Where’s All The People?

This caught my eye because I was driving past the church where this meeting was held just the other day (a visit to the Old Hometown). And I didn’t even know the Texas Church Security Coalition was a thing:

The Texas Church Security Coalition is sponsoring tonight’s meeting and says churches will see more protections under the law if they make sure to properly document the members of their official safety teams. 

A safety team made up of volunteers qualifies for immunity. 

Written policies must prove that a member is expected to provide security services as part of their duties to the religious organization. 

In addition, each person must have a letter of appointment from the pastor or leader.

My least concern here is with the suspension of liability for churches authorizing members to pack heat and use it. 

My concern is for who is carrying and when they decide to use it. And then the people who decide it’s okay for them to carry, too, without a letter from the pastor, because freedumb and 2nd Amendment rights, and that means I can shoot people, too, right?

I’ve got a big picture of the pastor being directed by the church council to tell Tom he can’t come in until he puts his gun in the car. I was put in that position by my first church; not over a gun but just over a man a few people just didn’t want in the building. I was not capable of physically stopping that man from entering the building, nor did I have grounds to call police to do so. But the people demanding I do so weren’t going to stand in the door, either.

That was my job. At least, they thought so.

Now add a gun to it, and piss off a stranger or a church member because we’ve decided guns should be (almost) everywhere. I think they are still barred in churches in Texas, but do you want to escalate the situation by calling the cops? Anyway, challenge that person at the church door, and the next time the guy comes back, maybe he comes in shooting? And then you find out how good your “security” is when bullets are flying?

All in all, I’m glad I don’t go to church anymore.