Ether

This is something that is going on in my country. Christians are now running a program to exchange weapons for bibles. They go house by house to preach and then give you free bible(s) for you weapon(s).

Yet another case of christian medling.

Toto

What country? Probably not the US, since most of the Bible thumpers believe gun control is the work of Satan.

Ether

Dominican Republic. And how come they think that gun control is the work of Satan? It would make a lot more sense the other way around.

[ August 17, 2002: Message edited by: Ether ]</p>

Toto

Don't ask me to explain Christian thinking.

There is one verse in Luke that the guns and Bibles crowd usually cite:

But they forget the verse following it, which negates the pro-gun implications:

Gun control is a little outside church-state relations. If these Christians are just trading Bibles for guns, that's a private matter.

I think a lot of non-Christians would like to see guns controlled in the USA.

Kevin Dorner

Many fundamentalist Christians are very distrustful of the government; ie the U.S. government is secular and has a secular constitution, funds science research, allows abortion and homosexuality, and although there are a few cracks in the "wall of separation" fundamentalist Christians are generally not allowed to use the government to promote their religion and values. So the right to bear arms is seen as a citizen's defense against not only criminal citizens, but also as a defense should the government become tyrannical and begin persecuting Christians.

An example of one of the "tyrannies" for which this defensive stature is taken is the "mark of the Beast." Many Christians interpret this "mark" to mean that prior to the "end times" that all citizens will be forced by the government to be indelibly marked on their forehead or hand with an ID of some sort, without which one will no longer be able to buy or sell anything. Fundamentalists believe that this is the mark of Satan and would resist it to the death, and use deadly force to oppose it, thus gun control laws are seen as a disempowerment in order that it be allowed to eventually happen.

There are many other examples... this is merely one of them. No, I am not making this up either.

[ August 17, 2002: Message edited by: Kevin Dorner ]</p>

Ether

That is true and so is the fact that most of the people who own guns do it for self defence. There are christians who own guns just to be ready for any intruder or any kind of attack towards themselves. It is just self preservation.

But it is also true that there are people who think they are more than everyone because they own a gun and will point it at any one who "mess" with them. Those are not safe.

I think (as it always the case) that the problem is the people and not the guns.

[ August 17, 2002: Message edited by: Ether ]</p>

CaptainDave

This is scary. Imagine, the fundy nuts spread their whacko bible - and collect weapons at the same time. I gotta hand it to them; it's brilliant!

Perhaps this would be a job for the pedophile priests? Don't you feel safer already?

Richard1366

Weapons for porn would, I'm sure, be much better received...

PJPSYCO

So, they're just trading a leathal weapon for one just as lethal. Since I suspect that this is to stop gang violence, I have to wonder how it will help. Seeing as I've heard multiple accounts of christians in groups beating people to death, I don't think taking their guns away will stop them from killing.

theyeti

Boy I tell you, there's just no limit to how guilible some people are. Imagine, trading valuable guns for a worthless Bible? Those Christians have got the best racket going -- now they've got all the guns!

theyeti