another question for the religious pls

[historian]

PLEASE DO NOT TAKE OFFENCE!!!! I am very curious about this and dont know much about the bible.
How can a christian reconcile the right to owning a gun to jesus preaching peace and non violence??

[HornBuckler]

1. That's A Nasty Question

It Brings Up ALL Kinds Of Things... Take For Instance The Camel Thru The Eye Of The Needle... I Mean, You Can't Be Rich And A True Christian Can You?

[Catholic Sensation]

3. the metaphor refers to being so in love with wealth

that you neglect God. Most rich people seem to think they're better than God (Murdoch, Gates, etc.) and therefore will end up in hell. Simply being well off isn't a damnable sin.

[HornBuckler]

5. Agreed

I Was Simply Trying To Make A Point About The Absurdity Of The Original Post - It's What You Do With Your Wealth That's In Question.

[historian]

6. excuse me

before you say absurdity of the original post pls read it carefully - i never mentioned wealth - i mentioned guns and violence. Dont be so quick to attack others pls.

[HornBuckler]

9. I Retract My Post In Your Regard...

You Are Absolutley Right, However, If Gun Control Is What You Are Talking About In A "Christian Sense" I Felt Obligated To Bring Up The Whole Ball Of Wax.. I Mean No Offense... I Just Find It Funny, As You Do I Suppose, That You Can Be A Christian And Have A Lust To Use Your Gun.

[Catholic Sensation]

2. because they're two completely different things?

People should be allowed to own a gun if they want. Using it to create violence is against what Christ taught. Going hunting, or protecting yourself isn't anti-Christian at all.

[saltpoint]

4. The Disciples were armed in the Garden --

-- of Gethsemane when the Romans overtook them.

[Sandpiper]

15. And Jesus forbid them from using swords to protect him and said

Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

[saltpoint]

21. Peter's using his sword at this juncture to hack off --

-- a man's ear bears mention.

These folks were armed.

[seabeyond]

7. that historian

is when they go to the old testament.......adn moses, standing on the cliff wind blowing his red robe holding staff high let my people go..........bah ha ha. did you all see heston. lol

[Catholic Sensation]

8. someone translate the above post for me

I have no idea what he said. Or at least meant.

[seabeyond]

17. mine was funniest

what i meant anyone toting gun is going to go to the old testament and not be talking jesus and turning the other cheek i believe. and the part of moses on the mountain, part of old testament, there was a movie the ten commandments, and there was a scene where moses stood on the cliff holding his staff high above his head and yelled out

let my people go

and lo and be hold, also charlton heston who played that part is/was the president of nra gun lobbiest and he went to columbine right after the masacre adn held up a shot gun and said they can take my gun when they pry it out of my dead hand

anyway, was just playing with it all

[ugarte]

10. A complicated question

Jesus himself used violence of a sort to overturn the moneychangers' tables in the temple. He also said to render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's. This is taken to mean that a Christian should follow the law, pay his taxes and even fight for his/her country in a just war.

But only in a just war that does not go against one's conscience. In terms of self-defense it's pretty much the same. In just cases of self-defense or to save the lives of others, the use of force is justified.

[Sandpiper]

16. Please find the passage for me

Where Jesus speaks of just war.

[Cleita]

11. Jesus never preached peace and non-violence on earth.

He preached that people would get that in the Kingdom of Heaven. Everything he said was about Heaven and how to get there. He never promised that we would have peace on earth, or so the New Testament says.

[Mick Knox]

12. He said that?

I coulda sword he meant "Piece"

jk

In Luke Jesus tells his followers if they dont have a sword, sell their cloak and buy one..

thats often the justification... take it for what you will and dont beat me up.. Im no theologean < hell i cant even spell it) and I havent been to church in forever.

[saltpoint]

13. "..and I haven't been to church in forever."

Indication of a sound mind.

Nice post, zwade.

[DemBones DemBones]

14. Guns can be used for protection without killing,

and in some cases without even firing at a robber, attacker, etc.

There's an old story about a Quaker waking in the middle of the night by noises. He gets his shotgun, goes to where he heard the noises, and says clearly, "Friend, I wouldst not harm thee for the world, but thou art standing where I am about to shoot."

Guns are also, of course, used for hunting, and for target shooting, which is as much a form of play as it is practice for shooting anything living. I've known quite a few Christian pacifists who owned and used guns.

Most Christians are not pacifists, of course, and would tell you that "Thou shalt not kill," means "Thou shalt not commit murder," and thus does not forbid war or capital punishment.

Many verses of the Bible (NT as well as OT) allow more than one interpretation.

Did Jesus stop the stoning of the "woman taken in adultery" because he opposed capital punishment or because he opposed hypocrisy? Or both?

[TreasonousBastard]

18. Jesus did preach peace and nonviolence...

and the overwhelming message of Christianity is love.

But, a few parables and verses from the Sermon on the Mount don't directly answer every situation modern civilization encounters.

Modern Christians have views all over the spectrum. The Peace Churches are generally against violence under any circumstances, and have even proscribed their members from joining the police or killing in self-defense. Most churches are OK with self-defense and believe in some Just War doctrine. There are a few out there who claim Biblical authority for agressive war, capital punishment, and other bloody sports.

Anyway, simply owning a gun has little to do with violence. Relatively few gun owners have shot anything living, even game or pests. Most would certainly prefer not to shoot another human.

[GreenPartyVoter]

19. I dunno.. I am Christian and don't have one

in the house. Hubby has an old .22 out in the shed, but I've asked him not to go hunting anymore.

Not really sure how the far right justify the self-defense thing with turn the other cheek.

Mind, you, if someone was threatening my kids, I am pretty sure I would step in. Hopefully, the Lord would forgive me for that.

[guitar man]

20. There is a shotgun by my bed

There is also an alarm installed in the house and a 75 pound pit bull terrier mix who is a dear sweet dog,but will turn ugly if she thinks her family is in danger.If a person wishing to do us harm gets past the alarm and the dog before the police get there,there is going to be a shooting,probably a fatal one.

If anyone thinks this is insensitive,too bad. My first duty is to protect my family. I guess The Lord and I will have a talk about it after I leave this world and we will work it out then. In the meantime,I pray I never have to draw the weapon against another human being. I am not "itching" for someone to "make my day",rather the opposite.