Do you pack heat.....

It depends on when you are carrying it and why. If you carry it to church all the time simply because you fear the very remote probability of an intruder, then I would say yes, IMHO, that is both irrational and cowardly. You are in greater danger in a parking lot or a shopping mall than in church. Do you carry a CWW there also ... all the time? With a weapon always present you are in more danger in your own home than in church.

 

I am having a hard time picking my wording, to try and get you to see what you've done in this thread. Firstly, you've used a strawman in the last paragraph. "...because you fear...". While they are out there for sure, I don't personally know anyone who carries a weapon "out of fear". Out of preparedness, yes. In case something happens, yes. Out of fear? Absolutely not.

Second, you've made a declarative statement, which is completely untrue and isn't backed up by anything. "With a weapon always present you are in more danger in your own home than in church". Without a weapon, this is true. But, even if you had some statistics to back up your statement, it's such a broad brush that it is nonsensical. I've trained (literally) hundreds of people on weapon use. Of those hundreds I've trained, and even more (thousands, literally) that I've been around that have used weapons (kept them with us 100% of the time except while showering while deployed) how many do you think have accidentally shot someone? Zero. Proper training coupled with non-complacency equals perfect safety with a weapon. No accidental shots fired, no accidental deaths, nothing.

Finally, let's look at your first post:

With your wording, you are implying that anyone that carries a weapon is a coward. Pretty strong language. There's no wiggle room. That's what you did. The only other alternative is to say you posted in the wrong forum, or your post was totally and completely unrelated to the OP. So, regardless of what you said in this current paragraph, you called me, and countless others on here, a coward.

Then, there's this, where you did it again.

And another time:

And,

Well, good for you. I've been in some very scary places, too. And in those situations, if I didn't have my firearm, I probably would have died. If not me then someone else.

So, there you have it. Your posts have basically been meaningless condemnation of others who choose to carry by calling them cowards.

Now, on to my part. Fear has absolutely nothing to do with carrying a weapon. It isn't "cowardly" to be prepared for an increasingly possible eventuality. If you choose not to carry, so be it. I won't condemn you or call you names, even though I think it is more prudent to carry. The very least you could do is show the same respect.

I lock my doors when I leave my house.
I have insurance on my car.
I have smoke detectors in my house.
And I have a weapon in my house / on my person.

All of these things are the same thing, and none of them have anything to do with fear, or "cowardice".

 

It is well documented that there are quite a number of innocent deaths of family members in homes that have firearms. True almost all of them come because of carelessness on the part of gun owners, but that does not negate the fact that the deaths occurred.

The study cited below shows that approximately 2 children die each week from accidental gun shots. I am quite sure that 2 children do not die each week from accidents of any kind in churches. So, I believe my statement stands.

 

The CDC reports that 27 children were killed by accidental gunfire in 2013. During that same period 393 of them died due to drowning, 327 in traffic accidents, 161 by suffocation, 33 by being hit and 28 from falling.

Accidental shooting of children in churches? Not a single one. A child is almost 15 times more likely to drown in a bathtub than get shot. Maybe we should out law bathtubs.

 

The linked report would not load. I think the number 27 is low. What were the ages of the children reported. The number, as shown in another CDC report as quoted in The Atlantic should be much higher. It is documented that the CDC and the government under report the number of deaths. I do not know why. Probably politics.

 

Start here and click on the Submit Request button. It will take you to a hyperlinked chart. The age group cited was 1 - 4 years old.

 

I expect the number cited in that age group is probably correct. The number approximately 2 a week would be a wider age group. From the link I placed in my last reply the number of teenagers seems to be much higher. I believe this proves my point that a person with a firearm in the home is more at risk than a person without a firearm sitting in church of being harmed by an intruder.

I grew up where every family had firearms, usually at least a shotgun and a rifle. So I do know about firearms and accidents within that group of people where I grew up. ..


I also believe that there has to be an underlying fear before a person will carry a weapon to church.

 

I've read a lot of stories in which those carrying a concealed weapon put their own lives at risk to save the lives of others.

Doesn't sound like a cowardly act to me.

Sounds down right heroic and loving that someone would put their own life at risk for another.

 

Just what is a coward? A coward is a man who will not protect his family. A coward is a man who is so steeped in ideology that he abandons his family and loved ones in their greatest time of need. There are many more words to describe such a man. None of them Good.

 

No. I do not even own a gun nor do I intend to.

 

Is every law enforcement officer who carries on a coward?

 

What an ignorant question. I have decided to refrain from responding to such out of left field, ridiculous questions. Try asking a rational one. Thanks.

 

Is anyone who carries a sidearm a coward or not?

 

Another broad brush ignorant question.

 

Physician, heal thyself!

 

That's the same kind of thinking that kept me from responding to your "coward" statement.

 

Boy, if you're gonna boast about being so brave by being unarmed, and consider the inquiry of whether anybody is a "coward" who does arm himself an 'ignorant question,' then don't be a coward to explain your terms.

But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world [Galatians 6:14].