"Bring Your Gun To Church" Day

And Jesus Wept

"I like your Christ, but do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ." ~Gandhi
"Upon the integrity, wisdom, and independence of the judiciary depend the sacred rights of free men and women."  

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by: keithan81 @ Sun Jun 28, 2009 at 20:22:28 PM CDT

I'm only shocked that the dateline wasn't somewhere in Texas

>^..^<

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by: KatRose @ Sun Jun 28, 2009 at 20:26:38 PM CDT

No kidding.....

Are they still wanting to leave the union?

"They say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself." - Andy Warhol



"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction" - Blaise Pascal

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by: TruthandLove @ Sun Jun 28, 2009 at 20:28:55 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

You want Texas?

On the 40th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, a Fort Worth gay bar was RAIDED last light. A gay bar that has only been open ONE WEEK!

http://dym-sum.com/2009/06/28/...

Surprise! We are still FIGHTING THIS SH*T!

"A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine." ~~~ Thomas Jefferson

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by: SD_Dave @ Sun Jun 28, 2009 at 20:35:10 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I have a diary up about this

with dym-sum and other links too.

"They say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself." - Andy Warhol



"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction" - Blaise Pascal

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by: TruthandLove @ Sun Jun 28, 2009 at 20:39:01 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I guess it could have been worse...

Or maybe not - FW is one of the few places in the state that (allegedly) protects LGB - and T - rights.

>^..^<

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by: KatRose @ Sun Jun 28, 2009 at 21:11:53 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Just dumbfounded

I tried to think of something to say, but keithan81's is perfect.

"They say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself." - Andy Warhol



"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction" - Blaise Pascal

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by: TruthandLove @ Sun Jun 28, 2009 at 20:37:40 PM CDT

Church of St. Glock

Of course, his Scriptural text was from the Sermon on the Mount, you know the one, "Blessed are the Peacemakers."

If the President is as slow on gun control as he is on, oh, DADT repeal, the parishioners of St. Winchester the Divine have nothing to worry about.

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by: coram nobis @ Sun Jun 28, 2009 at 20:40:42 PM CDT

Church of St. Glock? Is that near the Church of St. Guac?

>^..^<

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by: KatRose @ Sun Jun 28, 2009 at 21:13:03 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Actually, it's near St. Looney-on-the-Cream-Bun-and-Jam

A congregation of the Monty Python Synod.

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by: coram nobis @ Sun Jun 28, 2009 at 22:58:45 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Meanwhile

Some churches in Maine let people set up tables in the parking lot to collect signatures in an effort to deny other Mainers their legal right to marry.

The church, located just off heavily traveled Route 3, is one of many area congregations taking an active role to collect signatures for a people's veto. Catholic churches across the state are also working to get the 55,087 signatures needed to put the issue before voters in November.

Maine became the fifth state in the country to allow gay marriage when the state Legislature passed, and Gov. John Baldacci signed, the law in May. Immediately, Baptist Pastor Bob Emrich of Plymouth and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland announced they would organize a people's veto effort.

Palermo Baptist Pastor Chuck Barnes Sr. said he doesn't think legislators should have made the decision to "redefine marriage" without asking the people of the state.

"It was not really fair play," he said.

Those gathering signatures have until early August to turn them in to the state to get the question on the November ballot. If they don't meet that deadline, it could also appear on the June ballot.

The Palermo church uses its big sign along the road to let people know they will have petitions available to sign on Saturdays. Barnes said they will not be there July 4, but will continue their efforts after that.

Hisler, who lives in nearby Sommerville, said people often drive by a few times before they come in to sign the petition. She said a preacher from Belfast stopped by last week and took an armful of petitions back to his home church for people to sign.

"I'm not sure how many we've collected, but I've heard it's getting close," she said.

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by: Louise @ Sun Jun 28, 2009 at 20:47:47 PM CDT

how many commandments will they flout?

I'm not sure how many they've collected, but I've heard it's getting iffy. Pam was already on this.

http://www.pamshouseblend.com/...

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by: coram nobis @ Sun Jun 28, 2009 at 20:51:19 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

And Baptists from Florida came to New York to protest against other churches

Southern Baptists from Florida came to a community with a group of spiritualist churches, Lily Dale, NY to protest against their beliefs

LILY DALE - What began as a peaceful, sunny day in Lily Dale took an interesting turn when about a dozen protesters showed up outside the gates to exercise their constitutional rights.

