I Have a Gun, in Fact I Have Six, But That's OK...

Those of you who stop by Unofficial Manifesto once in a while like I do will recognize my title here as a slight modification to the subtitle for their blog. I don't know quite how to take their subtitle. Are they gun owners who love God, or are they mocking those who own guns and claim to love God? I'm not quite sure which it is.

But I have a gun, in fact six. And I love God. On my own I probably would not have purchased these guns. My father in law was a gun enthusiast who had dozens, if not hundreds of guns. He made sure each of his children had an assortment as part of his will. But, after having them for a while I now quite like them. I am glad we have them. I have shot most of them at a local conservation club. There is something about the kick of a gun, the sound of the shot, the smell of the gunpowder that gets to me in a pleasant way. We have taken the young men from our ward out to shoot a few times, and even brought the young women out once.

My father in law was a bit of a lecturer, and I think I have an understanding about why he had so many guns from conversations we had. These reasons include:

Self Defense

I am always surprised about how seldom this comes up in gun control debates I have heard and read. It seems to me that law abiding people who live in a free country should have the right to reasonable self defense. My wife grew up near a large city and happened to live close to a prison. Her father took personal and family self defense very seriously. I find it a compelling reason to allow people to own a gun if they choose.

Self Reliance

My wife's father would hunt occasionally. It can be a potential way of 'obtaining food' for your family in times of need. If it were not for political correctness, I would imagine that many would recommend a firearm as part of emergency preparedness.

Conspiracy Theories

Yes, I think my father in law went in for some of this stuff. Seriously though, he felt that society was not on as firm a foundation as many others believe. He believed that it would not take much for a terrorist attack to happen (well before 9/11), or that government and law enforcement could become corrupt. He felt that a potentially armed citizenry was an important check on government and that gun ownership was part of responsible citizenship.

Enjoyment

My father in law shot often and well. He competed in state and national marksmanship events. There was something about the kick of a gun, the sound of the shot, the smell of the gunpowder that got to him in a pleasant way.

So I have some guns, and I am okay with that.