Ok, by now we’ve heard the tragic news of yet another shooting… this time at a church. What boggles my mind in the story is not that the mega-church had security, but it had armed security that shot and killed the man.
Now, because the security was armed, many deaths were avoided as the 7000 worshipers made their way out of the church. But, I still wonder why they are armed. What sort of society are we living in where churches need armed guards to keep unwanted people out?
I don’t know how to respond to this right now. I realize that the US is a different world than I live in, and guns are viewed differently than in Canada, but what message are we sending to people coming into our churches if they are met by armed guards at the door?
Does anyone out there have reason or insight into why this layer of security has been put in place? I just can’t seem to figure it out, except that since this was Haggard’s church maybe they’ve had plenty of threats against it? Or is this becoming a norm as part of the mega-church phenomenon?
This does say a lot about the world today. I can’t comprehend weapons in a church, but the mega-church phenomenon is completely beyond anything I have experienced or would want to, so maybe it is necessary to keep unwanted people out and much wanted money in.
Although if I ever go to church and am greeted by a guard with a gun…I will turn around and walk out…seems hypocritical and would make me twitchy