Chuck Norris. Not sure about the trigger-finger discipline in this photo.
In an editorial published by WND, American martial artist, actor, film producer and screenwriter Chuck Norris argued that in the wake of the mass shooting at the Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, it is time for churches and other places of worship to consider armed security and a permissive concealed carry policy as a means to defend against violent assailants.
“Imagine once again, if just one of those Christians who held a Bible in their hand at that AME church also packed a pistol via a legal concealed weapons permit. Souls could have been saved,” wrote Norris who cited stats to suggest that church violence has increased since 2007 from 41 incidents to 176 incidents in 2014.
Norris then directly challenged leaders of the faithful to take action, to do something to help prevent another tragic incident.
“That is why I have a challenge for pastors and church leaders,” Norris wrote. “With all due respect, it’s about time that they woke up to the idea that providing for and protecting God’s flock means increasing church security, from children’s classes to main sanctuaries and fellowship halls.”
“Faith is not an excuse to bypass self-defense,” Norris continued. “That’s not my original idea or position. It’s found in the Good Book.”
Norris quoted the following biblical versus to make the case that both the Old Testament and the New Testament are pro-self-defense:
“But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat”(Nehemiah 4:9).
Chuck has this sign hanging on his Texas Ranch. Do you?
“But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one” (Luke 22:36).
What’s clear in the editorial is that Norris doesn’t want places of worship to be soft targets any longer.
“It reminds me of the sign near the front door of my Texas ranch,” wrote Norris. “It has an engraved picture of a gun with the words next to it: “We don’t call 9-1-1.” Maybe it’s time a few churches put that sign on their doors, too.”
What are your thoughts? Do you agree with Chuck (If you believe those Internet memes about Mr. Norris’s immortal powers, chances are you don’t have a choice)?
Concerning any gun, the ONLY salient point (the only important point) is… who is holding it, and why!
Churches need to admit and address this issue.
As i have heard and seen in my life some people are sheep and will go nilly to the slaughter and some are wolves and some are sheep dogs and have a natural ability to feel they are defenders and helpers to all. A sheep will never understand that but the wolves are always licking their chops waiting for the next time to feed. I have seen examples in my life where something bad happens or is about to and a reaction must happen to help or save someone. Most people sit and watch but dont react. A few jump up and run to help because they have the sheep dog mentallity. They can not help it. The part that makes no sence is the sheep want to disarm everyone and let the wolves have their way when ever they feel hungry. Stupid is always stupid.
I mentioned to some friends that i might start carrying wavers to be signed by a few anti gun friends to releave me of the guilt of not defending them if a case arises. First one i asked would not sign one. A gun is ok as long as it is used to defend him by me. Unfortunately thats who i am, a sheep dog. I cant help myself. Steve
Amen Steve. I carry in church as does my Pastor’s husband as well as my Pastor!!
John 15:13-
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. … 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I loved you. …. but on “laying down his life” for them; that is, “One can show no greater regard for those dear to him than to give his life for them, and this is the love ye shall find in Me.”.
if more people carried hand guns less would be killed ! right on chuck !!!
The comment on the photo questioning trigger-finger discipline. Smoke and a fired shell casing floating in the air informs you that he is in the process of firing 😉
Easy on the atheist bashing. I am an army veteran (Combat Engineer and later a Drill Inst.), former Firefighter/Paramedic, and recently retired (disability ret due to being shot twice) cop with 15 years in that job alone.
Just because I don’t believe in a man in the clouds does not mean I am against religion. If it works for you, have at it. But don’t think of me as disloyal to the greatest country ever founded just because I’m not religious. Plenty of atheists support others right to whatever religion they choose. More people have been killed in the name of religion than any other cause.
I don’t have to be religious to serve and protect my fellow citizens and this country.
Dan, excellent comments. Couldn’t have said it better myself.
Dear Friends Of Freedom,
With all that is decaying at cyberspace speed in the secular, atheistic and moral wasteland our country is rapidly becoming, the time is NOW for We The People to stand and be counted!!!
We cannot continue turning the other cheek, time after time after time. We are guilty of remaining the passive, silent majority in this nation. We are the people that respect God first, then family, the Constitution and finally the laws of the land. We work hard, we respect life, we are willing to pay our fair share of taxes and we quietly volunteer and serve our neighbors and those in need.
However, we are paying a horrible moral, financial and social price for remaining silent and trying to “just get along.”
We The People must step up, or there is no salvation for this faltering Christian founded nation! We are no longer the protector of freedom around the world. Our leaders cower in the face of our enemies and refuse to say “NO” to illegal violations of the Constitution we all honor, believe in and are wiling to defend with our lives.
When I speak of and to “We The People” I’m not referring to any particular political party of special agenda. I’m addressing those millions of us that President Obama, his liberal minions, the noisy perpetual victim special interest radicals and their whores in the media have branded as, “Those crazy, Bible thumping, gun totting, gay bashing, woman hating thugs!” Yes, that is me, my family and most of the faithful, patriotic, God fearing folks we’ve ever met.
Oh, and if any Jehadist, crazy or bigots are foolish enough to attack our church … May God have mercy on their lost souls as they journey to Hell … because at every service, every Vacation Bible School, every Bible study group, public event and gathering sponsored by our congregation there are concealed carry firearms in attendance!!!
