Posted on 11/23/2014 5:15:25 AM PST by Gamecock
When Ellie Spivey and her 30-year-old son left Lakewood Church on Wednesday night, they had nothing but positive thoughts. They have attended the church on the Southwest Freeway for 13 months since the Spivey family moved to Houston from Florida.
“I noticed that he had a gun and it was right here," said Russ Spivey. He and his mom were getting into their Jeep parked in a parking lot on the south side of the Southwest Freeway at Edloe Street.
He told Local 2, “There was a black weapon, a gun pointed at my mother and she was fighting for her purse saying please don't take my purse. My son has leukemia. Please don't do this to us.”
Ellie Spivey said, “I had my purse over this arm. His arm is in mine. He's holding onto my purse. And my instinct is, you're not getting my purse...”
Russ knew his mom had to stop fighting in order to survive.
He said, “I stepped in and said mom, give him whatever he wants. He has a gun.”
She stopped fighting and the man took her purse and got into a faded, red, Ford Explorer, driving away on the Southwest Freeway.
Russ Spivey said he knew he was close to losing his mom, his caretaker for the last 13 months as he fights cancer at the MD Anderson Cancer Center.
He, his mom and dad moved here from Florida to fight for his life.
He said, “There's no end date. When they put you in the category for poor prognosis leukemia, we just wait through remission, through one of these trials.”
The Spivey family comes to Lakewood Church for hope, encouragement and peace. Even with the horror they found in a parking lot across the freeway, they forgive and find hope for their attacker.
Ellie Spivey said, “Russ and I are safe and we're not in the hospital or in a morgue.”
Russ Spivey added, “We just hope it's a life-changing event for him."
Houston police said their robbery division is investigating. Lakewood Church said it is reaching out to the Spivey family.
There is nothing wrong with being armed even when you go to church. I am.
nice people
One should be armed everywhere. I have a shower gun. Where is the rule that your door will not be kicked in while you are showering?
Amish?
Russ Spivey added, “We just hope it's a life-changing event for him."
Not too likely. Just another day at work for him. Another day, another dollar. *"Gun Free Zone"
Texas law does not forbid guns in churches.
One should be armed everywhere. I have a shower gun.
A little extreme. And yet,
Our neighborhood can get "exciting". Last summer, 3 unsolved murders within a mile. Just this past week, shots fired at the stop-and-rob half a block away. Now that the Illinois Volksrepublik finally has legal CCW, I carry whenever and wherever possible.
I know that there are my fellow FReepers who are and will post about being armed but I will say that all of us have times of dropped awareness and vulnerability. Since the assailant had his gun out and pointed, resistance in this case would have had bad probable outcomes over just surrendering their possessions. Of course in the range of possibilities could have been assault even with surrendering but, at least in this case, it was just a ‘simple’ mugging.
Of further interest would be how these large churches conduct security in these uneasy times. Large open parking lots with defined times of services that end after sunset are as attractive to the heathen as shopping malls. Given that the latter now routinely patrol their vulnerable spaces I would guess that others should as well, if they are not already doing so.
Worship centers do not have the aura of safety that our minds attribute to them in the past, just consider that Synagogue in Jerusalem. Indeed, it may be that they are even more dangerous as they attract the fanatic, the heretic and the barbarian, let alone the Satan-inspired evil.
“Not too likely. Just another day at work for him. Another day, another dollar. *”Gun Free Zone” “
Until recently I worked for years near that place in Greenway. There were always panhandlers at that corner looking for handouts, so I am sure they are capable of being armed for robbery as well.
The gun is not actually in the shower with me, but within reach. Curious why you would say that is “extreme”?
The black gun wasnt the only black present.
The gun is not actually in the shower with me, but within reach. Curious why you would say that is “extreme”?
You’re in PA. If you’re anywhere near Philly I wouldn’t blame you if you had your weapon in the shower with you!
That is why churches are locked at night now.
Plus have good security systems.
Christians are fair game to be preyed on
Not surprised, because of the scripture that says, “turn the other check”.
Maybe Joel was pissed they didn’t put enough in the collection plate, so he met them outside to “correct things”.
So how does this fit in with his feely good, power of positive thinking, prosperity gospel?
(Except for the robber)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.