Should Christians carry guns?

By Devon Dick

Recently, Newton Dixon of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and I were invited to share with TVJ's morning programme, 'Smile Jamaica', on the issue of whether Christians could carry guns. The hosts were Emprezz and Neville Bell.

Some Christians carry guns as part of their job function, such as soldiers, police personnel, security guards and bodyguards. Some Christian businessmen who handle and transport large amounts of cash carry guns to protect property. Some Christians carry guns to protect their families, especially if they feel their lives threatened or have been threatened or live in violence-prone areas; while there are some who use guns to engage in sporting competitions or engage in bird shooting and animal hunting. It would appear unreasonable to deny Christians the possibility of carrying arms for the above reasons.

In addition, there seems to be scriptural warrant that allows for Christians to bear arms. There is a story about a war between the Israelites and the Philistines as represented by David and the giant Goliath, respectively, in which David used a slingshot as a weapon to subdue the well-armoured Goliath and eventually killed him. This action prevented the Philistines from colonising the Israelites. Additionally, when Nehemiah was rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem, some workers had a work tool in one hand and weapon in the other to defend themselves against the enemies. There is also National Hero Paul Bogle, a devoted Christian, who led a march to Morant Bay and was attacked by the authorities. In self-defence, he and members of his group threw stones and used their machetes.

NOT ALWAYS JUSTIFIED

However, Christians cannot assume that use of a weapon is justified in every circumstance, even when provoked. There is an incident in which Peter, feeling the need to protect his Master, Jesus, the Christ, cut off the ear of a guard with his sword. Jesus returned the guard's ear, which was indicative that in the said instance, the use of the weapon was not the appropriate response. It is, therefore, clear that there are times when the weapon should not be used, as it may be a situation in which we should turn the other cheek. There are times when we are called upon to serve as martyrs in the cause of Christ.

There are also practical problems with bearing arms, including being a target of criminals who want a gun. It can be very restrictive because there are rules governing its safety when you are attending a sporting event, going overseas, going to the beach, or even going to pick plums.

Another complication with bearing arms is that some persons can become trigger-happy and want to resolve every conflict with the use of the gun rather than a willingness to dialogue. The prosecution in South Africa is trying to make out Oscar Pistorius to be a trigger-happy man who killed his girlfriend on Valentine's Day last year.

Then there are some difficult decisions to make concerning the use of guns. There is the classic case of German theologian and activist Dietrich Bonheoffer, who attempted to kill Adolf Hitler but failed. There are some who feel that if he was successful, he could have saved the lives of millions of Jews.

The views on the matter are varied, and Neville, at the end of the interview, offered unsolicited advice which was very insightful. He said that only security forces should carry arms. Indeed, that is the direction in which the country and the world should go. If every Christian carries a gun, it could lead to more violence and deaths, while a disarmed country has the potential to be more peaceful.

Rev Devon Dick is pastor of the Boulevard Baptist Church in St Andrew. He is author of 'The Cross and the Machete', and 'Rebellion to Riot'. Send feedback to columns@ gleanerjm.com.