VALLEY STATION, KY (WAVE) - Church shootings have been in the headlines for the past few years, so when a local church announced that it is asking people to bring guns to church we wanted to know why.
Most people consider church a sanctuary, a place of peace. But recently, church shootings have been in the headlines. Last Sunday, Kansas abortion Dr. George Tiller was shot and killed while ushering at his church. In March, an Illinois pastor was killed and two parishioners injured after a gunman opened fire during Sunday services. In July 2008, a gunman killed two people at a church youth performance in Knoxville, Tennessee. Despite this news, Ken Pagano, pastor of New Bethel Church in Valley Station, is encouraging people to bring their guns to church on June 27.
"This is for anybody that believes in second amendment rights. And that is the buttress to first amendment rights," said Pagano.
Pagano, a concealed carry instructor who served in the Marine Corps, is holding what he calls an Open Carry Celebration.
"We're trying to promote responsible gun ownership and gun safety," Pagano said.
People can come into the church wearing their gun as long as the weapon is unloaded and in a secure holster. [emphasis added]
"People in this community with all the negativity that goes with firearms and what I call unhealthy paranoia. Kentucky is an open carry state," said Pagano. ...
More here, with video news report. Obviously, I'm not a fan of wearing unloaded guns, especially openly. That makes little sense. A much better approach would be to encourage open carry of loaded (and thus useful) guns. But I suppose it's a step in the right direction towards acclimating non-gun owners to their peaceable, gun-carrying neighbors and fellow Christians.
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