Getting a Gun

[Marumorose]

Why is it okay for people to protect their loved ones, but some people think it is not okay to protect yourself?

I do not have any children or a wife. So, I don't know what it is like to have that protective feeling, like parents do. But when I talk about buying a gun to protect myself, some people tell me that I am wrong. Don't I have the right to love myself the way you love your family?

Update: This was not news. I meant to put this in Christian Advice. Oops

So, I asked the staff to move it. Sorry about that.

As a Christian you must not own a gun. Owning a gun means you have no faith/trust in God that he can protect you or send his angels to protect you. Owning a gun means you have the spirit of fear in your heart. 2 Timothy 1:7 says "for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control."
You may start to believe that you are powerful and untouchable instead of praying to God for protection, just like wealthy people rely on money/wealth. The bible says we, as christian, do not struggle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.(Ephesians 6:12)
Jesus Christ said "for all who draw the sword will die by the sword"(Matthew 26:52)
You are outside God's protection when you own a Gun/weapon because you made a choice (free will) to rely on man-made machine instead of trusting the Creator. There no guarantee that the gun will protect you but in God you have that guarantee.
May God Bless You

 

[paul1149]

I'm not sure why people think you can defend others but not yourself. I suspect they are taking the Sermon on the Mount as rigid Law, but still need to find an escape clause to cover the unthinkable letting your love ones be abused in your sight. But our covenant is of the spirit, not the letter (2Cor 3). Jesus said His words are "spirit and truth" (Jn 6). He was giving us principles to implement by the spirit's leading, not inflexible laws. He Himself did not roll over for His enemies. He was verbally aggressive against them at times (Mt 23; Jn 6), and even got physical in defending the holiness of the Temple from the profane business model that had corrupted it (Jn 2). The only times He avoided a fight was when a greater good would be served, the most stark example being His submission to the Cross in order to save us. Once when predicting that times would get tough, He even told His disciples to buy a weapon.

We have the right of self-defense. Whether we choose to invoke that right in any given circumstance is up to us. It wasn't long ago that a gunman killed two in a Texas church, and would have killed untold more but that a man trained in firearm usage took him out with one quick shot. Thank God for that man helping to preserve innocent life.

What you do in this regard is up to you, @Introverted1293. But the decision is between you and God.

BTW, this is a horrendous time to buy a gun. There's nothing left on the shelves!

 

[Swag365]

The US: One person gets a gun. Another gets a gun to protect himself from the first person, a third person buys a gun to protect himself from the other two and so on. This is why you feel a need to have a gun, because everyone else does and they are easy to obtain. You assume that you will meet a bad person with a gun and since there are so many guns your chances of this are much higher than mine and you feel that by having one you will be safe.

Are you a mind reader now? I did not know that. From where did you obtain this ability to read minds and how can I obtain it?

Different people own guns for different reasons, some of which have nothing to do with fear of being accosted by another person with a gun. If you are a 120 pound woman and you have to walk through an area that you feel is unsafe at night, the primary reason why you choose to carry a weapon may be to protect yourself against a male rapist who has the ability to physically overpower you.

Bad assumption because come crunch time you may find you can't use it and they will take it and use it against you, or you could shoot someone that you shouldn't have or worse your own children or another child will find the gun.

Guns are not a panacea. So what? Nothing is a panacea. Police officers in your country carry guns, and it is possible that a person can take the gun off a police officer and use it against him, and that the police officer can misfire and kill an innocent person. If your reasons were valid then you should disarm your own police, but none of you have done that.

Lots of guns makes for lots of gun deaths.

No, we have many more gun deaths in urban areas than rural areas, and there are far more guns in rural areas than urban areas.

From 2006-2016, almost 6,885 people in the U.S. died from unintentional shootings
Examining Accidental Shooting Death Statistics – Aftermath Services

So what? We have just as many accidental deaths from drowning. I suppose you want to eliminate swimming pools as well? How about cars? Let's all walk to work.