Let’s gather, stand bravely and help God Save America,
Orrin M. Knutson
Peace Officer Retired
Author
If one believes in the Bible and the God of the Bible how can they not believe in self preservation and the right of self protection? The Bible has many examples of wars fought for protection of God’s people and God’s laws, even angles intervening and destroying thousands. There is no where that it says, lead yourself to the slaughter, instead it makes the thought of, in order for evil to triumph over good, it takes the good sitting back and doing nothing to prevent it! If the good does nothing to prevent bad then the natural course of bad will win! My Grandfather use to say “sometimes in order to win the battle over ones enemy, you have to become the enemy”
Thank God for wisdom and knowledge.
When Good Men do Nothing, Evil Triumphs or Prevails…
When Good Men do Nothing, Evil Triumphs or Prevails…
These poor church people were caught “flat Footed” a term used to describe when your not ready to react to situation, The problem is they probably lived their life flat footed, never ready for anything. The main benefit from getting my concealed carry permit, it has made me ready, ” on my toes” As a direct result of the training that I been through, I am now aware of my situation in a public gathering, and I have a general plan to react (specific plan for specific situations like banks, ATMs etc.) I learned
in combat, noting is every un-expected. The list of “now” expected situations have been expanded to include the movies, dropping
your child off at school and church meetings. I wish I could carry my Colt 1873 because it sure is feeling like the wild west.
You have to remember that Chuck got kicked in the head a lot back in the day.
Who’s the troll in this discussion? It’s the famous Duane Bessette! These anti gunners troll every gun board to their own embarrassment.
He also kicked Bruce Lee’s ass.
Duane needs to stick a sock in it. What a putz!
Once, after renewing my permit, I stopped by the range on the way home from Church and the instructor who ran the class I took asked me if I had my gun with me. I said that I did not, as I had just been to Church. He remarked that I was making a mistake and why. Ever since (and that’s been almost a decade if not a bit longer) I have carried all the time, even at Church. My Pastor does not have a problem with that.
Having said that, I never expected to hear of such a tragedy as Charleston.
After that tragedy I never want to go unarmed.
Couldn’t agree more with Mr Morris’s statement. I live in central Indiana and over the years there has been several incidents of minister’s being shot and killed while standing at the pulpit, spouces settling their domestic differences, in finality, with a gun and jilted women and men expressing their opinions on how the relationship ended, again in finality, with a gun.
While these incidents are rare it does show that the mind set of those who wish to harm others has no regard for a house of worship and it could be concluded that using a firearm in a church has a chance of there being no immediate reprisal because what good peaceful Christian would bring a gun into the house of God?
The church I attend pro 2nd Amendment. The minister and staff carry and encourage those with proper carry permits do likewise. All side entrances are locked when the service begins and trained armed church members are posted at the main entrance.
It is sad that that a church is no longer a place of safety and security but the four walls of a sancuary mean nothing to someone bent on destruction and the answer to violence is violance.
Yet some states and religious orders prohibit bringing a weapon into a church. All I can say to that is it’s time to wake up.
When I go to a store and see a sign “NO Firearms or Weapons Allowed” the first thing that I do is go find the Store Manager and ask if they have any armed security guards on the premises. Most of the time the answer is “No we do not”, Then I ask “Are you prepared for a legal suit in the event that I or my family are injured by an armed individual while in their store?”, “ After all you are preventing me from protecting myself or my family by not allowing me the carry my own protection”. Then I inform them that I and my family will no longer shop at this store until the sign preventing me from providing my own protection is removed, and that I will suggest to any of my friends and family and anyone else that will listen that they should do the same. I also write to the Corporate Headquarters and inform them of my intentions. It worked at my local Costco when they put up a sign; it is no longer a “Weapons Free Zone”.
I started doing this years ago after I was in a grocery store getting a sandwich and soda for lunch, when approaching the exit a man turned around and started slashing at people with a large knife, then he looked at me (down the barrel of my SW 38 Body Guard) and I told him “to drop the knife and lay on the floor”. After a moment and taking in the tone of my voice, he did so; I had two big store clerks sit on him and had another call the police. When I heard the sirens coming I holstered my weapon and departed (I did not want the police get there looking for an armed individual and me with a gun in hand). This was the paying back for having a CCW and carrying all of these years. How many might have been injured or heaven forbid killed by my not being at that place at that time.
That’s the way it should be done! You would be surprised how few complaints it takes for a company to change their policies…
You are so right, all “Gun-Free Zones” are an open invatation to anybody who wants to prey on the unarmed.
CAN I GET AN AMEN!!!??? PREACH IT , BROTHER CHUCK!!! Lol…sorry couldn’t resist. I absolutely agree. Many of the other churches in the Charleston area and also in the Atlanta area have implemented security measures. And, btw, security cameras don’t prevent crimes, they just show who did it. It takes good people with guns to stop bad people with guns. Personally, I would rather have one of my own congregation members armed than have to hire an armed security guard. As a member of a congregation, I believe it’s my duty(with my weapons training) to bear arms and protect my fellow members from any harm. I wish no harm on anyone, but if the devil comes knocking at the door, I will be prepared. Stop being soft Targets. Same should apply to schools and “gun-free zones”. Its nice to hear common sense from a Hollywood name.