They weren't demonstrating based on the second amendment, but they did shoot harsh words toward the tourists and staff at the spiritual community.

"The true God damns all false prophets to hell for all of eternity," a pre-pubescent boy yelled toward the gates. "Repent now for your own salvation!"

The group held signs quoting Bible verses while another read "Harry Potter will damn you to hell."

Notice that only their version of Christianity is acceptble. The Spiritualist chuches are not a new thing, they are well over a century old and Arthur Conan-Doyle was a Spiritualist.

According to the group's leader, a man who only identified himself as John, the group travels throughout the country to protest various people and events spanning everything from gay pride and equal rights rallies to spiritual and religious events that don't jive with their beliefs.

"We came up here from South Florida and even though the words might seem harsh, we are here because we care about every soul inside that compound," he said. "We are believing, born-again Christians- conservative Baptists."

Their protest did not go unopposed

The group was engaged by two youths from inside Lily Dale, who began debating with the protesters.

"What gives you the right to attack these people for what they believe?" the boy said. "Are you a priest?"

The youths continued on with counterpoints to the group's statements but eventually gave up on debate and returned to Lily Dale. At that point, the group returned to yelling at vehicles entering and exiting the gates. The Chautauqua County Sheriff's Department was called to the scene before 2 p.m., but left after it was determined that the group was within its constitutional right to assemble.

Here is a community that the LGBT community could make common cause with. And, to our Catholic Church and LDS Church opponents...beware of your friends. They do not consider you Chrstian either, and may soon be at your gates.

I tell you Chica that no greater abomination exists than women denying their spirit of sisterhood and instead becoming the oppressor. -Rebeca, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

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by: MauraHennessey @ Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 08:10:40 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

WGWJB (What Gun Would Jesus Bring)

Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition...

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by: itsjustleigh @ Sun Jun 28, 2009 at 20:47:57 PM CDT

Or...

WWJS

Who Would Jesus Shoot?

I swear I saw this on a license plate here in Arizona.

When you look for the bad in mankind, expecting to find it, you surely will.

- Abraham Lincoln.

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by: Fritz @ Sun Jun 28, 2009 at 21:11:26 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

OMG,

We've seen the same car...

http://www.dyssonance.com  Breaking all the rules...

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by: dyssonance @ Sun Jun 28, 2009 at 21:15:58 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Firedoglake

imo nailed the acronym contest with WWJP- What Would Jesus Pack?, on this same story.

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by: Louise @ Sun Jun 28, 2009 at 21:18:24 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Speaking of Arizona.....

A bill to allow concealed weapons in bars has passed at least one chamber of the state legislature.  Don't know how the current Repub Governor Brewer will tilt on this one.  Former Gov Janet Napolitano vetoed the "guns in bars" bill in 2005.

People who, like me, are somewhat nervous about this propect are supposed to be soothed by the requirement that those who are carrying may not drink.  Hello-oo-oo!?  Why the eff do you go to a bar?  "Can't drink and drive" sure is adequately enforced, isn't it?  I can imagine that this new take on the old Wild West will be just fine.  (NOT!)

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by: Jake @ Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 08:37:29 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Only in America!

What a weird juxtaposition of demographics...

On the other hand?  I can get "Blessed are the Peacemakers" ON AN ACTUAL PEACEMAKER".  I AM SO HAPPY

If it weren't a church doing it, I'd be totally pleased that they're doing this.  A ton of anti-gun liberal groups are trying their hardest to paint gun ownership as something unnecessary and brutish that kills kids, and they're succeeding in a lot of areas even though it's not true because their fearmongering tactics are top-notch.  The responsible, sane gun owners of the US really should have more pride events like this one.

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by: akinkyslinky @ Sun Jun 28, 2009 at 20:55:27 PM CDT

Not at church!

It's just fine if some club wants to hold Gun Safety Jamboree some weekend, and emphasize that no matter how well you usually follow basic safety rules, it's NOT OK to go drinking in your deer/duck/whatever blind. For that matter, I am sick of hearing folks whine about legally required gun locks - they don't want to follow safety rules at home, either - and young kids get hold of guns they don't know how to use and which are too heavy for them, and tragedy happens.

Church? Church is for worship of God, not weaponry.

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by: NancyP @ Sun Jun 28, 2009 at 22:59:28 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

true

True.  It's deeply weird that it's happening at a church.  Only in America...

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by: akinkyslinky @ Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 02:04:51 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

I thought of Screwtape...

