To the editor:

The Elizabethton Star is right that security measures are needed in our churches. Back in 2001, Yale law scholar, researcher and author of “More Guns, Less Crime,” John Lott Jr., complained that the major media ignores the facts about gun use. Lott asked, “When was the last time you heard a story on the national evening news about a citizen saving a life with a gun? Yet civilians use firearms to stop about 2 million crimes per year,” said Lott. Criminals like helpless victims. Things haven’t changed liberals controlling all the major media try to ban or restrict gun ownership. The September 11 terrorist attacks were done completely without the use of guns and show that getting rid of one object they can use for violence only sends them looking for another. Last month on Halloween a Muslim ISIS member in New York mowed down people with his truck yelling “Allahu akbar.” This is Arabic and means Allah is greater. Then we had the largest mass shooting at a church in modern history. An Atheist who hated and called Christians stupid killed 26 people at a Baptist church in Texas according to www.breitbart.com. Please pray for the devastated families and the injured. God allows such travesty and pain because we live a fallen creation and God allows free will. Jesus said in this world you will have troubles. Hardship allows us to know Jesus more deeply and through storms. Christians discover the love of Jesus in new and powerful ways and can help others.
Christians are hated and world enemy number one even though our message is non-violent about the grace and love of Jesus. Turn to Jesus and be cleansed of your sin and be reconciled to God. Call 1-888-need him. Historians say over the last hundred years Atheist leaders of Communist countries killed over 100 million. Dictators in Communist countries worked and killed to control or stop all religious expression and thought because they want all loyalty to be to their country and its rulers. The late Dr. D. James Kennedy said, “The Koran allows the use of force to win converts. Muslims have put to death more than 5 million Christians in the name of Allah. They even kill fellow Muslims who become Christians and profess faith in Jesus.” For info on persecuted Christians go to www.opendoorsusa.org.
The Bible says God rejected Cain’s sacrifice. Cain decided to kill his brother instead of repenting and getting right with God. We’re not told what Cain used to kill his brother; it was unimportant. God’s response wasn’t to ban rocks or anything else, but to banish the murderer. The media blames our freedoms and calls for possible future victims of terrorism to surrender their rights to defend themselves. The evil in Cain’s heart was the cause of the murder, not the availability of the murder weapon. The Bible says people are, “deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.” Mankind is sinful and so there’s a need for guns in the hands of responsible Christians and other peaceful people to protect themselves and others. The Bible says self-defense is a God-given right and we have a responsibility to protect our family. Nehemiah commanded the workers building the temple to be armed and have swords ready. Christians are commanded to resist the devil. (James 4:7 & 1 Peter 5:8-9) The Bible says the goal of the devil is to steal, kill and destroy. The best way to resist the devil is to be armed with a firearm and the word of God, the Bible. In Luke 22:35-38 Jesus commanded His disciples just before he left them to die on the cross to buy weapons. They said they got two weapons and Jesus said that’s enough. Therefore every church should have at the least two Christians assigned to security in their church at all times. The president of a Christian College, Liberty University, did the right thing in publicly encouraging students to carry concealed weapons. Our Founding Fathers said those who give up liberty for safety deserve neither and will get neither. We should heed their warning.
Pastor Carl Gallups, www.carlgallups.com, said based on Proverbs 22:3 churches should be prepared. Gallups wrote the book, “Be Thou Prepared.” In a dangerous world that is getting more dangerous in these last days (2 Timothy 3) before the return of Jesus, prayer plus preparedness as the old saying goes, “Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition,” will remain wise. Gallups tells about a church of about 1,000 in Africa that was attacked by Muslims who planned to kill them all but because one Christian had a gun and shot back at them only a few were killed and the Muslims ran. One politician in the 1840’s before speaking to a hostile crowd would hold up a Bible and say,”To those who respect God’s word, I appeal to this book.” Then he held up a copy of the Constitution and said, “To those who respect our fundamental law, I appeal to this document.” Then he took out two pistols and a knife and said, “To those who recognize only force I appeal to these weapons.” Christians should adopt his posture and have a readiness for the growing number in America who only understand and respect force.

D.D. Nave
Elizabethton