Nine in 10 Baptist Courier readers responding to an informal survey believe guns should be allowed in church in order to protect members from acts of violence.
And while nearly 81 percent of respondents said they believe concealed weapons should be allowed at church, just over half of them believe firearms should be carried only by professional security personnel or by individuals who have a state-issued concealed weapons permit and permission from church officials to “carry.”
As of March 6, 131 Courier readers had responded to the survey, either online or by mail. Readers were asked to weigh in on a Feb. 28 Courier story by editor Rudy Gray, “Do We Need Guns in Church?” published in the light of the December mass-killing of 26 first-graders and educators in Newtown, Conn.
South Carolina law makes it illegal to carry a concealed weapon on church grounds ?unless express permission is given by the appropriate church official or governing body.? Still, 40 percent of survey respondents felt that CWP holders should be able to carry a gun to church without obtaining permission.
One respondent said she pursued a concealed weapons permit because she wanted her grandchildren to be safe around her. She carries a handgun to church, she said, because “I do not feel safe without it.”
| To the question, “Which of the following responses best describes how you feel about the presence of firearms in churches?” Courier readers replied as follows:
8% — Guns should not be allowed in church under any circumstances. 11% — Guns should be allowed, but only in the possession of professional security personnel. 40% — A concealed weapons permit holder should be allowed to bring a gun to church without notifying church officials. 40% — A concealed weapons permit holder should be allowed to bring a gun to church, but only with the express approval of church officials. 1% — I’m not sure how I feel about this issue. |
Another reader said that while he does not carry a concealed weapon to church, he would leave his church if told he could not do so.
A respondent with 15 years of law enforcement experience expressed the opinion that if a person has a CWP, “then they should carry in church. A gun does no good at home if something life-threatening happens at church.”
Another reader with law enforcement experience warned that “if people have the attitude that a church building is a gun-free zone, those seeking to do wrong would be more likely to strike there.”
Several readers who supported allowing CWP holders to bring weapons to church also expressed the need for supplemental training.
“If a church allows guns … for protection, those persons should be trained and [should] practice in order to keep their judgment and skills sharp,” a reader said.
Charles Hartsell, a SLED-certified concealed weapons permit instructor and member of Infinity Church, Fountain Inn, said churches that utilize members with CWPs for security purposes should “hand pick” those who will serve in such a capacity.
He said security team members should have “advanced skills” in handgun operation and “formal training from an experienced instructor in … using a firearm for personal defense in a public setting.”
“The South Carolina-certified concealed weapons class in no way prepares a student to efficiently and effectively use a handgun to stop an attack from an armed assailant,” Hartsell said. “I encourage all of my CWP students to seek the proper training in using a firearm for self-defense.”
Eleven percent of respondents said protection of church members should be handled by professionals. Carrol Caldwell, pastor of Padgett’s Creek Baptist Church in Union, told the Courier the security team at his church is made up of “trained police personnel.” His church’s security procedures were reviewed and revised by the Union County sheriff, who asked permission to share them with other churches, Caldwell said.
Eight percent of readers said firearms should never be allowed inside the walls of a church. A survey respondent expressed concern that an increasing number of concealed weapons will lead to more accidental shootings in church.
Another reader, himself a military veteran and a gun owner, expressed dismay that church members feel they need to bring their weapons to church. “We can no longer trust God with our lives; we have to take back control because God just can’t handle it any more,” he said.
One reader criticized the Courier for publishing a story on the subject of whether guns should be in church: “By [doing so], you show how Satan can put fear in our churches,” she said.
Mike McCormick, pastor of Mt. Tabor Baptist Church in Anderson, said he believes the use of lethal force is “always a last resort,” but is nevertheless an option in a culture that “places little value on human life.”
McCormick said he prays he will never find himself in a circumstance where he must consider taking someone else’s life “in order to spare my own life or the life of a family member,” but said he is prepared to do so if necessary.
“I find no inconsistency with my faith in God and my carrying a firearm,” he said. “Otherwise, I may as well discontinue the use of medicine, doctors and seat belts, all of which are provided for my protection and well-being.
“I use all of these things, but none of them is the source of ultimate hope. Only Christ can provide that.”