I thought of Screwtape, C.S. Lewis' fictional devil, who was always strategizing ways to undermine Christianity.  He told his nephew, Wormwood, that he should try to get the "patient" into a state of "Christianity and..."  It would undermine Christianity by using it as a convenience to some other goal, like, well, in this country, gun-pride.

So yeah, let's have more "Gun-pride" events in churches.  BWA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!!!

(Seriously, how insecure do you need to be to think you need guns around all the time?)

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by: george.w @ Sun Jun 28, 2009 at 21:09:25 PM CDT

What did Obama say?

Something about fearful people clinging to guns and religion.

He was absolutely right, you know.

When you look for the bad in mankind, expecting to find it, you surely will.

- Abraham Lincoln.

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by: Fritz @ Sun Jun 28, 2009 at 21:09:38 PM CDT

And yet...

I'm not fearful, and I happen to like the right to carry a lot and I'm very religious.

He's mostly right.

http://www.dyssonance.com  Breaking all the rules...

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by: dyssonance @ Sun Jun 28, 2009 at 21:15:23 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Lawd!

Every time we try to convince the world that Louisville is in Kentucky, not of Kentucky, someone pulls some fuckery like this.  Just so y'all know, this is waaaaay on the outskirts of Louisville to the tiny part of the city that folks who don't like all the queers and coloreds have fled.  Even progressive cities have nuts like this.

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by: ChristopherM @ Sun Jun 28, 2009 at 21:14:28 PM CDT

Why No Bullets ? n/t

Pam,
J'aime ma Peau

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by: Blonde Pam @ Sun Jun 28, 2009 at 21:29:37 PM CDT

Because they aren't trusted.

With 200 or so loaded firearms someone would be bound to fuck up.

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by: Narcoleptic_Kitty @ Sun Jun 28, 2009 at 21:43:16 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

i'm sure they were fully loaded

Another reason not to let them lock and load.

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by: coram nobis @ Sun Jun 28, 2009 at 22:59:48 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Their original insurance provider

cancelled their policy- they found another, but were required to have an unloaded weapons gunfest.

How much ya wanna guess it was a "wink and nod, your word is good with US!" checkpoint going in, instead of a stop and examine every weapon?

This is all adding up to some weird sh*t in America.

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by: Louise @ Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 09:01:01 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

These loons will never get insurance now......

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by: NancyP @ Sun Jun 28, 2009 at 23:00:25 PM CDT

Given that a doctor

was recently shot in a church, you have to wonder if these people are preparing for an old fashioned wild west shootout.

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by: SciFi Geek @ Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 08:56:11 AM CDT

Armed in Church

If the gunman in Wichita had known that there might be 50 or 100 armed people in the building, and that the church sponsored gun safety and marksmanship training, would he have even gone in?

If the gunman in Knoxville last year had known that the sanctuary was full of armed worshippers who had a regular Wednesday night at the range, would he have gone in?

I can't see this as non-christian. It is positive citizenship and included gun safety training and, I hope, marksmenship.

We have a local chapter of the Pink Pistols (www.pinkpistols.org/) that meets at a range a few miles from my home - I have considered going and learning to handle a gun and shoot and hit a target because (as they say on their web page) "armed gays don't get bashed" and I am not just gay, I am explicitly gender-queer and my husband is a transman.

My opinion. Your mileage may vary.

Stormie
Religious beliefs are not a basis upon which to affirm or deny civil rights.

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by: StormWalker @ Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 10:10:27 AM CDT

The whole

"Thou shalt not kill" seems to have escaped some people.

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by: SciFi Geek @ Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 10:39:49 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

It is actually "thou shalt not commit murder"...

.. or else the police who shoots the criminal after that criminal kills the first of several hostages, is morally as repugnant as the criminal.

Don't want to get into a theology debate, but in this context "thou shalt not kill" is a meretricious understanding.  

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by: SharonB @ Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 16:46:14 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I'm with you on this one, Stormie...

...I see nothing inherently wrong with discrete and LEGAL carry in a place of worship.

Detractors: please pay attention to the word "LEGAL" above. Also please read the referenced article, this was an event, not a Sunday Service.

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by: SharonB @ Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 16:51:55 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

This is a great idea!

I think the next time I go to a blot I'll pack heat too--after all, if it's good enough for the Christianists, it's good enough for us heathens too!

Hail Thor and pass the ammo!

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by: acidqueen @ Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 21:23:32 PM CDT

Didn't trust em enough with bullets....

I think that says everything.

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by: JBravoEcho09 @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 07:27:40 AM CDT