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Time for God’s Men to Pack Heat to Church
raptureforums ^ | Bryan Fischer

Posted on 11/09/2017 4:24:19 PM PST by Roman_War_Criminal

Devin Kelley, an atheist and Air Force reject, a man who had been court-martialed and dishonorably discharged for assaulting his wife and child, entered the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, Texas, on Sunday in full combat gear and cut down 26 Christians in cold blood and put another 20 in the hospital. Victims include eight members of one family and the pastor’s own 14-year-old daughter. The fill-in pastor was shot in the back as he made his way up to the pulpit.

Said Wilson County Sheriff Joe D. Tackitt, Jr, “He (Kelley) just walked down the center aisle, turned around and my understanding was shooting on his way back out. It’s unbelievable to see children, men, and women, laying there. Defenseless people.”

While he once had been a Baptist Sunday School teacher, in recent months Kelley had taken to his Facebook page to post atheist screeds, calling believers in God “stupid.”

As he emerged from the church, he was confronted by a brave neighbor, Stephen Willeford, who shot him through a gap in his body armor. He then fled in an SUV, pursued by Willeford and another neighbor. When Kelley finally drove the SUV off the road and came to a stop, he either killed himself or bled out from the wound he’d received from Willeford. The police showed up five to seven minutes later.


TOPICS: Current Events; General Discusssion; Moral Issues; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS: banglist; church; gunrights; selfdefense
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By Bryan Fischer:

Devin Kelley, an atheist and Air Force reject, a man who had been court-martialed and dishonorably discharged for assaulting his wife and child, entered the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, Texas, on Sunday in full combat gear and cut down 26 Christians in cold blood and put another 20 in the hospital. Victims include eight members of one family and the pastor’s own 14-year-old daughter. The fill-in pastor was shot in the back as he made his way up to the pulpit.

Said Wilson County Sheriff Joe D. Tackitt, Jr, “He (Kelley) just walked down the center aisle, turned around and my understanding was shooting on his way back out. It’s unbelievable to see children, men, and women, laying there. Defenseless people.”

While he once had been a Baptist Sunday School teacher, in recent months Kelley had taken to his Facebook page to post atheist screeds, calling believers in God “stupid.”

As he emerged from the church, he was confronted by a brave neighbor, Stephen Willeford, who shot him through a gap in his body armor. He then fled in an SUV, pursued by Willeford and another neighbor. When Kelley finally drove the SUV off the road and came to a stop, he either killed himself or bled out from the wound he’d received from Willeford. The police showed up five to seven minutes later.

This attack represents the worst church shooting in U.S. history, surpassing the nine killed by Dylann Roof at the Emanuel AME Baptist Church in Charleston, South Carolina in 2015.

It’s past time to recognize that churches have become human shooting galleries and past time to recognize that church leaders and members need to arm themselves in their own defense.

This shooter was able to fire dozens of rounds at helpless victims because nobody in the church was in a position to shoot back. This bad man with a gun was finally neutralized, as is so often the case, by a good man with a gun. A plumber, it turns out, who was good with a rifle. By the time the police arrived, there was nothing left for them to do but clean up the carnage.

While the thought of armed church members might spook us today, it certainly did not spook the colonists who founded this country. For instance, in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, because of the constant danger of Indian attack, every person above 18 years of age was ordered to come to church armed to the teeth, “with their muskets, or other peeces fit for servise, furnished with match, powder, & bullets.” If you showed up without a weapon, you got fined.

Rhode Island had a similar law, and Maryland enacted a 1642 law that specified, “Noe man able to bear arms to goe to church or Chappell… without fixed gunn and 1 Charge at least of powder and Shott.”

New Haven did the same, and the Plymouth Plantation directed that at least one member of each household was under an obligation to bring weapons to church during the season when the likelihood of an Indian attack was at its peak.

Virginia passed a law in 1619 not only requiring everybody to attend church on the Sabbath but to come armed: “and all suche as beare armes shall bring their pieces, swords, pouder and shotte.” To show up at church with your Bible but without your gun was a crime that would subject you to a fine.

While today most municipalities make it illegal to bring a gun to a house of worship (these ordinances need to be changed), there was a considerable period of time in American history where you’d be breaking the law if you were not armed in the house of God.

Jesus, ahead of his time as always, directed his own disciples to arm themselves in their own defense. In a much-overlooked passage of Scripture, he told his disciples, on the night he was betrayed, “Let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one” (Luke 22:36), thus laying a biblical and very New Testament foundation for the Second Amendment.

Why were they to arm themselves? Said Jesus, “For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’” In other words, Jesus is saying, there are people out there who consider me to be a public enemy, and group me together with others they think are a menace to society. Because you are linked to me as my followers, they will think of you the same way. Some will be inclined to assault you without any cause whatsoever, just because you are identified with me. You’d better be prepared when that day comes.

With all the unhinged rhetoric from the left ceaselessly demonizing followers of the Cross, we’re at a time where we cannot take the risk of attending church without a means of protecting ourselves, our families, and our fellow church members. As a friend of mine put it, “A Glock for the flock.”

Bottom line: it’s time for God’s men to start packing heat to church.

1 posted on 11/09/2017 4:24:20 PM PST by Roman_War_Criminal
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To: Roman_War_Criminal

It’s already happening across the country.


2 posted on 11/09/2017 4:27:18 PM PST by lgjhn23 (It's easy to be liberal when you're dumber than a box of rocks.)
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To: lgjhn23

Since August of 2003.


