Ok, try not to let this freak you out, but I’m a member of the NRA. Yep, the National Rifle Association. Have been since I was thirteen years old. As an avid gun collector and informal shooter, it behooves me to contribute to an organization whose primary objective is to ensure I continue to have the right to pursue my hobby.
But, unfortunately, my membership puts me in the company of some really weird folks.
I’d venture that almost every Fundie in the country is a member of the NRA. That doesn’t diminish the value of the organization … it just embarrasses me.
Today I received my monthly NRA magazine. I flipped through the technical articles, the collector’s section, the section on examples of Americans who defended their lives and property with guns, etc. Then I came to the “Letter from the President” page. Here the president of the NRA gives his monthly inspirational talk.
This month he wrote on the Presidential election. As one would expect, he came down hard on Obama and Clinton, and their strong anti-gun stance. I know all this, and have decided to vote for Obama anyway. My reasoning being that given the direction this country has gone, and is going, under a Republican / theistically beholding administration, it’s time for me to put my personal interests aside for the good of the Nation as a whole. I don’t know if Obama / the Dems will be as bad, but unlikely it can be worse. In the event any crazy gun legislation is proposed under an Obama administration, I will do what I have always done: actively letter write, stay politically involved, and trust that the NRA and Congress will prevent well meaning but utterly stupid gun laws from passing that will do nothing to reduce crime but would impinge on my Constitutionally guaranteed gun ownership rights.
But here’s the clincher. In the course of reading this article comes this statement:
“Gun ownership is a God-given Right.”
Oy!!
But, unfortunately, my membership puts me in the company of some really weird folks.
I’d venture that almost every Fundie in the country is a member of the NRA. That doesn’t diminish the value of the organization … it just embarrasses me.
Today I received my monthly NRA magazine. I flipped through the technical articles, the collector’s section, the section on examples of Americans who defended their lives and property with guns, etc. Then I came to the “Letter from the President” page. Here the president of the NRA gives his monthly inspirational talk.
This month he wrote on the Presidential election. As one would expect, he came down hard on Obama and Clinton, and their strong anti-gun stance. I know all this, and have decided to vote for Obama anyway. My reasoning being that given the direction this country has gone, and is going, under a Republican / theistically beholding administration, it’s time for me to put my personal interests aside for the good of the Nation as a whole. I don’t know if Obama / the Dems will be as bad, but unlikely it can be worse. In the event any crazy gun legislation is proposed under an Obama administration, I will do what I have always done: actively letter write, stay politically involved, and trust that the NRA and Congress will prevent well meaning but utterly stupid gun laws from passing that will do nothing to reduce crime but would impinge on my Constitutionally guaranteed gun ownership rights.
But here’s the clincher. In the course of reading this article comes this statement:
“Gun ownership is a God-given Right.”
Oy!!
Forget about the fact that the Founding Fathers didn’t include mention of God when they wrote the Constitution, not even once; and many of them were Deists who totally rejected the concept of a Creator intervening in Man’s affairs.
Don't consider the fact that if the gun rights granted under the 2nd Amendment are divinely provided, then one has to logically assume that the 21st Amendment, which repealed the prohibition of alcohol, was also the work of God, as presumably would all the Amendments.
Don't consider the fact that if the gun rights granted under the 2nd Amendment are divinely provided, then one has to logically assume that the 21st Amendment, which repealed the prohibition of alcohol, was also the work of God, as presumably would all the Amendments.
Never mind that by inferring gun ownership is endorsed by a deity that NOT owning a gun would, logically, be a blasphemous insult to this gun loving deity.
Ignore the little detail that the Bible never once mentions the right to own guns.
Yeah, forget and discount all that and just realize that the very statement of “God Given Right” infers supernatural justification for / endorsement of gun ownership and thus puts the 2nd Amendment on a par with the Ten Commandments, kosher dietary law, and the admonishment to stone your unruly children!
One can only wonder if this “God-given right” extends to felons and terrorists, much less Muslims, pagans, and atheists. After all, “they is all God’s chil’en”. Maybe it’s just applicable to law abiding, US citizen Christians and Jews. But who’s to know since God evidently hasn’t seen fit to inform us of his perspective on who qualifies to pack iron. No doubt the president of the NRA, evidently God’s chosen Prophet on matters pertaining to firearms, could advise us of God’s position on that. Then the only question left is WGWJO? *
The Christian stupidity I have to endure as a member of this organization is troubling. (sigh)
Yeah, forget and discount all that and just realize that the very statement of “God Given Right” infers supernatural justification for / endorsement of gun ownership and thus puts the 2nd Amendment on a par with the Ten Commandments, kosher dietary law, and the admonishment to stone your unruly children!
One can only wonder if this “God-given right” extends to felons and terrorists, much less Muslims, pagans, and atheists. After all, “they is all God’s chil’en”. Maybe it’s just applicable to law abiding, US citizen Christians and Jews. But who’s to know since God evidently hasn’t seen fit to inform us of his perspective on who qualifies to pack iron. No doubt the president of the NRA, evidently God’s chosen Prophet on matters pertaining to firearms, could advise us of God’s position on that. Then the only question left is WGWJO? *
The Christian stupidity I have to endure as a member of this organization is troubling. (sigh)
*What Guns Would Jesus Own?
2 comments:
I dunno about gun issues. I have never fired one, and I'm pretty distant from the issue, so I probably don't have the context to have much of an opinion. The right to defend oneself is good, but given that a gun can instantly kill someone, and my general low view of humanity in general, it makes me nervous.
Did the NRA mag have a story about Heston when he died? Did they reference the ".....from my cold dead hands!" comment he made years ago? Now it could really work.
Whether "God given right" extends to others, like Muslim fundamentalists, would be a good point to bring up to someone using that argument. It could make them see how silly it is. Divine justification for anything is a poor argument.
Here's a relevant video clip. Sorry, not the best quality.
Youtube video
Heheheh..funny vid. Thks Leo.
Evidently, Jesus used full auto. My kinda guy.
Yeah, I won't use this forum to debate gun ownership / control. I only wanted to address the idiocy of associating gun ownership with a divine right.
I sent an edited version of this blog post to the NRA. As you might expect, I didn't get a reply.
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