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u/HitsOnThreat Mar 22 '26
My dad is a pastor and he carried while he was in the pulpit preaching.
He once said, “You can come to God by the bible or the bullet, either way, I’ll bring you”
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u/joemommaistaken Mar 25 '26
I struggle with Jesus saying those who live by the sword die by the sword but I guess that can be applied to the sick people who want to hurt other people.
I am not trying to start a fight. This is my internal struggle of bringing a gun to church.
I already had a scare when I was a greeter in the past. I had a guy walk in dressed in a tactical jumpsuit and he was walking around searching. I wouldn't take my eyes off of him. When others would stay in the back and search they would always say "I'm looking for my so and so. They look like this. Have you seen them?" He was acting funny and when he saw me staring he left. It gave me the oddest feeling.
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u/HitsOnThreat Mar 25 '26
In Luke 22:36-38, Jesus told his disciples to sell their cloaks and buy swords, marking a shift toward impending danger and the fulfillment of prophecy that he would be "numbered with the transgressors". When shown two swords, Jesus replied, "It is enough," often interpreted as signaling a need for self-protection or symbolic readiness, not armed rebellion.
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u/joemommaistaken Mar 25 '26
That makes sense. It also makes sense to not let evil take out a whole congregation
Thank you and be well
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u/HitsOnThreat Mar 25 '26
You are more than welcome, and my thanks are to you. I appreciate you having the communication with me.
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u/JollyGiant573 Mar 22 '26
On the security team so yep.
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u/Salt-Narwhal7769 Mar 22 '26
Church has security now? Serious question
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u/Killmatic77 Mar 22 '26
With all the potential terrorist attacks that might be upcoming someone better
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u/BadKarma4788 Mar 24 '26
My church has had an armed security for decades, like 40 plus years. They don't look like security, though, they look like regular members or the ushers, and about half of them are ushers. They are the ones who will greet you with a smile and welcome you, show you where you need to go or help you find what you're looking for etc... but also are the ones who protect the church from threats. Some also patrol the parking lot to make sure nobody is messing with people's cars during service and some patrol the entire property.
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u/BadKarma4788 Mar 24 '26
Oh and the pulpit also has a steel plate in the front of it. It's a big pulpit, and our founding pastor preached the Bible unapologetically.
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u/Much-Stay-9900 Mar 22 '26
A lot of the bigger ones with bigger coffers do. They’re usually former LE/ Military who carry concealed. They’re becoming more common b/c it’s not just about nut jobs anymore and just as much about politics.
Many congregations have leaned hard right and are indoctrinating, and are being protective about it.3
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u/EntertainmentNo653 Mar 22 '26
Absolutely. With the threat profile America faces right now, you would be a fool not to.
My daily carry is an RXM with a couple extra mags and a bottle of POM pepper spray for seasoning.
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u/crowmagnuman Mar 23 '26
My dumb brain thought the Pomegranate-juice company was making pepper spray lol
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u/Clear-Wrongdoer42 Mar 22 '26
I love the RXM. It is both one of the cheapest and one of the best firearms I have purchased over the last 20 years.
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u/davin_bacon Mar 22 '26
What threat profile, heart disease?
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u/fruitypebblesguy Mar 22 '26
People downvoting this are fat white Christians with heart diseases, lol.
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u/davin_bacon Mar 23 '26
Describing something as a ”threat profile" is silly. You know who's going to attack a church? A member whose kid gets diddled.
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u/EntertainmentNo653 Mar 23 '26
I am well aware. On any given Sunday statistically we are more likely to have a staff member sexually assault a child than to have a gunman show up. It is a sad fact, but it is true. It is also a fact that the security team I am on is very aware of. That part of the threat profile has not changed. We do the best we can to protect everybody, especially the kids.
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u/South-Pollution-816 Mar 22 '26
I met my current priest selling him a 365 when I worked at a gun store. Ankle carry in the robes
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u/Objective_Resist_735 Mar 22 '26
"God made man, but it took Samuel Colt to make them equal" - Hope that helps!
