How does the state regulate the possession of legal arms in a church, why wouldn’t be strictly up to the church?
What if firearms are a part of your religious observances? At St. John the Reloader, maybe we like to make an effigy of Satan and pump him full of lead. Who is the government to tell us that we can’t practice our religion how we want?
The first Concealed Carry laws passed in Texas had this restriction. The next legislature realized error of their ways and deleted this restriction. Now, one can fully expect that there will legally be several guns in the congregation at every church service (including mine)!