3 posted on 11/09/2017 4:28:06 PM PST by ButThreeLeftsDo (MAGA!!!)
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To: Roman_War_Criminal

And women carrying, as well.


4 posted on 11/09/2017 4:34:06 PM PST by metmom ( ...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith..)
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To: lgjhn23

My bro’s church out in Kali has a whole security detail.

Trained and well-equipped.


5 posted on 11/09/2017 4:35:05 PM PST by x1stcav (We have the guns. Do we have the will?)
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To: Roman_War_Criminal

Just came from music rehearsal and me, the drummer our lead minister carry. There is also a State cop and at least one other member that carries, maybe more. Our church is well armed.


6 posted on 11/09/2017 4:36:27 PM PST by dis.kevin (Dry white toast)
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To: Roman_War_Criminal

I worked church security and we would have a guy in the choir loft behind the pastor to possibly ID some wacko of he walked in the back door.


7 posted on 11/09/2017 4:36:55 PM PST by Sybeck1
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To: Roman_War_Criminal

Our church has had armed oeadership team members for years, and encouages the men to be armed.

Sometimes one of the men’s groups will have skeet shooting or a hog hunt out at someone’s farm.


8 posted on 11/09/2017 4:44:19 PM PST by MrEdd (Caveat Emptor)
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To: Roman_War_Criminal

I feel secure in our church. We have a security team with someone stationed at each door during services, very tight children’s security with check-in and bar-code nametags, only necessary doors unlocked, and the county retired sheriff is on the team. Someone also patrols the parking lot during services and would possibly be the first to see anything out of order.
I have never heard names, but assume multiple ones carry.


9 posted on 11/09/2017 4:49:04 PM PST by GnuThere
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To: Roman_War_Criminal

It is good to carry everywhere.


10 posted on 11/09/2017 4:53:05 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: Roman_War_Criminal
Never bothered to verify it, but I've been told that here in Massachusetts the law is still on the books obligating men to bear arms to church...Ironic.

The American Bishop's conference supports every kind of restriction on the RTKABA that the left can dream up. My very own Cardinal O'Malley has literally preached gun control from the pulpit. If you're Catholic remember, many (all?) diocese are organized as a corporation with the bishop at the top as the de facto CEO. As such, no matter how much you trust your pastor, it's probably best not to burden him with an explanation and putting him at direct odds with his CEO. Map out the plan with like-minded folks in your parish who aren't obligated to kiss the bishop's ass ring.

11 posted on 11/09/2017 4:55:54 PM PST by Wyrd bið ful aræd (Flag burners can go screw -- I'm mighty PROUD of that ragged old flag)
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To: metmom

Yes, it’s long past time for ALL AMERICANS to take responsibility for their own personal safety. The SCOTUS has already ruled explicitly that it is NOT the govt’s responsibility for any individual’s safety.

Protect yourselves and your loved ones. It’s your RIGHT. Use it or lose it.


12 posted on 11/09/2017 5:05:40 PM PST by Dr. Pritchett
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To: Wyrd bið ful aræd
And for legal reasons I should also add, in addition to this not being legal advice, "it's probably best not to burden him with an explanation" as long as it's legal to do so. For example here in MA I've been told that you have to "get permission" before carrying in church. This is at odds with both the above-mentioned old law and the current law that you may carry anywhere normally legal (ie not government buildings, schools, etc) unless specifically told not to. For example, they can't just put up a sign that says "no guns," they have to specifically order you to leave the church, at which you're trespassing.

Either way, the law's an ass so follow it close.

13 posted on 11/09/2017 5:05:51 PM PST by Wyrd bið ful aræd (Flag burners can go screw -- I'm mighty PROUD of that ragged old flag)
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To: Roman_War_Criminal

FTA: “While today most municipalities make it illegal to bring a gun to a house of worship...”

The writer doesn’t cite specifics so I’m thinking he’s mostly speaking from his nether regions. Most states with concealed carry laws also have laws that prohibit cities from writing their own restrictions.


14 posted on 11/09/2017 5:06:29 PM PST by T-Bird45 (It feels like the seventies, and it shouldn't.)
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To: Roman_War_Criminal

And God’s women are supposed to do what? Use a rolling pin?


15 posted on 11/09/2017 5:08:20 PM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
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To: Roman_War_Criminal
The Archbishop of Cincinnati has forbidden firearms in all churches in the Archdiocese. I know people who carry anyway. His Excellency won't know unless those guns have to be used. Maybe then he'll recognize his error.
16 posted on 11/09/2017 5:10:49 PM PST by JoeFromSidney
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To: Roman_War_Criminal

Very good article, especially the last few paragraphs. Thanks for posting.


17 posted on 11/09/2017 5:19:28 PM PST by semaj (Audentes fortuna juvat: Fortune favors the bold. Be Bold FRiends.)
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To: Roman_War_Criminal

And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.
Nehemiah 4:14
18 posted on 11/09/2017 5:26:45 PM PST by Kartographer ("We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.")
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To: All

They should have never stopped.


19 posted on 11/09/2017 5:29:57 PM PST by TheTimeOfMan (A time for peace and a time for war)
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To: BenLurkin
And God’s women are supposed to do what? Use a rolling pin?

You know they will use anything that comes to hand when need arises.

Read all about it here.

20 posted on 11/09/2017 5:30:44 PM PST by thulldud
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