I can't imagine what it must be like for the loved ones of the two teenage sisters killed in what I assume is their own church.
I hope they can forgive the shooter and take comfort in the knowledge that the young women went to the arms of a loving God.
Looks like a plain-clothed female security guard at the church took down the shooter.
We've reached the point where such guards are necessary at our houses of worship.
I wonder how many churches use such guards for the protection of their membership.
The 'guards' is neither as unusual, nor as 'new', as you might think.
In fact our own church probably used to have 'guards' many years ago.
They were fairly common in the early days of this country, with sentries 'standing guard' with rifles and
loaded weapons, and with portholes cut in the walls of the churches, through which to shoot, to repel 'Indian attacks' and raids, on the frontier.
As our church was organized in 1782; and had it's first building of log, a few years later, and there are a few other church and other buildings from a similar time that do have the portholes built into them, it is likely that the Forks of Dix River Baptist Church had them as well.
Certainly, Downing's Station, the frontier Fort where the church was first organized, had them in their stockade.
The earliest of the
'Circuit-riders' were armed, as well.
"The Circuit-Riding Preacher"
"The circuit-riding preacher used to ride across the land,
With a rifle on his saddle and a Bible in his hand;
He told the prairie people all about the promised land,
As he went riding, singing down the trail:
Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms!
Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.
The circuit-riding preacher traveled through the mire and mud,
Told about the fiery furnace and of Noah and the flood;
He preached the way to heaven was by water and the blood,
As he went riding, singing down the trail.
Pow'r, pow'r, wonder-working pow'r,
In the blood of the Lamb,
There is pow'r, pow'r, wonder-working pow'r,
In the precious blood of the Lamb."
I'm sure you're right.
And even moreso where Protestants and Catholics didn't get along.
Now the news is saying the security guard was a church member, not a professional guard, and she used her personal weapon.
There's been a lot of shootings this week; I wonder how it will affect the gun-control debate.
I read one person involved with the case describe how the armed woman saved many lives.
I know two people at the YWAM in Denver. My wifes brother's wife has a brother and sister in law there.
I have only met them once (just
a couple of weeks ago in fact) but as I understand, they were close friends to the ones who were killed.
As for the armed person at the other place, I am all for people being armed.
Just think how many innocent lives were spared due to the protection of one armed person.
Thank God that we can still protect ourselves in this country!
We have several church members required by law to be armed at all times.
All are in law enforcement or the FBI.
One was a Green Beret.
One was a Navy Seal.
I'm all for it.
They are trained quite well, and 4 out of the 5 are deacons (the other one will be in a few years--he's still in his early 20's but is a strong Christian).
If we had a shooting, we'd call the police, and they'd come with guns.
As it is, the police are here (as members) and their guns are with them.