Here's one of the dumbest bills to ever pass...

[sinkingfeeling]

Arkansas to allow concealed guns in churches

The measure, which passed 85-8 on Monday, gives houses of worship the option of allowing concealed weapons.

Passed by the state Senate in an equally lopsided 28-4 vote last week, the bill states it is “immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health, and safety” because “personal security is increasingly important.”

Religious leaders were primarily concerned about any effect the law would have on insurance rates for houses of worship that choose to allow concealed weapons, but proponents downplayed the concern, saying multiple states have similar laws.

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/02/05/arkansas-to-allow-concealed-guns-in-churches/?hpt=hp_t2

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Can't think of a better way to desecrate a house of god than this. The teachings and words of the Prince of Peace aren't important when compared to this 'immediate necessity'.

[Angry Dragon]

1. Jesus ran a gun shop

[Recursion]

2. There's a Colorado church who's glad they allowed that

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Colorado_YWAM_and_New_Life_shootings

I think leaving it up to each individual church is probably a good idea.

[sinkingfeeling]

3. It's still a descration of a 'holy' place.

[Recursion]

5. Not everybody feels that way

I might not go to a church that allows concealed-carry permitees to carry on church property, but I don't see why churches can't make that decision on their own.

[Tikki]

22. My B-I-L is a clergyman and he actually blesses guns for their owners...

and he is not the only person of the cloth to do so.

I think it's sad but then.....


Tikki

[caseymoz]

9. That heroic woman was also a police officer.

And she was volunteering as a security guard at the church.

http://www.examiner.com/article/new-life-hero-jeanne-assam-talks-connecticut-school-shooting-gun-control

When all of them are trained up to police standards with guns, then I'll leave it up to them. Arming every amateur is going to introduce more deadly incidents than it prevents.

[Recursion]

10. And under this law, Arkansas churches can now do this too

If and only if they choose to.

A lot of CCWs are retired LEOs like her

[caseymoz]

18. Yes, but not many citizens . . .

. . . are retired LEO's. (I should point out, she wasn't retired).

You mean a church couldn't have a security guard before this law? I can't believe that.

Just how prevalent are church shootings? How big of a problem is this? What's prompting this law? Now maybe I don't have my finger on the pulse of this issue, but I haven't heard of many.

One thwarted shooting by an armed, trained, guard does not indicate arming the amateurs is going to have good results. But I guess Arkansans are making themselves guinna pigs.

[Recursion]

19. If you want to say mass shootings distract us from bigger problems, I agree

They lead to arguments like this rather than our trying to get background checks for private sales and pass a Federal trafficking laws.

I'm not partiularly interested in concealed carry either way; to the extent it matters, I think it's not random mass shootings but abusive ex husbands who ignore restraining orders.

[libtodeath]

4. What is state law regarding CC?

If it is not allowed in other public places then it could be construed as a government establishment.

[X_Digger]

8. Just the opposite.. letting churches decide for themselves is the govt..

.. getting out of the business of telling churches what to do.

In Arkansas, it's up to private property owners whether to allow or prohibit concealed carry. This law puts churches on equal footing with other private property.

[libtodeath]

11. I asked about public places.

[OriginalGeek]

13. Unless I am misunderstanding the question

CCW holders are allowed to carry in public places. They are not allowed in Government facilities and private property owners can decide for themselves.

[libtodeath]

14. Thank you,that was my question,if you could not walk into restarunt or store with a conceiled

gun but they allow it in a church then that would to me be making it a government sponsored organization.

If it is the same for all then just stupid in my book.

[X_Digger]

21. 49 of 50 states have concealed carry.

Your question would only apply to the one state without concealed carry.

[X_Digger]

15. Churches are not 'public places', they are private property n/t

[timdog44]

6. Thou shalt not kill.

Unless its with a semi-automatic pistol.

[immoderate]

7. To serve man!

That's what gods do.

--imm

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. The Geneva Convention extends protections to Houses of Worship

You allow guns, they are now valid military targets...well done

[aikoaiko]

16. If CCW is permitted by law, then the state has no business telling a church it can't allow it.

If a family restaurant can decide to allow or not allow its patrons to carry a concealed weapon, then I there is no reason to restrict churches.

Its more of a 1st amendment thing rather than a 2nd.

[OldDem2012]

17. Darn right! You never know when some Godless heathen Yankee might show up in church! nt.

[Initech]

20. Where in the Bible does Jesus say "Does thou feel lucky, punk?"

[madinmaryland]

23. These dumbasses are making the Wild Wild West of the 1870's and 1880's look

downright civilized and sophisticated.