Living by the gun?

[Timbothefiveth]

I have a question: I am a competitive target shooter, so I practice a lot. Is practicing target shooting like this, averaging out to maybe an hour and a half every weekday, sinful, if I get it done really early in the morning so as not to interfere with any family time? (If it matters, I’m not spending a lot of money either, maybe $5 a week, due to slow shooting speed)

 

[Jack17]

Only if you’re thinking about murder, pain, and torture when you’re shooting. I highly doubt that though, so I see no sin being done.

I think it’s equal to video games who shoot deers.

 

[Palm_Tree]

I have a question: I am a competitive target shooter, so I parctice a lot. Is practicing target shooting like this, averaging out to maybe an hour and a half every weekday, sinful, if I get it done really early in the morning so as not to interfere with any family time? (If it matters, I’m not spending a lot of money either, maybe $5 a week)

You could offer your time in practicing target shooting as a prayer to God. Sin is anything that is not in line with God’s will, anything not “on target” when it comes to doing God’s will. Every time we sin, we “miss the mark” (to use a term my confessors use). You could offer a prayer to God before every practice shot you take, asking God to help you try to get “on target” to His call of holiness in the same way you are trying to get your gun “on target” to hit the bulls-eye.

 

[Newbie2]

This question could be asked about any hobby…am I spending too much time and/or family resources?

If you can afford it and aren’t cutting into family time, no problemo, no sin.

Part of participating in a Christian family includes taking time to enjoy personal hobbies and such.

 

[wcknight]

DO you love God above all else ??? Love your neighbor as yourself ???

As long as you don’t miss and and hit someone else, you should be fine.

 

[m134e5]

I have a question: I am a competitive target shooter, so I practice a lot. Is practicing target shooting like this, averaging out to maybe an hour and a half every weekday, sinful, if I get it done really early in the morning so as not to interfere with any family time? (If it matters, I’m not spending a lot of money either, maybe $5 a week, due to slow shooting speed)

It is not sinful. As long as it doesn’t interfere with family time, work, or commitments to church or friends, and as long as you aren’t preoccupied by thoughts of killing others, it’s fine. It’s a nice way to spend a little time outside, make friends, relieve stress, and practice for hunting and/or self defense.

 

[Michael_David]

When I first saw the name of this thread “Living by the gun?” I thought it referred to the military or a robber… not a hobby.

One can look at any ‘hobby’ this same way. It’s part of our social-interaction with others, and we all need some time doing this… it is nice to be doing something one likes when doing it too.

I do not see it relevant to one’s thoughts while doing it though; as an example, a known cancer fighter sees their cancer as something else and goes about hunting it and shooting it to kill it… seeing it as a bear or anything else.

Some I know throw darts at pictures… Bin Laden the latest.

Aren’t we told to ‘hate what is evil’? ‘Love what is good’? This shooting hobby takes it to the ultimate… at least one is not ‘lukewarm’.

Hobbies by definition are always kept on the ‘back-burner’… never put first.