TexasCHLforum.com

Richbirdhunter wrote:

chuck j wrote:Just a thought .

Why would you OC in church ? I have attended church as long as I can remember and never seen a gun there . I carry concealed and have no problems . Why the impulse to sport a weapon in the house of GOD . You will have to explain that to me as to the advantage of such behavior ? I see no point to it but only problems . WHY CAN"T YOU CARRY CONCEALED ? Give realistic reasons .
( Please ! Do not say ...............JUST BECAUSE I CAN !)

It's ok to obey the law and CC at church but it's not ok to obey the law and OC at church.

This is your problem, not ours.

So, if a person's OC is distracting another person's ability to worship God in His house, that is their problem? Really? A person's right to OC justifies disruption of the work of the Church? If the members are good with it, OK, but if they are not..... Just because it is legal doesn't always mean it is right, wise or considerate.

chuck j wrote:Perhaps so , be sure to wear a double western rig with a visible BUG come the first . Are you there to worship GOD or just flash a cool sidearm , explain WHY YOU THINK God wants you to enter his house armed ?

Armed, yes. Distracting, no. OC is not the considerate option at most churches in my opinion. But to each his own. It is a choice I wouldn't make and don't respect.

gljjt wrote:

chuck j wrote:Perhaps so , be sure to wear a double western rig with a visible BUG come the first . Are you there to worship GOD or just flash a cool sidearm , explain WHY YOU THINK God wants you to enter his house armed ?

Armed, yes. Distracting, no. OC is not the considerate option at most churches in my opinion. But to each his own. It is a choice I wouldn't make and don't respect.

Agreed . No point to it .

chuck j wrote:Perhaps so , be sure to wear a double western rig with a visible BUG come the first . Are you there to worship GOD or just flash a cool sidearm , explain WHY YOU THINK God wants you to enter his house armed ?

Aren't you entering his house armed if you conceal? You think a piece of cloth seperates an armed individual from a non armed individual?

gljjt wrote:

Richbirdhunter wrote:

chuck j wrote:Just a thought .

Why would you OC in church ? I have attended church as long as I can remember and never seen a gun there . I carry concealed and have no problems . Why the impulse to sport a weapon in the house of GOD . You will have to explain that to me as to the advantage of such behavior ? I see no point to it but only problems . WHY CAN"T YOU CARRY CONCEALED ? Give realistic reasons .
( Please ! Do not say ...............JUST BECAUSE I CAN !)

It's ok to obey the law and CC at church but it's not ok to obey the law and OC at church.

This is your problem, not ours.

So, if a person's OC is distracting another person's ability to worship God in His house, that is their problem? Really? A person's right to OC justifies disruption of the work of the Church? If the members are good with it, OK, but if they are not..... Just because it is legal doesn't always mean it is right, wise or considerate.

I know most of the people I sit around at church and for the most part we are like minded people. It's not going to be a shock to anyone when people OC.

Well I got the official word tonight. 30.07 signs are going up this week. When my ministry lead person expressed to our head pastor that he was personally uncomfortable with CC at our church, our pastor told him we're not going to ban that because we don't want to be the kind of church that then has to put up metal detectors to make sure that congregants who used to carry obey the signs. Our senior pastor has privately told a friend of mine who carries that he is personally OK with CHL and actually feels safer knowing that there are people in the congregation who carry.

Anyway, I am relieved. If they are going to ban OC, I'd rather that it had been dealt with more subtly by empowering the churches "gatekeepers" (greeters, ushers, etc.) to give effective notice verbally, rather than posting the signs; but I can live with the signs.

Richbirdhunter wrote:

gljjt wrote:

Richbirdhunter wrote:

chuck j wrote:Just a thought .

Why would you OC in church ? I have attended church as long as I can remember and never seen a gun there . I carry concealed and have no problems . Why the impulse to sport a weapon in the house of GOD . You will have to explain that to me as to the advantage of such behavior ? I see no point to it but only problems . WHY CAN"T YOU CARRY CONCEALED ? Give realistic reasons .
( Please ! Do not say ...............JUST BECAUSE I CAN !)

It's ok to obey the law and CC at church but it's not ok to obey the law and OC at church.

This is your problem, not ours.

So, if a person's OC is distracting another person's ability to worship God in His house, that is their problem? Really? A person's right to OC justifies disruption of the work of the Church? If the members are good with it, OK, but if they are not..... Just because it is legal doesn't always mean it is right, wise or considerate.

I know most of the people I sit around at church and for the most part we are like minded people. It's not going to be a shock to anyone when people OC.

Me being concealed carry distracts no one , I will not affect anyone's worship do as you please but think before you do . Bout all I got to say .

The Annoyed Man wrote:Well I got the official word tonight. 30.07 signs are going up this week. When my ministry lead person expressed to our head pastor that he was personally uncomfortable with CC at our church, our pastor told him we're not going to ban that because we don't want to be the kind of church that then has to put up metal detectors to make sure that congregants who used to carry obey the signs. Our senior pastor has privately told a friend of mine who carries that he is personally OK with CHL and actually feels safer knowing that there are people in the congregation who carry.

Anyway, I am relieved. If they are going to ban OC, I'd rather that it had been dealt with more subtly by empowering the churches "gatekeepers" (greeters, ushers, etc.) to give effective notice verbally, rather than posting the signs; but I can live with the signs.

I've given this a lot of thought and have discussed these issues extensively in a professional capacity with very thoughtful church leadership teams.

I think the best position is not to post any signs and to adopt a policy that requires that firearms be carried concealed only, with greeters / ushers trained and prepared with cards that explain the policy if someone does show up practicing OC.