Australia: Very few people own guns, we are unlikely to ever run into a person with a gun and do not feel a need for a gun. The gun can't be used against us since we don't own one, we won't accidentally shoot someone that we shouldn't have and there is nothing for our kids to find. A cricket bat is far more likely to be the weapon of choice. The only place I have only ever seen a gun is on a farm and that is just a regular shotgun.
Australia – Total Number of Gun Deaths
We cracked down on gun ownership after the Port Arthur massacre in 1996 and we all feel a lot safer for it. We have had zero mass shootings the past 20 years. Australia's gun laws may have stopped mass shootings
Here are all the mass shootings in the US in 2020 alone Mass Shootings in 2020 | Gun Violence Archive 9 pages of them.

So what? There are plenty of countries with high gun ownership with homicide rates that are as low or lower than Australia. Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, Saudi Arabia, etc.

Even in your own country the evidence is mixed as to whether your gun control laws have reduced crime:

Gun law of Australia - Wikipedia

 

[Swag365]

As a Christian you must not own a gun. Owning a gun means you have no faith/trust in God that he can protect you or send his angels to protect you. Owning a gun means you have the spirit of fear in your heart. 2 Timothy 1:7 says "for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control."
You may start to believe that you are powerful and untouchable instead of praying to God for protection, just like wealthy people rely on money/wealth. The bible says we, as christian, do not struggle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.(Ephesians 6:12)
Jesus Christ said "for all who draw the sword will die by the sword"(Matthew 26:52)
You are outside God's protection when you own a Gun/weapon because you made a choice (free will) to rely on man-made machine instead of trusting the Creator. There no guarantee that the gun will protect you but in God you have that guarantee.
May God Bless You

Well I suppose that as Christians who trust in the Lord we should all quit our jobs and wait for an angel to send down food to put on our tables and money to pay the rent, as well. If a person does not quit her job she is outside of God's protection because she has not trusted in the Lord to provide for her.

Now, of course, that is ridiculous, but that is exactly the same type of argument that you have made.

 

[Monksailor]

With one's rights one must ALWAYS exercise the responsibility of having that right and assess their own personal ability to exercise that right in a safe manner to all concerned. With arming oneself with a weapon that individual KNOWS AHEAD OF TIME that they had better be one who keeps a calm and cool head in moments of feeling threatened; if not they should NOT carry. Courage does NOT come from a thing. If you are unable to FIRST to dialog with a threatening person forget carrying, TOTALLY. Guns are ONLY legally used, I believe, if your life is actually being threatened with deadly force although there might be a variance in this from metro state to remote western state. Many times people try to settle a dispute with a gun or physical force which NEVER settles a dispute unless it was who is a better shot or fighter. It only silences the one person but not the issue which will resurface again.

A weapon like a gun is VERY SERIOUS DEADLY FORCE; no "extra lives" like in those silly pc game "realities." When you pull a gun you can be legally killed by anyone in your area of imposed threat if they can convince a jury they had just reason. A court room with a jury is nothing but a theater game for attorneys to sway the jury in their favor, NOT necessarily a quest for truth at all. Believe me, I know. The one with the highest paid attorney gets the most "JUSTICE" and that is a fact. If you shoot a successful criminal he or his estate probably can afford a much, much better attorney and hence "justice" in their favor. This why it is so, so important that you can have a calm and cool collected head under serious stress to ensure that you first use and exhaust available reasoning and anti-climatic dialog strategies for later when you will most likely end up in a court room if you shoot someone with a gun.

I speak from experience of having to manage murderers and rapists and assassins one-on-one in isolated areas without ANY weapon, panic button, radio, video surveillance or phone. DOC trains it employees on anti-climatic critical incident dialog and other strategies and such are available to anyone who chooses such. Because of the imminent threat to occur at some time it is useful, I say necessary, to possess a confidence level of self-defense and/or fighting ability which my military training and what I learned on my own while stationed in the Orient provided. Any kind of training in fighting with accompanying matches goes a LONG way in building your courage and confidence. To pull the trigger at the appropriate time requires courage as your cool, responsible head knows what you are doing. If you do not have confidence and courage do NOT EVER think that gun is going to give it to you. You will end pulling the trigger at the WRONG time or end up getting killed yourself or freezing up or panicking and who knows what will happen then.

