So many hate attacks have taken place in American houses of worship. Religiously-dressed Jews have been senselessly attacked on the streets. The pious are an easy target because they love their neighbors and many pray unarmed.
The Pittsburgh synagogue massacre stole the lives of 11 Jews and wounded six others, including four police officers. The Charleston church shooting claimed the lives of nine Christians and injured one other. The Wisconsin Sikh temple ambush claimed the lives of five Indian Americans and one responding police officer, hospitalizing a second officer. The New Jersey Jewish neighborhood shootout claimed the lives of three Jews and a responding police officer. The machete stabbing attack at a Rabbi’s home in New York put five people in the hospital with gaping bodily wounds. Eight assaults on religiously-dressed Jews in New York City streets took place in the last week alone.
Sadly, these attacks are not ceasing. In all of the above, the pious victims were unarmed, aptly described by one commentator as "sitting ducks."
But something different happened in Texas on Sunday when an angry monster began shooting into a crowded Sunday service. An armed volunteer church guard shot back, killing the attacker within seconds of him opening fire. At least three other parishioners drew their concealed weapons as well. While two Christians died in the attack, and another was injured, the quick firearm response averted what could have been a massacre.
“If the thief is found breaking in, and he is struck so that he dies, there shall be no guilt for his bloodshed.” (Exodus 22:2)
The armed Christians saved lives.
Even the leftist curmudgeon CNN, who notoriously held a town hall last year to attack firearm rights, had to admit that gun owners saved lives. They published an article entitled: "Armed parishioners saved 'untold number of lives.' This law made it legal to have guns in church.”
The Jewish community is following suit. Heavily armed Hebrews were seen guarding their communities in New York. “Good. Protect yourselves, stay safe,” tweeted gun rights advocate Dana Loesch. “A Jew who is trained, armed, and proficient in the use of firearms is necessarily a Jew who the anti-Semites fear the most — which makes this Jew the very best kind of Jew,” wrote Josh Hammer.
“If someone comes to kill you, rise and kill him first,” teaches the Talmud and Rabbinic Judaism.
The simple, commonsensical truth is that guns save lives. No matter how pious and peaceful you are, no matter how physically unthreatening you may appear, a firearm is an immediate equalizer. A firearm is your lifeline.
Guns are The Great Equalizers. As I’ve previously written:
“So while I may be easy to beat at 104 lbs of mass, I am all of a sudden a beast when you add a handgun with a loaded magazine into that equation. Add in a handgun and now I'm empowered. No matter how manly you are and how feminine I am, no matter how big you are and how small I am, my gun gives me equal chance in a fight between us.”
Back in January, Chris Crews, a 47-year-old churchgoer from Missouri, aptly stated to NBC News that he brings his gun to Church to protect himself and his fellow worshippers: “I don’t leave home without a gun. It’s kind of like the old American Express card ads: I just won’t leave home without it.”
Be like Chris. Be like the Texas churchgoers. Be like the heavily armed Hebrews. Don’t pray unarmed. Don’t walk unarmed. You have a God-given right to defend your life. Exercise your right.
“If you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.” (Luke 22:36)