fact I saved money by getting rid of my insurances. None of these insurance firms are there to help us but to line their own pockets that's all and I tell them that if they phone to try and get business.
We had a firm here that was advertising non-stop to pensioners on TV - 'Australian pensioners insurance'
'Sign up with us and save all this money....' it went on and made me more cross so one day I phoned up the boss and said, 'Stop trying to steal from old age pensioners who live on a shoe string!
You advertise all the time and try to manipulate them to give you money that is totally unnecessary to their lives! If something goes wrong then their kids will just get a bit less that's all'
These ads stopped coming on! The firm is still there but I rarely see an advert and so it should be!
If people relied on Jesus more they would have a lot more money
Now I know there will be cases where people would have been in trouble had they not had one but overall I think most people would be better off without if they have Jesus

And I had a friend who had a heart attack and died in church...he didn't have insurance. So as nice as that sounds, his family suffered for years because of it. For me a wise man leaves an inheritance for his children and children's children, he doesn't leave debt.

 

[malvina]

And I had a friend who had a heart attack and died in church...he didn't have insurance. So as nice as that sounds, his family suffered for years because of it. For me a wise man leaves an inheritance for his children and children's children, he doesn't leave debt.

Yes these things happen, but truly when you look at it, you say 'a wise man leaves an inheritance for children', do you say that money from an insurance firm is an inheritance? I disagree. I see nothing in the bible that says He blesses us with insurance money. Men who walked in His ways were blessed with land etc That family could be blessed by walking with Him and it's no shame to be poor
Debt is a big problem these days. People take on too much. When they sell their homes they don't get enough to cover the loans.

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

I don't think there is anything particular Christian or unChristian in owning a gun. I have friends who have guns and they are Christian and they believe God has led them to have the guns. I personally have considered it, but as of yet don't really feel God is leading me to own one. That could change. Either way, it does not make me a better Christian whether I do or don't.

We are to seek God and do what He tells us to. Scripture does not say anything on the specific issue. I know in the garden that Peter rose up to defend the Lord and Yeshua answered with "if you live by the sword, you will die by the sword". I believe He was addressing Peters impulsiveness to act with violence, not just Peter having a sword, otherwise I believe we'd see Yeshua telling Peter at an earlier time to rid himself of the sword, but He didn't.

I believe it's a personal decision. We should not look down on any who have guns, nor should anyone look down on those who don't. Just my opinion.

 

[malvina]

I don't think there is anything particular Christian or unChristian in owning a gun. I have friends who have guns and they are Christian and they believe God has led them to have the guns. I personally have considered it, but as of yet don't really feel God is leading me to own one. That could change. Either way, it does not make me a better Christian whether I do or don't.

We are to seek God and do what He tells us to. Scripture does not say anything on the specific issue. I know in the garden that Peter rose up to defend the Lord and Yeshua answered with "if you live by the sword, you will die by the sword". I believe He was addressing Peters impulsiveness to act with violence, not just Peter having a sword, otherwise I believe we'd see Yeshua telling Peter at an earlier time to rid himself of the sword, but He didn't.

I believe it's a personal decision. We should not look down on any who have guns, nor should anyone look down on those who don't. Just my opinion.

I don't think there's such a thing as 'a better Christian' All have their strengths and all their weaknesses Some are in the open and some are hidden. We often hear of 'this wonderful man of God' etc but really I don't think there's any difference between those that have genuinely given their lives to Jesus' The Great men of the bible were mainly murderers. I don't agree with anyone 'looking down on someone either

I see your point but Jesus plainly told us to 'turn the other cheek' He didn't advocate violence towards another person - and what's the point of having a gun if you have no intention of ever using it? Having a gun tells a person, 'watch out - I have a gun here- that can kill you' and a Christian isn't needing any faith for protection from Jesus. I've read of people shooting intruders without any investigation and getting away with it! The law protects them to do this. Intruders rarely break-in to murder someone. The law is encouraging the use of arms and going by a lot of videos I've seen they might even be creating a civil war which is very sad. America was always known to us as 'the lucky country' They were funny generous and rich people which is not always the case now. A Civil War would be disastrous

 

[Hank77]

Well, Jesus lived His life for an example for us to follow - would He have owned a gun?