The most important and critical thing to have in any situation, but specifically on our topic here, is NOT faith in yourself and your abilities or especially a weapon, BUT rather faith in God. You should hone your ability to defend yourself how or whatever that entails BUT that ALL means nothing without a cool and calm head which can think clearly and reasonably, responsibly, and under self-control. My most dangerous moments of imminent threat to my life were manged well NOT by courage or bravery. Those can function with an enraged and totally out of control head. I prayed the moment I identified the threat for wisdom and power necessary to control the situation. I have faith that God is always with me and will never leave me nor forsake me. That is just what He has done for me many times through some very critical times. God has enabled me to face off some very dangerous situations (life-threatening) successfully without having to utilize the deadly force in my hands and feet. When you stand calm and courageous God will work through you as your faith in His presence and support thrives. Most of the time you have time to pray. It only needs to be one sentence. You can pray/talk to God while you are facing the situation. You do NOT need to close your eyes. Your courage will afford you the time as it will slow down and even stop or delay an attack as they reconsider the consequences of your mounting and calm resistance. There is not one of these situations in which I was not afraid. One NEVER knows how a fight is going to end as there are all kinds of unpredictable and uncontrollable factors. But we are commanded to be courageous and to take a stand against the evil one and not to be controlled by fear. Fear reminds me of my need for the Lord and His promises to be there for and with me in the battle. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Phil 4:13

One last thing. I have personally known many Michigan State Police who were nearing retirement and never had to pull their weapon, even once. But Hollywood couldn't make any money if that is what they portrayed. This is certainly NOT at all to say that they were not regularly engage in life-threatening situations. When I was with the MSP they had two full-time Psychologists involved in training some of the classes to the cadets at the Academy in how to handle critical situations and negotiations. They were among the nation's top 3 Law Enforcement Agencies and may still be.

 

[Sketcher]

The US: One person gets a gun. Another gets a gun to protect himself from the first person, a third person buys a gun to protect himself from the other two and so on. This is why you feel a need to have a gun, because everyone else does and they are easy to obtain. You assume that you will meet a bad person with a gun and since there are so many guns your chances of this are much higher than mine and you feel that by having one you will be safe. Bad assumption because come crunch time you may find you can't use it and they will take it and use it against you, or you could shoot someone that you shouldn't have or worse your own children or another child will find the gun.

If self-defense were the only consideration for me, and if I knew that no one else in the country had a gun, I would still get a gun. If bad people are going to come after me or those I love, they're already not playing fair, so I'm going to give myself an edge. But it's not the only consideration for me. The freedom to get one, should the other considerations change, is essential.

 

[NerdGirl]

Why is it okay for people to protect their loved ones, but some people think it is not okay to protect yourself?

I do not have any children or a wife. So, I don't know what it is like to have that protective feeling, like parents do. But when I talk about buying a gun to protect myself, some people tell me that I am wrong. Don't I have the right to love myself the way you love your family?

Update: This was not news. I meant to put this in Christian Advice. Oops

So, I asked the staff to move it. Sorry about that.

I think it's totally fine to protect yourself, your home, and your property. Of course you have that right. People will always disagree about things. As long as you know where you stand, and your conscience is clean, don't let others sway you just by their disapproval.

 

[Arc F1]

Why is it okay for people to protect their loved ones, but some people think it is not okay to protect yourself?

I do not have any children or a wife. So, I don't know what it is like to have that protective feeling, like parents do. But when I talk about buying a gun to protect myself, some people tell me that I am wrong. Don't I have the right to love myself the way you love your family?

Update: This was not news. I meant to put this in Christian Advice. Oops

So, I asked the staff to move it. Sorry about that.

Buy a gun and pray that you never have to shoot anyone.

 

[Fidelibus]

Australia: Very few people own guns

How much say did the law abiding gun owning citizens have in that? Or is it because your because your government said so? Hmmm.... I seem to remember certain (not so nice) countries doing the same thing in history class.

we are unlikely to ever run into a person with a gun and do not feel a need for a gun.

I'd bet you'd have a change of heart if you were looking down the barrel of a .45 in the hands of a criminal!

