I’m going to ignore the strange AR-15 worship Christian cult occurring in the same state as the Tree of Life shooting. Hey, I get it. Guns and Appalachia go way back.

Also, let’s take tactics off the table. They don’t mean anything when you simply let life happen.

Why are we arming ourselves exactly? Isn’t that in conflict with our religious beliefs? Because if God won’t stop bad things from happening, who will?

It’s a strange culture, this planet. Is it 7 billion people with one God, or one God with 7 billion faces? Where is the face without God? It does make for the strange case of Cain. Not a happy face. Genesis 4:6, why has thy countenance fallen?

We’re not apes with better clubs. Humans are something else. Something past. Something transcendent. Can we exist in perpetuity? Are we supposed to? We live, we die, that is in God’s hands. But that is a matter of faith. But it’s not just that. It’s about where we’re going. The worst a bullet can do is kill you. Religion can do far worse, so what’s the point of packing at church?

Here’s another thing to think about. When the gun doesn’t work, how to explain? Inexplicable mechanism jam? Inexplicable chemistry? The gun just goes click. You think engineers don’t know their stuff? Er, sorry. I promised no tactics.

I’m not sure where this leaves Amyjo. How do you process atrocities? Wish you had been the one with the gun instead of a scared German boy or a doofus lost in hate? Where does that leave God’s will? And faith?

There’s no such thing as “stopping power” when it comes to hate. Only love can stop the hate. Nothing can stop love. You just go ahead and try.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/28/2018 03:52PM by babyloncansuckit.

We are indeed apes.
And we have frightening weapons.

But remember, Charlton Heston presented both sides. Damn he was a good actor. But something tells me he wasn’t exactly acting. There’s a certain amount of being on board with the story.

I think the haters went and fucked with the wrong people. Watch the response. Theirs, their community, the world. Some dickweed said “Where is your God now?”. That question is not a joke. It’s all a matter of how you want God to show up. “Here is my God”.

Existence is a flat out miracle. It “is” because it’s supposed to “be”. That our countenance has fallen in the face of this is the first sin.

So to say the stories are false, if they capture the essence of it, is surely a mistake. But they are, after all, stories that will have to do until someone comes up with a better solution. It is up to us to make peace.

What is wrong with owning and enjoying firearms?
Most who own them are not likely to go out and shoot people, ramdom or those they know.

Just as with motor vehicles, they can be and are misused.

There’s also the wildlife management aspect of this. If it weren’t for the sport hunters replacing natural predation, the resulting suffering and negative environmental impact would be enormous. Getting the job of being apex predator means guns. But didn’t I take tactics off the table?

This is about what it means to be human. It all comes back the “arm of the flesh” argument and what kind of God do you worship. I don’t know about you, but Mormon God has worn out his welcome.

Screw your optics, I’m going in.

That’s what Joseph said.

Dave, high fives for the perfect setup.

Political "Donations".
The NRA send tons of money to our bought and paid for politicians to allow their manufacturers to produce and sell at will.
When I was a kid, we moved from NYC (no guns allowed in 1966) to Orange County, CA. My Dad bought some rifles and joined a gun club. I took an NRA class when I was 7. I got a single shot .22 when I was 8. Back then, the NRA was all about hunter and shooting safety. Until gun and ammo manufacturers started paying them to bribe politicians to allow rapid fire, hi-cap, weapons to be owned with no licensing and no training. They used lawyers to expand the views and intent of the 2nd amendment. i used to belong to the NRA. But not for over 25 years now. There is no need for Americans to own military grade weapons for protection or hunting.We don't need 25 round (or 50, 100) magazines. We don't need folding stocks, flash suppressors, laser sights, etc. to protect ourselves. We don't need 30 minute concealed weapons classes (Utah)to allow anyone, that has never fired a pistol, to carry one concealed.
There are a lot of people that shouldn't have, shoot or buy guns. But, the NRA and their paid for politicians tell us we NEED to have guns to be patriotic Americans. You know, in case the British invade us again. The GOP promotes fear, which in turn promotes gun sales. Great-huh?

The change in the NRA came in about 1970 or 1973. It occurred just as you describe.

Yep. Before, they relied on fees from hunters and shooters to fund them. Then, big money from gun lobbies took them from their original, good intent, to greedy promoters of "guns for everyone". Regardless of safety or sanity.

Exactly. Ammo became just another pump and dump (pun intended) commodity.

But let’s be fair, the government’s wildlife people know their business.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/28/2018 05:03PM by babyloncansuckit.

