Originally posted by rogue06
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Is gun culture compatible with Christianity?
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Originally posted by rogue06 View PostI'm trying to figure out how fishing with a sword would work.
Swordfish.jpg
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Originally posted by KingsGambit View PostNote that the question I'm asking is not whether gun control works or is good public policy. On a personal level, do Christians have business owning guns?
Scot McKnight hasn't thought so for awhile. His recent blog post is thought provoking: https://scotmcknight.substack.com/p/...tian-own-a-gun
Personally, I'm not at the point where I'm going to condemn Christians for owning guns. But I don't think that American gun culture is compatible with Christianity. The NRA with Ted Nugent on the board openly talking about shooting liberals, is not something I can see Jesus supporting. Period. Or "jokes" about killing intruders/people dating your daughter/etc.
It was a volatile era during that time, and the Jews, including his followers, were expecting a war against the Romans to happen led by Messiah ben David. They obviously thought (prior to his crucifixion) Jesus was that Messiah, hence, the reason they carried swords.
And before you bring up Jesus reprimanding Peter's action in the Garden, obviously Jesus knew they had swords, so he was criticizing Peter for his action (and the deeper meaning of them not understanding his true purpose, even though he stated it plainly beforehand), not the fact he was carrying a sword in the first place.
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Originally posted by Sparko View PostFirst I object to the term "gun culture" as if there is some sort of gun worshiping going on.
Second, guns are tools that have a lot more uses than killing people. They have been used for hundreds of years for hunting food for example. And most people who own guns just enjoy shooting them at targets. As a sport. And for personal protection. I see nothing in the bible that prevents a person from protecting his own life or the lives of others, using whatever they have available, from fists to knives, spears or guns. Jesus even told his disciples to take a spear with them on their journeys. God instructed the Israelites to use weapons against their enemies. Jesus accepted soldiers into his kingdom in the NT.
So, no I see nothing wrong with Christians owning guns, or any other weapon. Whether for sport, hunting or self defense, or even just to collect.
and that article you linked to is just wrong. Jesus never prohibits self-defense of yourself or others. Turning the other cheek is not a call to just let people kill you or your family. And the fact that Jesus didn't defend his own life is not meant as an example to us to never defend our own lives. He had a specific purpose to fulfill that could not be fulfilled if he had avoided his fate. And it could be argued that his death was the ultimate example of defending the lives of others. His death saved us all.
“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends”
I agree that guns are a tool, and it would be appropriate to view them as such. But the level of obsession some have with them approaches putting one's trust in their guns, and not God.
I also agree McKnight goes too far to prohibit all self defense, but his broader point still needs to be addressed separately.
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Originally posted by Sparko View PostFirst I object to the term "gun culture" as if there is some sort of gun worshiping going on.
Second, guns are tools that have a lot more uses than killing people. They have been used for hundreds of years for hunting food for example. And most people who own guns just enjoy shooting them at targets. As a sport. And for personal protection. I see nothing in the bible that prevents a person from protecting his own life or the lives of others, using whatever they have available, from fists to knives, spears or guns. Jesus even told his disciples to take aspearSWORD with them on their journeys. God instructed the Israelites to use weapons against their enemies. Jesus accepted soldiers into his kingdom in the NT.
So, no I see nothing wrong with Christians owning guns, or any other weapon. Whether for sport, hunting or self defense, or even just to collect.
and that article you linked to is just wrong. Jesus never prohibits self-defense of yourself or others. Turning the other cheek is not a call to just let people kill you or your family. And the fact that Jesus didn't defend his own life is not meant as an example to us to never defend our own lives. He had a specific purpose to fulfill that could not be fulfilled if he had avoided his fate. And it could be argued that his death was the ultimate example of defending the lives of others. His death saved us all.
“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends”
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First I object to the term "gun culture" as if there is some sort of gun worshiping going on.
Second, guns are tools that have a lot more uses than killing people. They have been used for hundreds of years for hunting food for example. And most people who own guns just enjoy shooting them at targets. As a sport. And for personal protection. I see nothing in the bible that prevents a person from protecting his own life or the lives of others, using whatever they have available, from fists to knives, spears or guns. Jesus even told his disciples to take a spear with them on their journeys. God instructed the Israelites to use weapons against their enemies. Jesus accepted soldiers into his kingdom in the NT.
