conceal in church

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I do, Pastor likes it, and we have a small cadre of P2C people who try to keep at least three of us at all meetings. We have not needed to use firearms yet, but we have been glad a couple of times that we had that option, we had a disgruntled ex show up at church trying to get his kids back, he was drunk at 8 45 AM, we were able to strong arm him away from the nursery, but had he been armed, there were two men at the end of the build ing armed. Cops arrested him on trespass and violation of a TRO.

We recently paid the fees for two of teh women who work at church to get their P2C because they have felt fear with people coming in and demanding help financially. so far, the panic button alarm has worked, but now they have an option beyond that.
 
Like someone above mentioned, the LDS church, within Utah, is legally restricted from carry. (Utah allows houses of worship to add themselves to the list of prohibited places.)

HERE'S THE THING: I go to church unarmed (by guns at least) and I do feel naked for those three hours. I am not as good of a member as I should be. I don't go as often as I should. BUT, to me, going to church is a process of surrendering yourself to higher authority and power. You put your life in His hands. There is no promise that you will be safer for doing so. You do it for the same reason you make any other sacrifice toward your faith. Not what I prefer, and not like most of the others have posted here, but if I am serious about my faith, it is part of the process.

Having said that, if (or when) I move to AZ, I will be packing.
 
Hey,mljdechard, I fully appreciate where you're coming from and mostly agree with you. But, I have to ask: When you go to church, do you wear your car safety belts?
 
I recently attended a Utah CCW course & the instructor said something that made me re think my carry do's & don't.
Look at the penalty for the area's you're not allowed to carry. He pointed out that in most of the cases were I was not legal carrying, there was no real penalty for doing so. I might get asked to leave if spotted, but no criminal charges unless I refused to leave when asked. I carry concealed everywhere, except where the penalty for being there armed is extreme.
Concealed means concealed & not discussed. I'm sure the appologies will not be a problem if the need to draw happens & you save the congregation.
 
It's kinda like.....

I agree with LT1Coupe,

If you properly conceal you weapon accordingly, and no one can determine if you have a weapon, how is anyone to know that you have a weapon, UNLESS you go telling someone or are carrying something that's not suited for concealment.

I choose to carry everywhere I can, unless I'm "asked" not to.
 
I am kathlic and our pastor had a stocker and I was one of the poeple greeding everyone of a while!
So our father knows and is perfectly OK with it and even if he would not, it's leagal in Maine.
I carry anywhere and where it's not leagal, I don't go!
 
The Plinker family was at dinner last night with our pastor and his wife at their house, along with a newer member of the congregation. Handguns and self defense came up during the course of the evening. Our pastor has his permit, but does not carry. He knows I do, and is fine with it. We were showing the new person our personal sidearms and explaining the biblical concept of self defense, along with the responsibility of stewardship and taking care of those things and people God has entrusted to our care.

Yes, I carry in church.
 
CCW in Church

Here in Virginia, the law is as follows:
"§ 18.2-283. Carrying dangerous weapon to place of religious worship.

If any person carry any gun, pistol, bowie knife, dagger or other dangerous weapon, without good and sufficient reason, to a place of worship while a meeting for religious purposes is being held at such place he shall be guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor.

(Code 1950, § 18.1-241; 1960, c. 358; 1962, c. 411; 1975, cc. 14, 15.) "

Reference http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+18.2-283

I guess that is so it is ok to drop by the church during the week and help with clean up or visit the parson, but we don't want anyone causing a ruckus during the services. Oh, and do notice the phrase "without good and sufficient reason." I think that means you best be ready to 'splain it to the judge if the question arises.

IANAL, so any comment I make here is totally uneducated opinion on the above citation, and not a legal interpretation.

On this topic, recently on the G. Gordon Liddy radio show I heard him describe how he was carrying under his tuxedo at his own wedding. He was an active FBI agent at the time. He said that J. Edgar's policy was that agents
were not required to carry off duty, BUT, if there was ever an incident that they needed their gun and had none, there would be major repercussions.
 
Craig, I was wondering what "good and sufficient reson" really means? I was thinking of asking our pastor if he'd like me to work volunteer security (I did before i joined the military). I figure if he says yes, that should fall under "good and sufficient reason".
 
I would think "ensuring the safety of parishioners" would be a good and sufficient reason, but I bet it would depend on the judge.

I carry in church, ankle holster sometimes but usually just IWB. It's legal here, and I feel it's my responsibility to protect those who are unable or unwilling to protect themselves.
 
My thinking is that for the somewhat foreseeable future (as in at least the next year), "Remember what happened in Colorado?" should be a "good and sufficient reason." Of course, IANAL.

That said, I can't see how you would get in trouble unless you had a snitchy person at your parish who made you. In liturgical denominations, you're probably pretty safe, and even in the more huggy Evangelical and Charismatic denominations the worst I could imagine from anyone I've known is a "stern talking-to" about the importance of trusting in God. [insert seatbelt analogy here]

The only real ways I could imagine to get made would be if I got bumped or was careless and accidentally exposed (or, God forbid, dropped) in some aisle or lobby. If I were to carry in church (no comment either way), I'd use something with a strap and probably even carry in Condition Three. The repercussions for getting discovered outweigh the odds that I'll have to draw and fire in less than two seconds.
 
Exposed in Church?

"if I got bumped or was careless and accidentally exposed (or, God forbid, dropped) in some aisle "

I seem to recall a news item within the past six months of an older gentleman in Texas who dropped his carry gun in the pew, and when it hit the floor it went off. Maybe some one here has the link?
 
No problem in Washington State churches. I usually use appendix carry, what with the hugs and all :)

Our minister is into guns too, and appreciates members who pack.
 
Ohio's Concealed Carry Law pamphlet from the Ohio Attorney General's office lists places of worship as one of the 'Forbidden Carry Zones' unless the place of worship permits otherwise. So you legally cannot carry unless you have permission, but it does not tell you who to get permission from. My pastor has given me permission and knows that I do carry regularly. I also fill the pulpit occasionally and carry then as well.
 
Swampwolf -it's not quite that simple. I always follow the law. The law requires that I wear a seatbelt. The law requires that I not carry a concealed weapon to church. It's illegal as well as disrespectful, whether I get caught or not. Just because I could get away with it doesn't make it legal.

In The High Road, we follow the law.
 
Legal in OK, so I do. I did today. I had a moderately scary experience a few years ago while at a committee meeting. The door flew open and we heard some voices laughing and running off. The next week the same thing happened, except we heard someone outside say "Satan's here!" I had my hand near my Glock 26. As mentioned above, ankle carry is good when the hug bunnies take over your church.

For those who say God will protect, does the church have a fire extinguisher? Does it have insurance? If it does, then avoiding guns is just hoplophobia.
 
I always carry in church. Bad guys have no respect for churches and to leave it in your car while you are in church is stupid. Church parking lots during servies are a prime target for car burglaries. Besides, you have to transit indian country on your way to and from church.
 
NC might have some restrictive CC laws, but at least we can carry in church.

I don't get what the big church carry taboo is all about anyway. I mean God is everywhere. He certainly knows I carry. I'm carrying if I'm praying or otherwise worshiping in any other time of the week.
 
Churches are prime targets. Criminals and terrorists believe them to be full of sheeple. That's why when I go I have a .45 on me at all times. My state allows Churches to opt out, but mine hasn't. And if it does, I'll still carry as an LEO the way state law allows.
 
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