Pastor Welcomes Gun Owners

[Guest canynracer]

Pastor Welcomes Gun Owners to Bring Their Handguns to Church - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News - FOXNews.com

Pastor Welcomes Gun Owners to Bring Their Handguns to Church

Saturday, June 27, 2009

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A gun-toting Kentucky pastor says it's OK to bring weapons to church — at least for one day.

Ken Pagano asked his flock to bring their unloaded handguns — in holsters — to New Bethel Church in Louisville for a celebration of the Second Amendment of the U.S. Consitution that guarantees the right to bear arms.

When the event got under way Saturday, about 200 people — many carrying small firearms — sat in the Pentecostal church sanctuary.

"We are wanting to send a message that there are legal, civil, intelligent and law-abiding citizens who also own guns," Pagano said in greeting the audience, which included people who do not belong to his church.

"If it were not for a deep-seated belief in the right to bear arms, this country would not be here today," he said, drawing hearty applause and exclamations of "amen!"

Pagano says he got the idea for the event after some of his church members expressed concern about the Obama administration's views on gun control, though the president hasn't moved to put new restrictions on gun ownership. He says the gathering was meant to promote safe gun ownership.

The "Open Carry Celebration" included a handgun raffle, patriotic music and screening of videos on gun safety. The church hung patriotic banners on the wall that read "In God We Trust."

The pastor said that he himself did not carry a gun at the event.

Pagano's Protestant church, which attracts up to 150 people to Sunday services, is a member of the Assemblies of God and is in a conservative part of southwest Louisville.

A coalition of peace and church groups staged a gun-free event across town at the same time.

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Nice, but why "Unloaded" is it illegal to carry in church in KY?

[Guest canynracer]

Crap...wrong section...please move to 2A issues... sorry

Edited June 29, 2009 by canynracer

[Wingshooter]

Good question about the unloaded part. Maybe just trying to avoid any potential liability issues... dunno...?? Or, maybe the media just made that part up... seems like they do that sometimes.

I like it how the title of the article calls the pastor a "gun-toting Kentucky pastor ", but they say later in the article that he himself did not carry a gun to the event. Gotta love the media.

Sounds like they had a good time, though.

Edited June 29, 2009 by Batman

[Guest joeharris]

Actually as a firm believer in the 2nd, i was insulted as to why all Guns were Unloaded and as to how the kept talking and showing that!

I think it actually hurt us, since they scared a lot of Folks with their "Emphasis" on the Unloaded Part!

[Guest 44M]

it would be the same thing as if the church was to show support to disabeled but would not let a wheel chairs in the church....kind of defeats the purpose...

Db

[Sidewinder]

Like many of you, I saw this article elsewhere, and realized the media was trying to make the Pastor out to be some crazed lunatic. The article said they couldn't get insurance to cover the service with "loaded" weapons. When they finally got one to cover them with firearms, but unloaded, the article said it cost them $700 for the one service!

Why do they call it common sense when it's so uncommon? Tenn Senator Fred Thompson

[cadillacdude1975]

yeah, the insurance thing was a load of crap. we all know that properly holstered unloaded firearms will jump out of a holster, chamber a few rounds and go berserk.

/[sarcasm]

[E4 No More]

Like many of you, I saw this article elsewhere, and realized the media was trying to make the Pastor out to be some crazed lunatic. The article said they couldn't get insurance to cover the service with "loaded" weapons. When they finally got one to cover them with firearms, but unloaded, the article said it cost them $700 for the one service!

Why do they call it common sense when it's so uncommon? Tenn Senator Fred Thompson

I don't know about ya'll, but I don't call my insurance company to check with them about loaded guns, nor do I have any clause in my policy concerning them. That part sounds awful fishy to me.

[Guest tlondon]

I think the intintions where right and I give the pastor credit for doing this. If I was in Louisville that weekend I probably would have gone to this church and not my home church.

[Guest slothful1]

I don't know about ya'll, but I don't call my insurance company to check with them about loaded guns, nor do I have any clause in my policy concerning them. That part sounds awful fishy to me.

I think it's more likely that their regular insurance carrier saw this meeting being promoted and told them they wouldn't cover it.

[E4 No More]

I think it's more likely that their regular insurance carrier saw this meeting being promoted and told them they wouldn't cover it.

It's possible; not probable.

[Mike.357]

is carry in a church in KY illegal?

did I miss that here?