Christian Thoughts on Gun Control
Gun control is getting a lot of attention in the White House this week. Mass shootings across the nation have everyone on edge, and now the concern has even reached religious organizations.
KAMC'S Scarlett Greyson has the story.
-->By: Scarlett Greyson
Updated: January 13, 2013
It's a very controversial topic right now with no clear cut solution and that divide can also be found in the Christian community where there is also two sides to gun control.
Lubbock County Republican Party Chairman Carl Tepper is both a Christian and a strong defender of gun rights. He says the Bible is not opposed to self defense.
"I believe it's your responsibility to defend yourself. I believe it's your responsibility to defend your family. The government can't do it," said Tepper. "We have the right to defend our children and we have the responsibility to defend our children and that's the Conceal Carry Law."
And local Lubbock Pastor Brad Jurkovich agreed.
"Even as a Christian you know I would agree that people have the right to defend themselves and if there's a sense of danger you want to be able to intervene," said Jurkovich.
However, not all Christians feel the same way. We spoke to Charles Dunn, an attorney in Lubbock, who is also a Christian, about how he felt on the gun control topic.
"My feelings as a Christian are ambivalent, said Dunn. "In the school shooting in Connecticut the woman who owned all of the guns was very well trained in gun safety. She thought those guns were going to protect her. Instead, her own son took those guns and shot her with them and killed her. And the he used the weapons to shoot six-year-olds in the elementary school."
Dunn said that even if gun control is not the right way to go, something needs to be done.
"If you're against gun control then tell me what you're for to prevent six year olds from being killed by crazy people because the status quo will not work," said Dunn.
Pastor Jurkovich said that, in the end, all Christians want the same thing.
"You know as a pastor I want people to be safe everywhere. I don't want there to be those issues," said Jurkovich. "I share people's burden for that."