So, no I see nothing wrong with Christians owning guns, or any other weapon. Whether for sport, hunting or self defense, or even just to collect.
and that article you linked to is just wrong. Jesus never prohibits self-defense of yourself or others. Turning the other cheek is not a call to just let people kill you or your family. And the fact that Jesus didn't defend his own life is not meant as an example to us to never defend our own lives. He had a specific purpose to fulfill that could not be fulfilled if he had avoided his fate. And it could be argued that his death was the ultimate example of defending the lives of others. His death saved us all.
“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends”
Last edited by Sparko; 02-11-2022, 08:02 AM.
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Originally posted by NorrinRadd View PostIt is admirable when Christians win over gun-toting predators by faith and love rather than violence, but I don't believe Jesus universally opposed use of deadly force in order to save one's own life or the lives of others. If He did, it would demonstrate that, contrary to explicit claims of Scripture, I AM *does* change, and Jesus Christ is *not* the same yesterday, today, and forever, because killing was clearly *not* universally prohibited in the Obsolete Covenant. The Covenants changed, the laws changed, but the nature of God did not change, and the most basic relational principle -- Treat others as you wish others to treat you -- did not change.
If I broke into someone's house, I'd expect them to shoot me in the face. Anyone who breaks in here should expect the same.
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Originally posted by Cow Poke View PostCars kill more people than guns, so maybe Christians should not own cars?
But -- "gun culture" -- can you unpack that a bit?
I have a collection of firearms, but what would determine I'm in the "gun culture" any more than owning a half dozen cars makes me part of the "car culture"?
Not being argumentative, just trying to understand how a Christian owning firearms makes him part of the "gun culture".
I think my response is going along the lines of what NorrinRadd said.
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Cars kill more people than guns, so maybe Christians should not own cars?
But -- "gun culture" -- can you unpack that a bit?
I have a collection of firearms, but what would determine I'm in the "gun culture" any more than owning a half dozen cars makes me part of the "car culture"?
Not being argumentative, just trying to understand how a Christian owning firearms makes him part of the "gun culture".
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Originally posted by KingsGambit View PostNote that the question I'm asking is not whether gun control works or is good public policy. On a personal level, do Christians have business owning guns?
Scot McKnight hasn't thought so for awhile. His recent blog post is thought provoking: https://scotmcknight.substack.com/p/...tian-own-a-gun
Personally, I'm not at the point where I'm going to condemn Christians for owning guns. But I don't think that American gun culture is compatible with Christianity. The NRA with Ted Nugent on the board openly talking about shooting liberals, is not something I can see Jesus supporting. Period. Or "jokes" about killing intruders/people dating your daughter/etc.
Leave a comment:
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It is admirable when Christians win over gun-toting predators by faith and love rather than violence, but I don't believe Jesus universally opposed use of deadly force in order to save one's own life or the lives of others. If He did, it would demonstrate that, contrary to explicit claims of Scripture, I AM *does* change, and Jesus Christ is *not* the same yesterday, today, and forever, because killing was clearly *not* universally prohibited in the Obsolete Covenant. The Covenants changed, the laws changed, but the nature of God did not change, and the most basic relational principle -- Treat others as you wish others to treat you -- did not change.
If I broke into someone's house, I'd expect them to shoot me in the face. Anyone who breaks in here should expect the same.
Leave a comment:
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Is gun culture compatible with Christianity?
Note that the question I'm asking is not whether gun control works or is good public policy. On a personal level, do Christians have business owning guns?
Scot McKnight hasn't thought so for awhile. His recent blog post is thought provoking: https://scotmcknight.substack.com/p/...tian-own-a-gun
Personally, I'm not at the point where I'm going to condemn Christians for owning guns. But I don't think that American gun culture is compatible with Christianity. The NRA with Ted Nugent on the board openly talking about shooting liberals, is not something I can see Jesus supporting. Period. Or "jokes" about killing intruders/people dating your daughter/etc.Tags: None
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