{"id":1859,"date":"2024-02-20T23:27:18","date_gmt":"2024-02-20T23:27:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/?p=1859"},"modified":"2024-02-20T23:27:18","modified_gmt":"2024-02-20T23:27:18","slug":"facing-the-unthinkable-is-your-church-safe-from-an-attack","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/?p=1859","title":{"rendered":"Facing the Unthinkable: Is Your Church Safe From an Attack?"},"content":{"rendered":"


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By Scott Wagner<\/a><\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s Note:<\/em> This article touches on subjects that include carrying firearms and places of worship. Research all federal, state and local laws on this topic. Nothing in this article should be considered training guidance or legal advice. Seek out the services of qualified legal professionals if you have any doubts about the laws, and obtain quality training in the handling and use of your firearm. The opinions expressed in the article are those of the author.<\/em><\/p>\n

I<\/span> did not carry an off-duty gun to church for the first 21 years of my law enforcement career. I grew up in a time when I believed people didn\u2019t dare desecrate a church or steal from it. Even if there were people who didn\u2019t believe in God, they believed just enough so as not to risk offending the Almighty himself \u2014 just in case. Back then, I had little real fear I would ever need to draw a handgun to protect my church during worship.<\/p>\n

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The sad reality of the modern world shows us that churches and temples can be targets of violent attacks. Image:\u00a0AdobeStock\/Thomas Vitali<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

My perception has changed in the years since, with recent events reinforcing that unfortunate fact. As a result, I now carry my off-duty gun in church \u2014 usually a minimalist handgun. Those smaller guns seemed to be enough, and not enough had happened to cause me to feel the need to carry a more capable handgun.<\/p>\n

Fast Forward to Now<\/h2>\n

I never imagined times would be as dangerous as they are now. I also never imagined that there would be such widespread hatred directed against Christianity and Judaism by so many people in so many horrific ways.<\/p>\n

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Once we acknowledge that a church can be a target of violent people, we can start looking at how to harden the defenses while still maintaining a welcoming environment.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

These threats have led to greatly increased concern among church members and school staff. I know of a number of members of the churches we attend who carry lawfully concealed firearms. They all want to do their part to protect their fellow congregants, but there are some considerations that must be understood before undertaking such a serious endeavor.<\/p>\n

Legal Considerations<\/h2>\n

Carrying a handgun in a church begins with understanding your state laws. When concealed carry laws passed in Ohio where I live, our statehouse didn\u2019t copy and put into place what was successfully occurring in Florida \u2014 they more or less decided to reinvent the wheel \u2014 making Ohio\u2019s \u201cShall-Issue\u201d Concealed Carry law different than the statutes in other states.<\/p>\n

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Many places of worship have volunteer security teams or off-duty law enforcement officers trained to respond to incidents of violence during services.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One of these differences involved concealed carry permit holders carrying their firearm in a church. Ohio\u2019s original version of the permit law allowed carrying an otherwise lawfully held firearm in church, but only if there were signs on the church saying it was ok to do so. I\u2019ve never actually seen a sign like this at any Ohio church I\u2019ve been to.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, the law has been amended to now read \u201cPlaces of Worship (are prohibited) unless the place of worship permits otherwise\u201d. So, a sign is no longer needed, but permission from the pastor is. Again, this is our situation \u2014 be sure to fully understand the laws in your state.<\/p>\n

Next Steps<\/h2>\n

Once approval is obtained, the next step is handgun selection. A simple formula for the selection of a church defense handgun will assist you in choosing wisely. That formula is PPR. Precision, Power and Reliability. Here is how each part of the formula should be understood:<\/p>\n