You can carry a pistol, but you must not own any ammunition.
JW Stand On Concealed Carry
by Cold Steel 37 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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OUTLAW
You can carry a pistol, but you must not own any ammunition......NN
Just like back in the 70`s-80`s when..
JW`s believed Wieners had Blood in Them!..
(Maybe they still do.....??????)
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If You Wanted a Hot Dog..
You Could Have a Bun..But.......................NO WIENER!!..
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Fisherman
Off the top of my head, prior to 1982, the WT was silent for the most part on JW owning firearms. Seems that some brother carrying a concealed licensed firearm triggered the WT to write a policy on JW owning guns in a wt or awake article-probably wt- banning ownership of guns for self defense by JW. JW should not own guns for self defense, but can they be df'd or da'd? I don't know
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Cold Steel
How is one "counseled" in these matters? One wonders what would happen if an armed Muslim terrorist forces his way into a Kingdom Hall. A brother pulls a 9mm pistol and drops the guy in the lobby. No casualties except the gunman, who is dead. Would the brother be hailed as a hero or be condemned because he had a gun and carried it to the Kingdom Hall?
Here's another scenario. Joe just got his concealed weapons permit and is cleaning his new pistol in his basement. An elder drops by unannounced and is led downstairs by Helen, Joe's wife. "Here he is, Frank," she says, "and let me know if I can get you anything!"
"Hey, Joe, what are you up to?" Frank asks.
"Oh, this is my new pistol. Just got my concealed weapons permit and took a shooting course. I thought I should clean it before loading and carrying it."
"Ah," says Frank. "So when did you decide to do this? Did Helen approve?"
"Oh, yeah," he says. "She wasn't crazy about the expenditure, but my dad gave it to me as a gift. He says with crime being what it is, I ought to have some means of self defense. So," he added, "I decided that I probably should take a course and one thing led to another and I decided to get a carry permit."
I realize not all elders are going to give the same advice, but is this something Frank is likely to butt into? Also, is he likely to keep this to himself or will he be discreet? And what about action? Is Joe likely to lose his privileges or will he be just be counseled? Or will he be left alone?
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Fisherman
According to the WT, JW should not arm themselves or use firearms for the purpose of self defense (from other humans that is.) let alone even owing a gun or studying martial arts for such intended purpose IF a JW goes against this teaching, he would not qualify for privileges. -
Fisherman
The philosophy is based upon trust in Jehovah for salvation and survival. A JW if attacked will try to get away first and then he may have to try to defend himself so that that he can get away but JW should not learn warfare or carry weapons.
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Retrograda
Straight from the JW Correspondence Guidelines:
"If a member of the congregation insists on carrying or possessing firearms for protection against humans—equipping himself to become “a smiter”—the elders should counsel him and help him to remedy the situation. Lack of compliance by an individual can result in his not being qualified to have special privileges.—1 Tim. 3:2, 3; Mic. 4:3; Gal. 6:11"
So, not "banned," but just "frowned upon." Likely enough to get a local needs talk? Depends on your local body of elders
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Fisherman
My post was off the top of my head, I did not research the matter. I was surprised to read on the WT site that it is a personal matter to work in a job that requires packing a gun. I really cannot see how a jw could do that. I suppose that in certain countries there may be no other option for some jw.than to work at job with a weapons or because of the the legality or politics for the WT to outright prohibit JW from having guns. Also maybe some cop or some one else required to pack just converted to JW and cannot leave his job, etc. -
Fisherman
*** w98 12/15 p. 22 When Armed Robbers Strike ***
Some people desperately seek security by arming themselves with guns. Christians, though, take seriously the words of Jesus, who said: “Those who take the sword will perish by the sword.” (Matthew 26:52) God’s people have ‘beaten their swords into plowshares’ and do not buy guns to protect themselves from robbery or assault.—Micah 4:3.The WTS does not elaborate too much on prohibiting purchasing guns for the purpose self defense from other humans. But the above quoted article clearly states that God's people do not buy guns for protection from other humans. If God's people do not buy guns for protection from humans then logically anyone buying a gun for such purpose is not God's people.
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Cold Steel
Thanks for your responses. Based on the Bible I don't see any problem with Christians defending themselves. I particularly have no respect for a man who can't, or won't, defend his family. For a man to sit by helplessly while someone raped his wife, to me, would be a source of great shame, not honor.
There was a case where a woman confronted a male intruder. Armed with a revolver, she couldn't bring herself to shoot the man who was grinning and moving towards her. Then her six-year old son entered the room. The man, still grinning, then turned towards the boy and moved towards him. But then the woman acted, emptying the gun into his chest and stomach, killing him. What woman wouldn't have? And if push came to shove, what man wouldn't do the same to save his wife or kids? (If not himself?)
Personal protection,to me, is a right bestowed on us by the Creator. In fact, man is the only one of God's creations to come into the world with no teeth, claws or significant muscle density. We need clothing, protection for our feet and weapons for defense because we were born with none of these things.
I suppose a JW could keep a weapon without telling anyone. But what is meant by "privileges"? Does it mean you can't go door to door and peach? And if someone used a weapon to defend one's wife or kids, or even himself, would he be disciplined?
And how about members of the GB? Don't they use security at Bethel or sometimes travel with security?