Opinion about weapons?

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Stepinac

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Are all weapons Satan’s inventions?
What do you think about (real/airsoft) weapons? I personally get creeps when I see who all used weapons and who died under that invention. Is it good for a Catholic to own a weapon, even if it is airsoft?
 
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What makes you think weapons are Satan’s inventions? What kinds of weapons are you talking about? Luke 22 says:
He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one."
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If you’re creeped out by guns, there’s nothing wrong with that. I personally don’t really like them (though I do own guns and debate with myself about that). But I don’t think you can say they’re inventions of Satan. I know if you’re a lay person who belongs to certain third orders, you’re not allowed to own a gun.
 
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Stepinac said:
Is it good for a Catholic to own a weapon, even if it is airsoft?
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Catholics are not pacifists. The Church recognizes that there are situations where fighting is necessary. Based on that, weapons are morally neutral. They’re not good or bad themselves; they’re just objects that can be used for good or bad purposes.
 
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Stepinac said:
Are all weapons Satan’s inventions?
What do you think about (real/airsoft) weapons? I personally get creeps when I see who all used weapons and who died under that invention. Is it good for a Catholic to own a weapon, even if it is airsoft?
Click to expand...
I believe as time goes on, that Catholics owning firearms around the world will become less and less common until it is an obscurity.

Weapons have the capacity to take human life, so of course the devil has benefited from them a great deal even if men are the ones who create them. All war is evil but the historical wars among Christian nations are an even greater evil, because of the greater culpability.

The USCCB tries to be cautious about making statements related to national policies, but here are some recommendations it has put forward on this subject:


Peace.
 
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Weapons are tools. They can be used to defend one’s self or family, or other innocents from harm. Then there’s the other side of that same coin where a person is trying to harm those folks.
As someone else said, we are not pacifists.

Tell ya what creeps me out, is anyone who would not be prepared to protect their family or innocents, stand by and do nothing. That’s a special kind of creepy to me.

In answer to your question, no, weapons are not Satan’s inventions. He may exert influence on some who are open to such influence to misuse a weapon. But here we go into the fine line of what exactly IS a weapon?
A Louisville slugger can do some serious damage, as can some home cutlery, a brick, etc. It is pretty much the user of a tool vs the tool itself.
 
Gun sales are way up in the US.

I don’t own any weapons, but I qualified expert in the Army on an M-16 and fired machine guns (great thrill). I have considered buying a weapon the past few years. I don’t really think the zombie apocalypse is coming, but…
 
Ever read the book of Maccabees? There is a lot of righteous fighting in that, and they had plenty of weapons. Catholics are not Pacifists. Even God recognizes that we are in a war for souls and that we should have the ability to defend ourselves. Heck, we are called the “Church Militant” here on earth!
 
Stepinac said:
Did not Jesus say: “all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword(Matthew 26,52)”?
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D-R Bible, Haydock Commentary:

Ver. 52. Shall perish by the sword. This was not to condemn the use of the sword, when employed on a just cause, or by lawful authority. Euthymius looks upon it as a prophecy that the Jews should perish by the sword of the Romans. (Witham) — Our divine Saviour would not permit this apostle to continue in his pious zeal for the safety of his Master. He says to him: put up thy sword. For he could not be unwilling to die for the redemption of man, who chose to be born for that end alone. Now, therefore, he gives power to his implacable enemies to treat him in the most cruel manner, not willing that the triumph of the cross should be in the least deferred; the dominion of the devil and man’s captivity in the least prolonged. (St. Leo)
 
The idea that weapons are inventions of Dayan or that Catholics shouldn’t own them is offensive to me. I own guns and have had them blessed. So do my friends. They are tools that if ever used outside of practice will be used in a holy way.
 
Yes, but the approach to life that could be termed as living by the sword is quite different than simply owning a gun.

I keep my guns for home defense, but I don’t think I could take another life to save my own, and that’s what they teach in self-defense gun classes. However I could probably take another person’s life to save the lives of my family.
 
As has been stated, weapons of any type are just tools. Where Satan comes in is in how they are used. I carry a pistol pretty much anytime I am out of the house. I do not practice as much as I should but I do practice. I have never shot anyone, and do not expect to but if a circumstance arises, I have no problem using deadly force to protect myself or others in imminent danger of death or grievous bodily harm. As for the scripture, “Those who live by the sword, die by the sword”; everyone will die of something. I cannot think of a better way to die than protecting someone elses life.

Patrick
AMDG
 
ColoradoCatholic said:
Catholics are not Pacifists.
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I dislike the word ‘pacifist’. I would much rather say peace maker, and in order to be a peace maker you need to be in the middle of conflict.

You don’t need a gun to be a peace maker.
 
God made big men and God made little men. Samuel Colt made them equals.

Weapons are tools, their moral relevance is determined by the user.
 
Stepinac said:
Are all weapons Satan’s inventions?
What do you think about (real/airsoft) weapons? I personally get creeps when I see who all used weapons and who died under that invention. Is it good for a Catholic to own a weapon, even if it is airsoft?
Click to expand...
The simple and direct answer to your question is:
acts are morally evaluated, NOT objects.
 
ColoradoCatholic said:
Ever read the book of Maccabees? There is a lot of righteous fighting in that, and they had plenty of weapons. Catholics are not Pacifists. Even God recognizes that we are in a war for souls and that we should have the ability to defend ourselves. Heck, we are called the “Church Militant” here on earth!
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Church Militant does not mean what you think it does.
And there is a good case to be made that Christ embodies nonviolence, even in the face of evil.
We have to wisely square that with the doctrine of just war.
Tough to do, but human life is the ultimate good of self defense.
 
My first thought when reading your post was similar to Lucy’s. The Bible says… “… sell your cloak and buy one” if you don’t have a sword. I have zero interest in guns (real or air soft) but I own one. I would rather have a gun and never need it, than to need a gun and not have one. Especially now when the world is just going a little… nuts.
 
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