I'm not sure what the relevance of the wildlife observation is. Most countries control wildlife populations--and they do it without allowing individuals to own and use handguns, assault rifles, etc.

The wildlife control issue is a red herring, surely.

You bring up a very good point. Hunting at its finest is a spiritual practice. Wouldn’t achieving the cleanest kill possible be more kosher than being eaten alive by a bear?

Okay, not even I can parse that gibberish. I’m taking the prey’s perspective, but why should I? Evolution put my eyes in the front just as with any other predatory animal. Perfect for “taking out” Bambi’s mom. Sorry, couldn’t resist.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/28/2018 05:46PM by babyloncansuckit.

This reminds me of an episode of Sponge Bob Squarepants where he discovers his hero has lots of weapons. He can’t believe this atrocity because well, he’s Sponge Bob. He loudly exclaims, “good people don’t NEED weapons like these!!!” Not realizing the incongruency of his views.

Nobody NEEDS an SUV, yet they exist. Nobody NEEDS alcohol, but it exists. Nobody NEEDS television, but it exists. True, these comparisons are not equivalent, but that’s intentional. Who is to decide what a person “needs”?? There’s an amount of arrogance implicit with certain gun control arguments when they contain the appeal of “nobody needs...”.

I own an AR variant because I can, and I enjoy shooting it. It’s lethality is no greater than a Ruger Mini 14, yet because of its shape and color it is somehow more scary and subject to greater restrictions as a result.

Our society has lost its collective mind, and all rational dialogue has died as a consequence.

...few people remember that the Rodney King riots in LA in 92' caused 2000 Korean-owned businesses to be destroyed, burned, and looted. Remaining merchants were then forced to protect their storefronts themselves, due to lack of police response. Only the Koreans who had the smarts to arm themselves and ward off looters, survived the carnage.

Absolutely.

And don’t forget the black helicopters that only refrained from invading the US in the 1990s because of the well-armed Korean shopkeepers.

The Los Vegas massacre would never have happened a year or two ago if there were more armed Korean shopkeepers. . . in Los Angeles.

...regardless of your cynicism, the merchants who stood on the rooftops of their businesses, held off the looters. Is there something not accurate about that, and why would they not do it? If it was your family-owned business, what would you have done? Police responses to vandalization and looting were not able to be handled, and so who would be left do it? This is well documented and is hard to be argued against, I would think.

I am simply observing that arming a population when more people are killed through accidents at home than through defense against attackers is unwise. Plot availability of guns against a country’s murder rate and you get an entirely predictable result.

The US is in some respects a Third World country—and some people struggle mightily to preserve that state of affairs. It has become a religion of sorts, impervious to fact and reason.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/28/2018 06:37PM by Lot's Wife.

Worship the Holy number 5.56 but only in SI units.

Make regular offerings of copper, lead and cordite.

Do not be deceived in the doctrines of direct impingement versus piston operation for both are true.

..."Father, forgive me for I have sinned. I have not worshiped as I should, I have strayed. I have fallen for a lesser God. He is called 7.62 x 56."

Satanist, using the communist cartridge!

Now you're going to explain to us the superiority of .40 over 10mm ?

...no explanation needed.

https://loungecdn.luckygunner.com/lounge/media/cartridge-comparison1.jpg

...I hereby invoke the curse of Count Dragunov to plague you all you days! You will have FTF as your legacy! Bow before the mighty God Dragunov...you are commanded!!"

That AND outer darkness? At least I'll have a bullpup for company.

And it will be a left handed bullpup just to frustrate you.

That’s blasphemy. The holy trinity is written into the rifle bore, 0.30 inches. Those who’ve adopted the metric system are themselves in sore need of repentance, but 7.62 for the rest of you damned heathens.

Notice how none of the mass shootings utilize the God caliber. It’s always the mark of the beast, 5.56. That’s 6.66 for Satan wannabes.

Fake news. .223 for the cheapskates who literally can't take the pressure.

There is a special place in outer darkness reserved for bad punsters.

Well we have to go some place.

I simply do not think these endless arguments about guns help anyone recover from mormonism.

Neither do I think they change anyone's mind on the subject. They only stir up trouble and cause posters to lose respect for each other. Then when issues of recovery come up, those who used to help don't do it.

I suggest NO guns on RfM

Since when did posters have respect for each other ?

I'll join you, if you'll get on board with shutting down Amyjo's rabid proselyting.

I concur

Arguments? I saw a string of jokes!

Please do not begin a new thread on this topic.

Thank you.