The gun can't be used against us since we don't own one,

That's just what the bad guy with a gun is hoping for..... a soft target!

we won't accidentally shoot someone that we shouldn't have and there is nothing for our kids to find.

That's what gun safety training is for. My kids and grandkids have been around guns all of their lives and knew then and know now what to do if they come across a gun, real or not. Don't touch! and go tell an adult!

A cricket bat is far more likely to be the weapon of choice.

Think so huh? I think the elderly lady in this story would beg to differ.


" Texas Woman In Her 60s Takes Down 19-Year Old Home Invader:

A 19-year old who broke into a Fredericksburg, Texas home early Saturday morning was shot and killed after attacking one of the residents inside.

The Gillespie County Sheriff’s Office says the intruder, identified as Cleto Neri Solorzano, may have been on some type of drug when he began banging on the back door of the home just before 1 a.m. 73-year old Curtis Roys woke up to the sound of the pounding and went to his back patio to investigate. That’s when Solorzano broke through the door and began assaulting the older gentleman; first beating him with a blunt object and then placing him a chokehold. From KVUE-TV:

Deputies said Roys’ fiancée, 65-year-old Melody Lumpkin, pled several times for the man to stop assaulting him, but the man did not comply. She then retrieved a handgun from the bedroom and fired a warning shot, but deputies said the alleged intruder continued his assault.

When she noticed Roys was not moving, Lumpkin then reportedly fired another shot, striking the man in the head. When Roys regained consciousness, officials said they then called 911.
According to the sheriff’s office, Solorzano was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Roys is expected to recover from his injuries, and Lumpkin isn’t facing any charges since police believe she was acting in self-defense and defense of her fiancée.

I doubt that the couple would have been able to take on their much younger assailant if they didn’t have a firearm to protect themselves, though I suppose it’s possible that the 65-year old woman could have taken down the 19-year old home invader in a fist fight. It’s much more likely, however, that after knocking Curtis Roys unconscious, Solorzano would have assaulted Lumpkin as well, and I doubt that would have ended well for the homeowners.

Thankfully, the older couple did have a handgun ready and available to use in self-defense, and I believe they’re both alive today because Lumpkin was able to get to her gun. The only mistake Lumpkin made was in firing a warning shot. I understand the reluctance Lumpkin may have had in actually shooting the home invader, but a warning shot is a bad idea, especially since Solorzano had already ignored her repeated demands to stop assaulting Curtis Roys.

There’s no indication that Solorzano had any previous criminal charges against him, and the local sheriff’s office is calling this an “isolated incident.” Isolated or not, this self-defense situation could have come to a much more tragic conclusion if Lumpkin hadn’t retrieved her pistol and knew how to use it. I’m glad the couple are going to be okay, and my heart goes out to the family of Cleto Solorzano, who would be alive today if it weren’t for a series of bad decisions on his part."


So do you still believe this lady would have done much better saving her fiancé life with a "cricket bat?"

The only place I have only ever seen a gun is on a farm and that is just a regular shotgun.

And like Joe Biden suggests, "all you need to do is give a couple of warning shots into the air to scare of an intruder." Ha-Ha..... Yeah...... Right, that'll work Joe, tell that to Melody Lumpkin in the story above!

 

[Archivist]

I spent most of my life living in Pennsylvania’s Amish country. Some of my Amish neighbors had guns for killing game. They would never kill a human being even in self-defense or defense of others.

 

[StephenDiscipleofYHWH]

Why is it okay for people to protect their loved ones, but some people think it is not okay to protect yourself?

I do not have any children or a wife. So, I don't know what it is like to have that protective feeling, like parents do. But when I talk about buying a gun to protect myself, some people tell me that I am wrong. Don't I have the right to love myself the way you love your family?

Update: This was not news. I meant to put this in Christian Advice. Oops

So, I asked the staff to move it. Sorry about that.

