The LDS Church's prohibition on members (other than active law enforcement) from carrying lethal weapons has come under criticism following the fatal shooting at an LDS meetinghouse in Grand Blanc, Michigan this past Sunday.
Jon Low was good enough to forward a few articles in the firearms community regarding the shooting and how the congregation had been disarmed.
- First up, from John Lott writing at Crime Research: "Another Shooting in a Gun-free Zone: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, at least three murdered, eight wounded." Lott observes: "This clearly appears to be yet another mass shooting in a place where civilians were banned from having guns. Michigan state law bans people carrying concealed weapons in churches unless one receives permission from church officials, and the Mormon church’s official policy prohibits giving such permission." He then quotes the relevant sections of the Michigan code and the Church Handbook.
- John Farnam also has something to say in his piece, "No Safe Place!" After briefly describing the incident, Farnam writes:
My comment: When the LDS Church was young, Brigham Young delivered his sermons while wearing (openly) two revolvers!
Unfortunately, that fiery spirit has long-since been pooh-poohed, and eventually suffocated, by the current generation of oh-so “sophisticated” Church “leadership.”
The same sad epitaph applies to the vast majority of modern Christian denominations!
LDS Church hierarchy not only discourages church attendees from carrying concealed guns, even among their own in-good-standing members who are properly licensed by the State, the practice is specifically disallowed!
“Churches are dedicated for the worship of God, and as havens from the cares and concerns of the world. The carrying of lethal weapons, concealed or otherwise, within their walls is inappropriate and prohibited, except for LEOs” (evidently, LEOs don’t deserve insulation from “the cares and concerns of the world”)
As all Mormons (indeed all Christians) should have noticed from yesterday’s church attack, “the cares and concerns of the world” apparently didn’t get that high-minded memo!
- Keith Graves of Christian Warrior Training is even more critical in his article, "Church Leaders Guarded, Members Defenseless: What the LDS Memo Reveals." He begins:
Since 2019, ordinary members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have been disarmed by order of their leadership. The handbook update banned firearms from meetinghouses, with the only exception being for current law enforcement officers. This means that licensed carriers, retired police officers, veterans and trained parishioners are forbidden from protecting their own congregations with a firearm.
At the same time, another church in Michigan recently faced a similar armed assault. The difference was striking. That congregation was not bound by a prohibition from its leaders. Instead, it had organized a safety ministry, trained its people, and allowed qualified members to carry firearms. When an attacker arrived armed with a rifle and a handgun, the church was ready. The deacon intervened, the safety team engaged, and the threat was stopped before it ever reached the sanctuary.
The LDS Church offers no such safeguard. It has no safety ministry at the ward level, leaving congregations with no trained team in place and no armed response available when danger walks through the door.
Adding to the contradiction, LDS leaders at the highest levels travel with armed protective details. They acknowledge the need for their own protection but leave ordinary members exposed and defenseless.
This leaves LDS wards vulnerable. And history has shown that vulnerability is not theoretical. LDS facilities have been attacked repeatedly over the years, making them one of the most targeted religious groups in the United States.
He has a companion video to go with the article where he describes some of the shootings that have occurred at LDS churches and facilities over the past two decades. (You can watch it on YouTube at this link). Considering the size of the LDS Church and the hatred often expressed toward the Church by different groups it is surprising that there have not been more such shootings. But Graves doesn't even include other incidents, like the bombing of an LDS Church in Las Vegas in March 2024 that injured four people, so there may be many more acts of violence than outlined in his video.
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ReplyDeleteI live in a state where there is no statutory prohibition against concealed carry in a place of worship. So, I carry. If they tell me in person or by signage that I can't carry a firearm to defend myself and loved ones, I won't darken their doorstep again.
ReplyDeleteEarly Mormon history was shaped by the disarmament of members and the consequences of being disarmed. I learned those things in Church History and I refuse to forget those lessons.
The Book of Mormon has numerous admonitions about being armed. Further, Christ told His disciples to be armed (Luke 22:35,36). If it is good enough for His disciples, it should be good enough for me.
My suspicions are that we have this policy because the Church’s legal and/or risk management departments thought it necessary to limit the Church’s liability in the event of a shooting at a church building.
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ReplyDeleteWhich, it would seem, opens the door pretty widely for compensatory lawsuits, if it can be substantiated that the church poilicy of mandatory disarmament, and failure to provide alternatives (for example, paid off-duty LEOs) led to the death of church members or attendees.
It will be interesting to see what the usual gaggle of ambulance chasers attempt.
The big problem for such a suit would be establishing that the Church had a duty to protect its members from such crimes. I doubt you could find a court that would impose such a duty as a matter of law. To me, it isn't a legal issue but a moral issue--what is the right thing to do.
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