Conceal carry in church.

[mosseater]

Church is no safer then a Walmart, WAWA, or any city street. Why wouldn't a person carry in their place of worship?

What he said x2. Whats the moral dilemma? You want to keep the juice on the inside and have an aversion to being shot at while you pray? Seriously, what better place to vanquish evil and embrace the gift of life you've been granted. I don't see how location diminishes ones desire to live their life. Amd I don't see why I should concede my own protection because of location.

[Emptymag]

I probably posted this in this thread when it was started 30 years ago, but just because you carry IN church, doesn't mean that you're paranoid that you're going to be attacked IN church.

How do you get TO church? You have to go home AFTER church, right?
Well, are you supposed to go unarmed before and after, just because it's unlikely you need a gun IN church?

"Church" doesn't really even need to be a factor in the decision.

[Manxdriver]

Is the church connected to a school or on school property (think Catholic Churches)?

It is highly possible that the argument could be made successfully that it’s not a school when it’s being used for worship services.unless classes are in session, is it a school? Or, merely a building?

[Manxdriver]

I started carrying regularly (CC) I do not know anyone else who carries at church. I have not seen anyone open carry in my church.

For this reason, I sit in the far corner, away from the door. From there, I can observe every person that comes in the door, I can see any developing incidents, people who are out of character. The USAF taught me to evaluate every other person in my immediate area, and if I am not the most dangerous person there, give serious thought to un-assing the area.
Something else to think about. You said you do not know who, or if, anyone else carries. Start trying to visually identify those potential carriers. Two reasons: to id potential threats, but also to identify, in case of a shoot situation, you know where help is coming from, and where a ‘good guy operating on bad intell’ is coming from. It does you no good to drop the bad guy, then get dropped yourself by a random Grandma with a Colts Dragoon in her purse because she looked up after the initial shoot and you are the ‘bad guy’ she identified.
Know the people around you.

[FJRMarty]

Church is no safer then a Walmart, WAWA, or any city street. Why wouldn't a person carry in their place of worship?

I'd surmise that the question of church carry legality might be asked because:
many folks don't brush up on their state and Federal laws;
they see that recently several houses of worship have been attacked with no reports of serious or immediate self defense attempts (with one notable recent exception, IF your news media of choice actually reported it);
they have a moral dilemma possessing a gun in a house of worship;
they may have heard of some states having rules against church carry - i.e. Virginia (albeit a bit confusing);
and the sometimes confusing laws of our own state - i.e. school attached (is 'day care' during services considered school?), etc.;

Personally, I'm on the side of know the law and 'don't ask don't tell...'

[Sparks]

The Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch?

Armaments, chapter two, verses nine through twenty-one.

[Hokkmike]

Do you conceal carry in church and do you carry at home or just when you go somewhere.

Many do carry in my church. It is my personal policy never to disclose whether I do or not. We are going to develop an "Active Shooter" laminated handout to put in our pews with guidelines for the armed and unarmed in congregation.

If you talk to a lawyer they will tell you that you are damned if you do and damned if you don't carry or have an active functioning safety team.

Our biggest fear is that an untrained concealed carrier will over react and draw his/her weapon before the situation warrants. We have just come upon a tactful way to summon all cc-er's and interested parties to a open meeting to discuss a planned reaction to an unplanned intrusion.

There again, lawyers tell us we are liable if we give advice and somebody accidentally shoots and innocent bystander but then again we are also liable if we say nothing and continue to allow Consitutional carry in our building.....

At this point leadership is loathe to put any carry restrictions above and beyond those aready propagated by the state on our attenders.

[MarkS20]

For this reason, I sit in the far corner, away from the door. From there, I can observe every person that comes in the door, I can see any developing incidents, people who are out of character. The USAF taught me to evaluate every other person in my immediate area, and if I am not the most dangerous person there, give serious thought to un-assing the area.
Something else to think about. You said you do not know who, or if, anyone else carries. Start trying to visually identify those potential carriers. Two reasons: to id potential threats, but also to identify, in case of a shoot situation, you know where help is coming from, and where a ‘good guy operating on bad intell’ is coming from. It does you no good to drop the bad guy, then get dropped yourself by a random Grandma with a Colts Dragoon in her purse because she looked up after the initial shoot and you are the ‘bad guy’ she identified.
Know the people around you.

I do look over people to ID if they could potentially be carrying. Un-tucked shirt or open jacket - possibility. Tucked in shirt, no jacket - probably not. Ankle and thigh holsters (for ladies with dresses/skirts) are more tricky in my book. But do I see something off?

For Christmas eve I went to church in NJ so I couldn't carry. Not my regular church. I did see one individual ahead of me that just appeared a little out of it. Most likely he had a bit of a developmental challenge. But I did check what he was doing at regular intervals.

Not a LEO or military background here. But keeping aware of your surroundings is the first step in surviving anything. If there is any "official" security team at my church they've kept it quiet. Mind you this is a very large Catholic parish and anything like that known to the pastor probably has to go through the Archdiocese. One of my close Jewish friends told me thay have discussed it at their synagogue but rejected the idea. Maybe a month after Pittsburgh a former close co-worker suddenly passed. The sign on the door at his synagogue said no packages or backpacks allowed. But no other apparent security. Again this was in NJ so I could do nothing legally.

[PAMedic=F|A=]

I do look over people to ID if they could potentially be carrying. Un-tucked shirt or open jacket - possibility. Tucked in shirt, no jacket - probably not. Ankle and thigh holsters (for ladies with dresses/skirts) are more tricky in my book. But do I see something off?

For Christmas eve I went to church in NJ so I couldn't carry. Not my regular church. I did see one individual ahead of me that just appeared a little out of it. Most likely he had a bit of a developmental challenge. But I did check what he was doing at regular intervals.

Not a LEO or military background here. But keeping aware of your surroundings is the first step in surviving anything. If there is any "official" security team at my church they've kept it quiet. Mind you this is a very large Catholic parish and anything like that known to the pastor probably has to go through the Archdiocese. One of my close Jewish friends told me thay have discussed it at their synagogue but rejected the idea. Maybe a month after Pittsburgh a former close co-worker suddenly passed. The sign on the door at his synagogue said no packages or backpacks allowed. But no other apparent security. Again this was in NJ so I could do nothing legally.

Wonder if you're Jewish friend would be willing to find Jesus and start attending Messianic services? I wonder because the two most heavily armed congregations I've ever attended were Messianic Jews. One was a close friends wedding, and I took my coat off and just open carried after I counted two, and his father pointed out a 3rd. The number of people conceal carrying was even more impressive. Afterwards the army sent him to texas, he invited me to Passover services and although I noticed no one open carrying some of the CCers were not especially good, and he was kind enough to point out several he knew were carrying.

Neither Synagogue had any intention of playing victim, or allowing an attacker to make it out alive.

[priell3]

We began a safety committee at my parish this past summer and deployment at mass began in September all with the blessing of our pastor. We meet regularly, have training in various tactics, combat first aid and range sessions. Not only are committee members CCing, but many in the congregation carry. Men, women, young and old.

Up here in God's Country we are always prepared.