The Lord asks us to love our enemies right up until our last breathe and love not our own lives until death(Romans 8:36; Revelation 12:11). We are told that our weapons of warfare have changed from carnal to spiritual(2 Cor 10:2-6). We are those who preach and seek to follow the Gospel of Peace(Acts 10:34-36; Romans 10:15; 1 Peter 3:11). If you desire to put on the whole Armour of God then you also must walk in peace until you die(Ephesians 6:15). To harm others is sinful as love works no evil(Romans 13:10) and to harm anyone is evil(Matt 5:39; Romans 12:17-21; Ephesians 4:26,31-32; 1 Peter 3:9).

So in answer, it is wrong to harm anyone for any reason. No matter the circumstances our heart must be towards loving God and loving both our neighbor and our enemies.

I hope this helps

 

[nolidad]

Why is it okay for people to protect their loved ones, but some people think it is not okay to protect yourself?

I do not have any children or a wife. So, I don't know what it is like to have that protective feeling, like parents do. But when I talk about buying a gun to protect myself, some people tell me that I am wrong. Don't I have the right to love myself the way you love your family?

Update: This was not news. I meant to put this in Christian Advice. Oops

So, I asked the staff to move it. Sorry about that.

Nothing wrong in owning a gun to protect yourself from criminals.

Do not ever use it however to protect yourself if you find yourself being physically persecuted fore the faith!

 

[Cis.jd]

Why is it okay for people to protect their loved ones, but some people think it is not okay to protect yourself?

I do not have any children or a wife. So, I don't know what it is like to have that protective feeling, like parents do. But when I talk about buying a gun to protect myself, some people tell me that I am wrong. Don't I have the right to love myself the way you love your family?

Update: This was not news. I meant to put this in Christian Advice. Oops

So, I asked the staff to move it. Sorry about that.

It depends on the circumstances you are in. If you have legit reason you are scared (you live in a bad neighborhood or have heard reports on weird basis) then feeling you need to protect yourself is your business. However, if you are not facing any threats in your life at all and just afraid for some reason, then you could be dealing with paranoia.

It's your business at the end. Just be careful with holding weapons such as guns.

 

[dqhall]

How much say did the law abiding gun owning citizens have in that? Or is it because your because your government said so? Hmmm.... I seem to remember certain (not so nice) countries doing the same thing in history class.



I'd bet you'd have a change of heart if you were looking down the barrel of a .45 in the hands of a criminal!



That's just what the bad guy with a gun is hoping for..... a soft target!



That's what gun safety training is for. My kids and grandkids have been around guns all of their lives and knew then and know now what to do if they come across a gun, real or not. Don't touch! and go tell an adult!



Think so huh? I think the elderly lady in this story would beg to differ.


" Texas Woman In Her 60s Takes Down 19-Year Old Home Invader:

A 19-year old who broke into a Fredericksburg, Texas home early Saturday morning was shot and killed after attacking one of the residents inside.

The Gillespie County Sheriff’s Office says the intruder, identified as Cleto Neri Solorzano, may have been on some type of drug when he began banging on the back door of the home just before 1 a.m. 73-year old Curtis Roys woke up to the sound of the pounding and went to his back patio to investigate. That’s when Solorzano broke through the door and began assaulting the older gentleman; first beating him with a blunt object and then placing him a chokehold. From KVUE-TV:

Deputies said Roys’ fiancée, 65-year-old Melody Lumpkin, pled several times for the man to stop assaulting him, but the man did not comply. She then retrieved a handgun from the bedroom and fired a warning shot, but deputies said the alleged intruder continued his assault.

When she noticed Roys was not moving, Lumpkin then reportedly fired another shot, striking the man in the head. When Roys regained consciousness, officials said they then called 911.
According to the sheriff’s office, Solorzano was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Roys is expected to recover from his injuries, and Lumpkin isn’t facing any charges since police believe she was acting in self-defense and defense of her fiancée.

I doubt that the couple would have been able to take on their much younger assailant if they didn’t have a firearm to protect themselves, though I suppose it’s possible that the 65-year old woman could have taken down the 19-year old home invader in a fist fight. It’s much more likely, however, that after knocking Curtis Roys unconscious, Solorzano would have assaulted Lumpkin as well, and I doubt that would have ended well for the homeowners.