Even though OC will soon be legal, to me it would be an indication of poor judgment for someone to show up with an openly carried firearm in church, particularly in view of the fact that the safety of the congregation is better served by keeping potential bad guys guessing about who may be carrying and who is not.

Excaliber wrote:

The Annoyed Man wrote:Well I got the official word tonight. 30.07 signs are going up this week. When my ministry lead person expressed to our head pastor that he was personally uncomfortable with CC at our church, our pastor told him we're not going to ban that because we don't want to be the kind of church that then has to put up metal detectors to make sure that congregants who used to carry obey the signs. Our senior pastor has privately told a friend of mine who carries that he is personally OK with CHL and actually feels safer knowing that there are people in the congregation who carry.

Anyway, I am relieved. If they are going to ban OC, I'd rather that it had been dealt with more subtly by empowering the churches "gatekeepers" (greeters, ushers, etc.) to give effective notice verbally, rather than posting the signs; but I can live with the signs.

I've given this a lot of thought and have discussed these issues extensively in a professional capacity with very thoughtful church leadership teams.

I think the best position is not to post any signs and to adopt a policy that requires that firearms be carried concealed only, with greeters / ushers trained and prepared with cards that explain the policy if someone does show up practicing OC.

Even though OC will soon be legal, to me it would be an indication of poor judgment for someone to show up with an openly carried firearm in church, particularly in view of the fact that the safety of the congregation is better served by keeping potential bad guys guessing about who may be carrying and who is not.

I have told our folks we will be using the "wait and see" approach.

I also agree it would be bad taste to OC in church. One thing folks seem to forget this life should not be just about me, but about others. Why would I want to be a stumbling block to another member over something that doesn't really matter. My pistol hid by my suit coat hurts no one and doesn't hurt me.

carlson1 wrote:

Excaliber wrote:

The Annoyed Man wrote:Well I got the official word tonight. 30.07 signs are going up this week. When my ministry lead person expressed to our head pastor that he was personally uncomfortable with CC at our church, our pastor told him we're not going to ban that because we don't want to be the kind of church that then has to put up metal detectors to make sure that congregants who used to carry obey the signs. Our senior pastor has privately told a friend of mine who carries that he is personally OK with CHL and actually feels safer knowing that there are people in the congregation who carry.

Anyway, I am relieved. If they are going to ban OC, I'd rather that it had been dealt with more subtly by empowering the churches "gatekeepers" (greeters, ushers, etc.) to give effective notice verbally, rather than posting the signs; but I can live with the signs.

I've given this a lot of thought and have discussed these issues extensively in a professional capacity with very thoughtful church leadership teams.

I think the best position is not to post any signs and to adopt a policy that requires that firearms be carried concealed only, with greeters / ushers trained and prepared with cards that explain the policy if someone does show up practicing OC.

Even though OC will soon be legal, to me it would be an indication of poor judgment for someone to show up with an openly carried firearm in church, particularly in view of the fact that the safety of the congregation is better served by keeping potential bad guys guessing about who may be carrying and who is not.

I have told our folks we will be using the "wait and see" approach.

I also agree it would be bad taste to OC in church. One thing folks seem to forget this life should not be just about me, but about others. Why would I want to be a stumbling block to another member over something that doesn't really matter. My pistol hid by my suit coat hurts no one and doesn't hurt me.

"But now," he said, "take your money and a traveler's bag. And if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one!

It doesn't and cover it up before you come to church.

Richbirdhunter wrote: "But now," he said, "take your money and a traveler's bag. And if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one!

It doesn't and cover it up before you come to church.

We can't have Bible Studies or in just a few sentences I could place that in the right context for you.

carlson1 wrote:

Richbirdhunter wrote: "But now," he said, "take your money and a traveler's bag. And if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one!

It doesn't and cover it up before you come to church.

We can't have Bible Studies or in just a few sentences I could place that in the right context for you.

Please do, I don't want to be thinking wrong about my position on OC and serving God.

Our church put up 30.07 signs, had them up Sunday. I wasn't thrilled either, I would have liked it to be handled in a softer way, but our greeters are typically older people, so they may have felt the signs were a way of helping the greeters.

Richbirdhunter wrote:

gljjt wrote:

Richbirdhunter wrote:

chuck j wrote:Just a thought .

Why would you OC in church ? I have attended church as long as I can remember and never seen a gun there . I carry concealed and have no problems . Why the impulse to sport a weapon in the house of GOD . You will have to explain that to me as to the advantage of such behavior ? I see no point to it but only problems . WHY CAN"T YOU CARRY CONCEALED ? Give realistic reasons .
( Please ! Do not say ...............JUST BECAUSE I CAN !)

It's ok to obey the law and CC at church but it's not ok to obey the law and OC at church.

This is your problem, not ours.

So, if a person's OC is distracting another person's ability to worship God in His house, that is their problem? Really? A person's right to OC justifies disruption of the work of the Church? If the members are good with it, OK, but if they are not..... Just because it is legal doesn't always mean it is right, wise or considerate.

I know most of the people I sit around at church and for the most part we are like minded people. It's not going to be a shock to anyone when people OC.

It has been my experience that we are very like minded when it comes to the tenets of our faith and many are like minded when it comes to firearms. But some are not. I don't think it is right to be a distraction for even the few.

I would like to play a little devil's advocate for a moment.

What about openly carrying a handgun in a church is so different from anywhere else? Is it because we don't want to detract from worship services? What about restaurants and disturbing others' peaceful meal? Should people not OC somewhere because they're afraid of disturbing someone's day? Just wondering where this line gets drawn.