LITTLE ROCK — The House on Monday gave final legislative approval to a bill that would authorize churches to decide whether to allow a concealed handgun permit holder to carry a handgun in the building.
The House also approved legislation that would ban an abortion after 20 weeks.
No one spoke against the guns-in church measure, Senate Bill 71, before it passed on an 85-8 vote.
The bill by Sen. Bryan King, R-Green Forest, now goes to Gov. Mike Beebe. The governor has said he has no problem with the measure.
House Bill 1037 passed by a 75-20 vote. The bill contends that after 20 weeks, a fetus can feel pain. It would ban an abortion at that point except to save the mother from death or physical impairment.
The measure by Rep. Andy Mayberry, R-Hensley, now goes to the Senate.
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Regarding the decision for allowing concealed weapons in church if that church so chooses I have one main question that I'm curious about.
Will attendance go up or down depending on whether a church allows or disallows people to posses concealed firearms on the premises?
Subsequently, are there people out there who have been refusing to go to church for several years because they wanted to have the ability to carry a weapon on them like they do when they go grocery shopping, out to eat, etc.? Will attendance go up at churches who decide to allow this because this faction of people will now feel safer in a church?
On the other hand, will attendance go down at these churches because some will feel uneasy about the presence of weapons?
Are there people who attend church regularly who are happy about this passing that will soon find their church has decided not to allow concealed weapons on their premises and will subsequently go worship someplace else JUST because of that decision? Will attendance go down at churches that don't allow guns to be carried?
I'm curious as to how the leadership for each church will go about making this decision. Will the leaders come to an agreement amongst themselves or will they put it to a congregational vote.
A lot of strange scenarios are sure to arise in the near future.
well
I feel like churches are already safer just from the fact that they are no longer a gun-ban zone, regardless of anyone carrying in them or not.
Just my opinion.
But What About
The people that go to the First Presbyterian Church next to CHS can they drive through the campus or do they have to go all the way around if they carry their gun to church on whatever day of the week.
my opinion
My opinion is that the politicians shouldn't have an opinion in the first place.
My opinion is that separation of church and state means......separation of church and state.
Shouldn't it have always been up to each individual church to decide all along?
Churches will have the
Churches will have the ability to make their own decision regarding firearms carry based on their procedure for making other policy or procedural decisions. For example, every Baptist church is an autonomous body of local members. Even though they may associate with other Baptist churches through convention or association, each individual church will determine it's own policy in the same manner it detemines other policy matters. In our church, the pastor certainly can offer guidance, but the matter will have to be brought up as a point of business in a business meeting for discussion, recommendation, and vote.
I don't see this as having any impact on attendance one way or the other. I don't think people stay at home because they can't take a gun with them, and I doubt anyone will start going because they can. At least not in the long run.
I read one article somewhere,
I read one article somewhere, sorry I don’t remember where, that basically said there is still a general ban but churches will have the ability to decide otherwise. In other words no guns in churches is the default unless the church decides to allow. Can the LCD print the actual wording of the proposed law or does someone know where to find it?
The abortion laws
will probably have to pass constitutional muster, state and locally. As for guns in churches, I see no problem with that one. Religion has killed more people in the world than anything else, so why not stock up the hymnal slots with 45 calibers so everyone will feel safe in the house of God.
You Mean Like
The Mayans and Aztecs
RIGHT
Here is a link to the copy of
Here is a link to the copy of the bill: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2013/2013R/Bills/SB71.pdf
You are correct that the ban by default is still in place. The church will have to decide the policy they want. If they do nothing, then you won't be able to bring a gun in.
Thanks david! I felt that was
Thanks david!
I felt that was an important point that needed to be clarified.