What would Jesus have need to own a gun for?
I suppose if He were going to hunt his own food. He certainly didn't need one to protect Himself.

 

[Hank77]

and what's the point of having a gun if you have no intention of ever using it?

How about feeding your family and on a good year having plenty to feed others as well.

Intruders rarely break-in to murder someone.

Home invasion, rapes
April 2015 - Alabama
May 2015 - Indiana
June 2015 - Chicago
Aug 2015 - Ohio
Sept 2015 - Alabama

Home invasion killings
May 2015 - http://www.local12.com/news/feature...nddaughter-shot-in-home-invasion-132924.shtml
Sept 2015 - North Carolina - http://www.wmbfnews.com/story/30152978/3-men-shot-1-killed-during-apparent-home-invasion-in-st-pauls
Oct 2015 - California - http://www.kcra.com/news/local-news...ate-homicide-in-at-walnut-creek-home/35991162

These were found just doing a simple google search and they came up on the first page.

 

[malvina]

How many people have been shot this year?

 

[South Bound]

Apart from those needing them for living - do you think people should own guns?
I cannot tie Jesus up with a gun-owner that has them for the sake of having them

I don't see anything "Unchristian" about them. We have several.

I see your point but Jesus plainly told us to 'turn the other cheek' He didn't advocate violence towards another person

"Turn the other cheek" means not seeking revenge for a personal offense. It doesn't mean not defending yourself or your family or neighbor.

I've read of people shooting intruders without any investigation and getting away with it! The law protects them to do this.

So does the Bible.

Intruders rarely break-in to murder someone.

So how many times do they have to break in to murder someone before a homeowner should be allowed to defend themselves?

The law is encouraging the use of arms and going by a lot of videos I've seen they might even be creating a civil war which is very sad.

I'm pretty deeply immersed in the 2nd Amendment culture in America. I've never heard anything about a "civil war". Where are you getting your conspiracy theories?

 

[Hank77]

How many people have been shot this year?

A lot. You can google it. But not where I live and almost everyone owns a gun where I live.

So why would Jesus need a gun to defend Himself?

 

[South Bound]

I see your point but Jesus plainly told us to 'turn the other cheek' He didn't advocate violence towards another person

"Turn the other cheek" means not seeking revenge for a personal offense. It doesn't mean not defending yourself or your family or neighbor.

I've read of people shooting intruders without any investigation and getting away with it! The law protects them to do this.

So does the Bible.

Intruders rarely break-in to murder someone.

So how many times do they have to break in to murder someone before a homeowner should be allowed to defend themselves?

The law is encouraging the use of arms and going by a lot of videos I've seen they might even be creating a civil war which is very sad.

I'm pretty deeply immersed in the 2nd Amendment culture in America. I've never heard anything about a "civil war". Where are you getting your conspiracy theories?

 

[malvina]

I don't know about conspiracy theories I've noticed a lot of videos by the Gun Lobby preparing for war they have been around for
a long time. I thought it was conspiracy but these people are really serious in their preparations

 

[jiminpa]

Read the Bible, not just the parts the unbelievers like. God, who is the same yesterday, today and forever, told His people to not only defend themselves but to utterly destroy whole cities. That same God is love. We don't understand it, but it is all true. I would argue that it is unchristian to not be willing to use whatever force is necessary to defend the defenseless, not just myself, but my neighbor as well. If someone broke into one of my neighbors homes and attempted to harm their children it would be evil of me not to do whatever it took to stop the aggressor. Somehow people have forgotten what the Bible has to say about innocence and guilt and perverted it to where they claim that the guilty have more standing with God than the innocent, and that is calling good evil and evil good.

 

[malvina]

Well all I can say is if that is Christianity for today it's no small wonder that people are turning away from it.