



Presbyterians for Gun Ownership 





 From:	dasper@prodigy.com (MR DAN C ASPER)

To:	BERTDUV@aol.com

Date: 96-11-05 22:28:56 EST



jfpco@infi.net (Jack Painter) wrote:

 



 PRESBYTERIANS FOR GUN OWNERSHIP        

   A Christian Response to  Anti-Gun Propaganda



 WHO WE ARE:  

 We are faithful Christians who observe from our Constitution that

 America's founding fathers were devout and knowledgeable

 Christians, believing the preservation of life included the right

 to self-protection from criminals, whether from individuals or by

 tyranny in government. We understand from the plain text of the

 Constitution that responsible citizen gun ownership is intended,

 required and guaranteed by the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution.

 



 WHAT WE BELIEVE:

 As a basis, we the people perceive from Holy Scripture certain 

 inalienable rights for the nations citizens and for all men as

 did the nation's founders. These perceived rights, determined by

 the Word of God and evident reasoning based on His Word, are

 endowed by God the Creator of the world and Creator of mankind to

 mankind directly and not by way of governments or magistrates.

 



 Some of these rights are protected by the Constitution as the

 document clearly states. Specific limited powers have been

 granted by the people to government for the common good.  

 The government has no powers that are not enumerated in the

 Constitution. The people have the full body of rights endowed by

 God and never fully enumerated as a protective measure. 

 



 The Bill of Rights in general and the Second Amendment in

 particular has a significant beneficial preventive effect in

 society with respect to crime and the threat of tyranny. The

 protection of an individual's life and liberty by means of

 self-defense is consistent with faithful unpoliticized

 translations of Scripture such as The King James Bible and 

 the Constitution of these United States, inclusively. This has

 always been known as the "First Law of Nature", and is the

 first of the pre-existing rights protected by the Constitution.

  



 WHY WE ARE HERE:  

 The General Assembly of The Presbyterian Church (USA) has taken a

 position on gun-ownership that is incompatible with Christianity 

 and the Constitution of these United States. These were not seen

 or intended to be mutually exclusive by the framers of our

 Constitution or the Confessions of the Church.

   



 The propaganda espoused by dedicated anti-gun groups does not have 

 support for Christianity, the U.S. Constitution, or an end to crime

 as we know it as it's concern. The banning of handguns espoused by 

 these groups have been accepted by the leaders of our church (the 

 208th General Assembly), and political influence is being exerted 

 in the name of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

  



 Many PC(USA) Presbyterians find this inconsistent with the

 message of the Holy Scripture, the maintenance of freedom and a

 free society, and the inherent right of self-defense observed by 

 both Christianity and the Constitution of these United States.  

 

 

 



 The General Assembly has taken upon itself to expend funds and

 ally with socialist and statist political efforts to remove our

 rights to self-defense without respect to the U.S. Constitution 

 or the body of the Church. We believe the Constitution and the 

 Book of Confession seek to protect this and all endowed rights.  

  



 Consistent with this view, we seek crime-prevention and control

 of criminals by just and Constitutional government; just laws,

 just, sure and swift punishment, and the right to self defense as

 proper measures to protect our society and maintain the peace

 necessary in furthering Christ's teachings.  We must resist the

 godless eradication of the liberties of free men with the

 resulting harm to the human spirit and invitation to tyranny.  

   



 WHEREAS:  

 We are dedicated to the reform of the radical positions being

 taken and the improper expense of funds directed by the General

 Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and affiliates who

 would diminish the inalienable rights of man in general and

 remove our right to self-defense in particular. We determine to

 speak, write and petition local church Presbyterians and the

 Presbyteries as a first step in communicating to our church 

 leadership that a serious breach has occurred between the church

 and the membership on matters of great importance to our freedom.

  



 Criminal violence tears at the fabric of our society and social

 order, and contributes to the several efforts toward the

 abandonment of the tenets of our religion, our country, and the

 exercise of personal freedoms.  Removal of the reasonable means of

 self-protection by government is an abomination that neither 

 discourages crime nor protects us from the evil of violent criminals.



 

 We encourage you to examine the material PC(USA) is distributing,

 all copied from the non peer-reviewed studies and propagandist



 opinions of radical anti-gun organizations. Peer-reviewed studies

 are available today which not only refute their arguments, but

 clearly demonstrate the redeeming social value of Americans armed

 with defensive handguns and firearms.  It's not about "Sportsman"

 or "inconveniences" - it's about the preservation of life.



 

 to PC(USA):

 Rev. Curtis A. Kearns Jr., Director

 National Ministries Division

 Presbyterian Church (USA)

 100 Witherspoon Street

 Louisville KY 40202

 

 and:

 E-mail JFPCO@INFI.NET (Jack Painter)

 







