Kentucky Pastor Ken Pagano has a novel idea for his congregation at Louisville’s New Bethel Church: Guns in Church, an “open carry celebration.” You read right.  A church service is being planned for Saturday night where parishioners are being urged to come packing heat, and not the concealed kind either.  As told in this fascinating piece in The New York Times, Pagano is almost as passionate about guns as he is about Jesus.  “I don’t see any contradiction in this. Not every Christian denomination is pacifist,” he told the Times.

I guess those are the denominations that ignore Matthew 5:38-39 - 38″You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”  Now, sure, I know there are 10,000,000 ways to interpret the bible to fit one’s own personal prerogative, but this particular stunt goes above and beyond.  The endless efforts by certain types of preachers across the country to fit the minds and beliefs of their congregations into simplistic, right wing political boxes is really a disservice to those people of faith.  It’s nice to think that if there is a God up there, his concerns go far beyond NRA talking points.

LINKS:

NY Times: Pastor Urges His Flock to Bring Guns to Church

ABC News: Pastor Organizes Gun Celebration at Church

MSNBC: Pastor asks members to bring guns to church