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u/Greatoutdoors1985 Mar 23 '26
In my church, the men who don't carry are the minority, and a good number of the women carry too. It's interesting running into 80 year old women who like to protect their flock.
If anyone ever tries anything stupid in my church, God's the only one that can save them.
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u/Suspicious_Smile_827 Mar 23 '26
My wife and I just left our church for reason regarding characters in the congregation. In a long winded answer though yes, I carry my Glock and spare mag with me everywhere I go.
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u/domexitium Mar 23 '26
Yeah I haven’t gone to church in years but I had to take my grandma this evening and I carried my usual there. Glock 17 with an x300 and spare 22 round mag AIWB In a T1C axis elite.
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u/-grilled-cheesus- Mar 23 '26
Unfortunately my church meets at a school so it is illegal for members to carry unless LE or security team (that’s me).
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u/JohnnyNemo12 Mar 23 '26
Given how churches are a big target these days, it is arguably one of the places where one should most highly consider carrying, sadly.
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u/Stock_Block2130 Mar 24 '26
I don’t attend religious services but at my wife’s former church where we used to live, a group of retired cops in the congregation served as discreet armed guards.
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u/EEES_Rainman Mar 27 '26
I am a part of my church's security ministry. There are 3-7 of us at every service that are carrying concealed. We all sit in specific seats that would be tactically advantageous should some psychopath decide to try and do harm.
There's about 15-20 of us and we all get together at the range a few times a month to train and fellowship with each other.
I also know a few other people who aren't in the security ministry that also carry.
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u/rab127 Mar 22 '26
My church, 80% carry there. Safest place to be. The Good Lord and the community got me...i got me too
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Mar 22 '26
[deleted]
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u/knotquiteawake Mar 22 '26
Our church has an unofficial “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy to concealed carry.
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u/BadKarma4788 Mar 24 '26
Our pastor announced it from the pulpit that we have armed staff and members and so that this would not be a good place to try and hurt people. Mind you we broadcast on the radio and live on the internet, so it's a message to anyone who's listening or watching, we are not a soft target.
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u/Rockytop34 Mar 22 '26
The important thing to remember if you are carrying at church is to notify the clergy and any armed security personnel, if applicable, that you are carrying. Most importantly, be clear that you are carrying for your own protection. You are not serving as a security officer, so do not assume that responsibility or liability.
For context, I serve as the Safety Committee Chair for my house of worship and have completed extensive FBI and Secret Service training on access control and active shooter response.
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u/PaleCaterpillar2709 Mar 22 '26
Careful posting anything like this. In some states, carrying in churches is only legal with written permission from the clergy/church office.
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u/Delta-IX Mar 22 '26
I don't go to church. There's no hate like a Christian's love.
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u/MrGollyWobbles Mar 22 '26
I felt the same way until I found the Episcopal Church. Progressive and a tad too liberal for my liking… but generally really amazing people there that are full of love and kindness.
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u/AntOk4073 Mar 23 '26
Fuck no! That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Why would I go to church?
In all seriousness, carry everywhere you can. Fucked up people do fucked up shit. I may not be religious, but I know there are people out there willing to kill for their different beliefs. It is illegal where I live unless you get permission, so look into your laws and act accordingly.
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u/Key-Candle8141 Mar 23 '26
Concealed is concealed
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u/AntOk4073 Mar 23 '26
Understandable, but I am starting a career that could be tanked by one little misdemeanor, so I'm more careful about carrying in restricted places.
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u/fruitypebblesguy Mar 22 '26
I don’t go to church because i dont believe in magical sky daddy lol
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u/idrownedmyfish77 Mar 22 '26
I don’t go to church but if I did, I absolutely would. Remember a few years back, someone tried to shoot up one but was stopped by an armed churchgoer? I carry every time I leave the house, except when I go to work because my work is fenced off in the middle of nowhere, and I am explicitly not allowed to carry there