Thankfully, the older couple did have a handgun ready and available to use in self-defense, and I believe they’re both alive today because Lumpkin was able to get to her gun. The only mistake Lumpkin made was in firing a warning shot. I understand the reluctance Lumpkin may have had in actually shooting the home invader, but a warning shot is a bad idea, especially since Solorzano had already ignored her repeated demands to stop assaulting Curtis Roys.

There’s no indication that Solorzano had any previous criminal charges against him, and the local sheriff’s office is calling this an “isolated incident.” Isolated or not, this self-defense situation could have come to a much more tragic conclusion if Lumpkin hadn’t retrieved her pistol and knew how to use it. I’m glad the couple are going to be okay, and my heart goes out to the family of Cleto Solorzano, who would be alive today if it weren’t for a series of bad decisions on his part."


So do you still believe this lady would have done much better saving her fiancé life with a "cricket bat?"




And like Joe Biden suggests, "all you need to do is give a couple of warning shots into the air to scare of an intruder." Ha-Ha..... Yeah...... Right, that'll work Joe, tell that to Melody Lumpkin in the story above!

European nations had fewer murders and better gun control. I do not see how more gun sales does anything except increase gun related fatalities. Jesus said, “Those who live by the sword will die by the sword.”

Most cops in India carried sticks. There are over a billion people in India and they have a much lower median household income level. The U.S. murder rate is close to twice that of India. U.S. rapes per thousand people are fifteen times higher than those in India. More people are talking about being Christian than actually practicing Christianity.
https://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/compare/India/United-States/Crime

 

[Dave G.]

This is a good reason for the OP to post a similar thread in the Firearms section.

We have many knowledgeable people there who can advise about selecting a gun (if desired), including one that is "drop-safe" (will not fire if dropped).

My Beretta 92FS won't fire if dropped, it has a hammer block built in specifically for that purpose. I won't get into details here but it isn't going off is sufficient to know for now..

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Why is it okay for people to protect their loved ones, but some people think it is not okay to protect yourself?

I do not have any children or a wife. So, I don't know what it is like to have that protective feeling, like parents do. But when I talk about buying a gun to protect myself, some people tell me that I am wrong. Don't I have the right to love myself the way you love your family?

Update: This was not news. I meant to put this in Christian Advice. Oops

So, I asked the staff to move it. Sorry about that.

Many Christians will just give you advice on what they feel is right or correct on this topic. For them: they are not looking to the Bible on this topic, but they are going by their experience instead. Sure, they may throw a verse or two at you out of context, but the New Testament (or New Covenant) actually teaches Non Resistance. If you don't believe me, just check out the verses in the Bible within my thread here:

Nonresistance as Taught in the New Testament is Moral and Good.

 

[yellowMan]

Apparently your friends are not familiar with the phrase "when seconds count, police are minutes away". They've obviously never been in a dangerous situation before. When a bad person enters your house at night to come for your wife or kids, you think your baseball bat or calling 911 will be sufficient against an armed intruder?

 

[Gregory Thompson]

We had this issue with guns being sold illegally in Canada for a bit because of US affiliated gangs. The solution was getting the gang members off the street.

 

[Dave G.]

Apparently your friends are not familiar with the phrase "when seconds count, police are minutes away". They've obviously never been in a dangerous situation before. When a bad person enters your house at night to come for your wife or kids, you think your baseball bat or calling 911 will be sufficient against an armed intruder?

That sounds like a Paul Harrell quote ( good instructor by the way).

 

[GenemZ]

Why is it okay for people to protect their loved ones, but some people think it is not okay to protect yourself?

God's Word says? ... DON'T LISTEN TO THE COWARDS...

"Then the officers shall speak further to the people and say, ‘Who is the man that is afraid and fainthearted? Let him depart and return to his house, so that he might not make his brothers’ hearts melt like his heart.’ Deut 20:8​

In Moses day some men that were drafted feared taking up a sword.

The Law stated, that if someone admitted he would be a coward in battle? That he is to be discharged, unless he run away in battle and cause others to follow him.

Those who tell you not to defend yourself?

Let them stay in their homes afraid to make themselves to not be afraid.

grace and peace........