Is it okay for Catholics to own firearms so they can protect themselves and their loved ones?

[ZMystiCat]

Abortion is condemned also.

Ignoring the fact that your comment was about scalpels, not abortion, abortion is an act of killing, not an item potentially used to kill. Or to use the line of thinking explicitly:

• “Guns don’t kill people. People kill people.”
• “Chemical weapons don’t kill people. People kill people.”
• “Biological weapons don’t kill people. People kill people.”
• “Nuclear weapons don’t kill people. People kill people.”

Abortion can’t fit within this line of logic without making the comment nonsensical.

the occasional rock

God designed rocks for us to kill people?

People cut brush with machetes?

I personally like using it to cut hair!

Spoiler

(Not really, that would be inefficient! The blowtorch is for “cutting” hair!)

Why do we only have to compare this to nazi germany?

Because Godwin’s Law. And because it is convenient, but mostly because of Godwin’s Law.

 

[ewohdrol]

That’s assuming you can run. Very big assumption. I wouldn’t risk my life on that assumption in the US.

Aren’t you risking your life more by shooting? Wouldn’t it be more dangerous for your family to have a shoot out? Especially if there is more than one perpetrator?

 

[joyfulandactive]

My husband as a Catholic doctor concerned about the general health of the family points out that statistically having a gun in your home is much more likely to be used by a family member in their suicide than to protect your family from a crime or in a home invasion.

I personally knew a young man of 19 in Germany who used his father’s hunting gun to kill himself in the nearby woods. I attended his funeral. He was a wonderful young man and his parent’s only child.

 

[Cruciferi]

having a gun in your home is much more likely to be used by a family member in their suicide

Guns should be secured, unloaded and preferably separate from ammunition. If precautionary measures are taken, it’s very unlikely that the gun will fall into the wrong hands.

who used his father’s hunting gun to kill himself in the nearby woods.

I’m not sure if we can blame the presence of a gun for that unfortunate situation. Ideally, we’d be able to intervene before people start down that path…

 

[joyfulandactive]

We can all argue the circumstances. The point is that it is a fact that a gun in your home is more likely to be used in a suicide than to protect your family.

I am not anti-gun I am relaying medical information from my husband who is sitting next to me.

 

[RuthAnne]

The gun was designed to kill

Some are. Not all. The one I own was most likely designed to kill. That’s why I own it. If someone ever tries to harm me or my family I intend to ruin their day.

 

[RuthAnne]

We can all argue the circumstances. The point is that it is a fact that a gun in your home is more likely to be used in a suicide than to protect your family.

And some of us are willing to take that chance.

 

[RuthAnne]

Guns should be secured, unloaded and preferably separate from ammunition.

There’s no point in having a gun for protection if I do that. My gun sits loaded beside my bed. In an unlocked drawer.

 

[maryjk]

Guns should be secured, unloaded and preferably separate from ammunition. If precautionary measures are taken, it’s very unlikely that the gun will fall into the wrong hands.

Then I may as well have a club. If a gun is unloaded and separate from ammunition all it is, is a very expensive club.

 

[Eric_Hyom]

Guns should be secured, unloaded and preferably separate from ammunition. If precautionary measures are taken, it’s very unlikely that the gun will fall into the wrong hands.

This sounds daft to me. So you say to the intruder, hang on a minute whilst I unlock my gun cupboard and find some ammo.

 

[LawyersGunsAndMoney]

This sounds daft to me. So you say to the intruder, hang on a minute whilst I unlock my gun cupboard and find some ammo.

If the intruder comes into your bedroom while you’re fast asleep intent on killing you, the fact that your gun was loaded probably won’t save you. Everyone thinks they’re gonna be Jason Bourne…

But anyway, yes, Catholics can own firearms. The question of how you store it is a prudential one, but I think the biggest factors to consider are the dangerousness of the neighborhood and the presence of kids. If you don’t have kids and really feel the need to sleep with a round chambered, go nuts I suppose. I wouldn’t do it personally.

 

[Eric_Hyom]

Everyone thinks they’re gonna be Jason Bourne…

You just need the sign on your front door - Jason Bourne lives here !

 

[Exegete]

So I would like to know if owning firearms in order to protect ourselves and our loved ones goes against the Catholic faith?

No it does not. Being armed is a very prudent move for many.

 

[Exegete]

If the intruder comes into your bedroom while you’re fast asleep intent on killing you, the fact that your gun was loaded probably won’t save you.

You really don’t know this…

 

[Exegete]

Exactly how Australians do it now. Run out of the home and call the police. No one gets killed that way. I’d rather someone rob me than me kill them.

How about those that don’t have the ability to “Run out of the home”?

“When seconds count, the police are only minutes away.”

 

[LawyersGunsAndMoney]

You really don’t know this…

I mean, no, you can’t really know. We can all think of increasingly crazy scenarios that are incredibly unlikely but at some point you jsut need to relax.

 

[Exegete]

I mean, no, you can’t really know. We can all think of increasingly crazy scenarios that are incredibly unlikely but at some point you jsut need to relax.

Relax and do what’s logical and within your personal competency.

 

[Exegete]

At this point, there are millions of guns in the US.

Actually hundreds of millions of firearms. In excess of 300M.

 

[LawyersGunsAndMoney]

I agree. Sometimes some gun owners like to invent the craziest “what if” scenarios, when the reality is in the insanely unlikely event that ten assassins break into your home at night intent on killing you, you’re probably dead no matter what.

I’m not against people owning guns. I have guns. Just saying there’s a point at which prudence tips into paranoia. (Not saying that’s you. Just speaking generally.)

 

[Exegete]

My struggle is owning firearms that are perfectly legal in most of the rest of the USA, but magically became illegal where I live due to some aesthetic quality (and not functional property) of the firearm. In other words “politics.”

Things are so out of hand here that I simply ignore the state laws anymore. I’m certain not to violate federal laws and that’s that for me anymore. I have often wondered if my mindset is sinful or not?