Do you think it's Christian to own guns?

[jiminpa]

So in this post-modern, criminal friendly version of Christianity who stands between the killer and the innocent?

 

[Hank77]

How many people have been shot this year?

Firearm-related suicides—though receiving far less public attention—significantly outnumber homicides for all age groups, with suicides accounting for approximately 60 percent of all firearm injury fatalities in the United States in 2009 (Kochanek et al., 2011).
http://www.nap.edu/read/18319/chapter/3#33

 

[South Bound]

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

And the way we know you're lying is that you refuse to give any examples or show any evidence for this claim.

 

[South Bound]

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

If what is Christianity for today? You haven't said anything about Christianity. All you've done is lie and slander gun owners.

 

[Gregoire de Nazianze]

I think that the second amendment was not wrote for personal use, but to help the defense of republic. In fact, since the glorious revolution(1688), and after with the American constitution's redaction (1787), legislators saw that the supreme manner to equilibrate legislative and executive powers is to permit carrying of arms for all the people. So, if Christians are submitted to the law, according to Rom.13, for example, they can carry owns arms...

 

[abysmul]

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

How many times ave you been to the USA? How many days have you spent here. How many citizens do you know and talk to on a regular basis? How many of the 50 states have you visited? How much of your knowledge of the USA is from internet and "videos"? What are the statistics involving crime with firearms committed by legal gun owners in the USA? I just wonder how much your really know about this compared to what you think you know based on what you may see on the internet.

 

[malvina]

My only knowledge is from American forum friends I've had for over several years. I say 'had' because two are dead from cancer because (at the time) they couldn't afford to pay the fees. We helped where we could but it was not enough for them.
And I listen to the news where we hear of shooting attacks from USA on a regular basis whether it be by criminals or legal gun owners. Of late a lot are done by Police
If you want to post more fine but I will give this a rest as I don't want to be at war with you. We have enough bad things going on in this world as it is

 

[South Bound]

My only knowledge is from American forum friends I've had for over several years. I say 'had' because two are dead from cancer because (at the time) they couldn't afford to pay the fees.

What "fees"?

 

[Optimax]

Simple answer is yes

 

[Biblicist]

What "fees"?

In case you are not aware, medical and hospital treatment is not free in the USA, they both involve a lot of fees and charges.

 

[Biblicist]

And I listen to the news where we hear of shooting attacks from USA on a regular basis whether it be by criminals or legal gun owners. Of late a lot are done by Police
If you want to post more fine but I will give this a rest as I don't want to be at war with you. We have enough bad things going on in this world as it is

As I mentioned earlier, it can be hard for an Australian to understand the gun question in the USA as our two societies are quite different. To put things into some sort of balance, as you are against private gun ownership (which is neither a bad or a good thing), if you noticed that a neighbour's home was being broken into while they were away, would you call '000' knowing that an armed group of police Officers would be responding where the perpetrator could be possibly shot? If the thief was shot, then this would mean that you are almost as complicit in the deed as the Officer who could possiby by forced to shoot the (armed?) thief; could it maybe be better to allow the thief to get away with a few replacable possessions than risk seeing him get shot, afterall , he could also be a dad? But then again, unbeknown to you, the thief who thought that he was entering into an unoccupied home might all of a sudden come across one of the family members where the thief might even shoot someone's wife or child.

 

[SeventyOne]

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

Would it have been a sin if He had?

 

[South Bound]

In case you are not aware, medical and hospital treatment is not free in the USA, they both involve a lot of fees and charges.

What "fees" are there for cancer

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

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

People are turning away from Christianity because of the Rock Star entertainment mentality, and the gimmi, gimmi, gimmi and the lack of morality and ethics, not that some Christians own guns.

You say you don't look down on people yet this is your response to the idea of believers owning a gun. The scriptures allow for one defending themselves. In turning the other other cheek Yeshua was referring to general every day living where your neighbor would try to sue you, or doing you wrong as a business deal, where the rulers of the day could ask for your cloak and by law you had to give it them so offer your coat as well. It had nothing to do with people breaking into your home to harm you and your family.

Of course we would not connect Yeshua with a gun, however, when was the last time you said "I am HE" and the whole mob coming for you fell to the ground? How bout the last time you were cornered and about to be pushed off a cliff, did you just walk through the middle of them and leave them dumbfounded as to where you went? When you can do that, then you have the right to tell others what they should and should not own.

A couple of the disciples had swords, so obviously Yeshua did not have an issue with them defending themselves and others. At one point He told them to not take a sword when they went out, in another instance He instructed to take a sword. Again, obviously, He had no issue with it. In Scripture the people were told they could defend themselves. The scripture you're using is pulled out of it's context and has nothing to do with with fearing for your life from your neighbor and you not being allowed to protect yourself. No where does Yeshua tell them to just let people wreak havoc on their homes and families. No where.

 

[jiminpa]

Because the government determines what is legal.

Yet the American government in its present form is quite illegal. Our constitution is our highest law, and if our government violates it the way it currently is, it is violating the law, making the government itself in violation of the law.

So what do the little citizens do when the government is in violation of its own laws? Well, that too is provided for in our highest law.

Now, I realize that those concepts are somewhat foreign to many here, and I don't have a way to do them justice to one who doesn't already understand.

 

[Biblicist]

Because the government determines what is legal.

Yet the American government in its present form is quite illegal. Our constitution is our highest law, and if our government violates it the way it currently is, it is violating the law, making the government itself in violation of the law.

So what do the little citizens do when the government is in violation of its own laws? Well, that too is provided for in our highest law.

Now, I realize that those concepts are somewhat foreign to many here, and I don't have a way to do them justice to one who doesn't already understand.

Would it maybe be a better option to say that when the Government acts outside of the Law, that their behaviour is at best questionable and innapropriate, where it is up to its citizenry to non-violenty stand up against this improper (and probably illegal) behaviour. We have to ask ourselves if we could ever refer to a legally elected government (of any nation) as being illegal.

 

[ewq1938]

Apart from those needing them for living - do you think people should own guns?

God's people have always had weapons from the average citizen to the army which protected them.

I cannot tie Jesus up with a gun-owner that has them for the sake of having them

If you did tie them up I think the gun should be used to shoot the rope to get untied.

 

[ewq1938]

If people relied on Jesus more they would have a lot more money

lol

 

[Aelred of Rievaulx]

Peter did have a sword and when he used it Jesus got angry with him and rebuked him. I hate guns. I think the less of them people can get their hands on the better for everyone.

 

[DeepWater]

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

Your bible tells you in the NT that if you dont provide for your family then, "you're worse then an infidel" (unbeliever).
So, "to provide", also means "protect"......you are to protect your family from whatever would try to harm or destroy it.

Poverty.
Bad decisions.
Etc.

And, Protection from harm, falls under the guidelines of "providing".....so, if you need a handgun to protect your family in a dangerous world then you are using common sense, and wisdom, as well as following the scriptures.