From what I understand, Georgia Baptists are actually supporting legislation that will allow church members to bring guns to church. Yes, a Georgia Baptist pastor, who is a registered lobbyist, was trying to guide the legislation through the legislature in hopes of making it a law. If it happens I can only surmise that church services in Georgia will include hollowed out Holy Bibles for hiding Smith & Wesson or the official WMU Lottie Moon clutch purse for carrying that special derringer.

You say I’m being stupid and sacrilegious? I’d respond right back: more stupid and sacrilegious than bringing firearms to church? You say it’s a God-given right to bring Mr. Glock to preaching service? I say it’s my God-given right not to be accidentally shot by Deacon Crumbetter who decides to clean his .45 during a particularly boring sermon. You say if Jesus had had a Sig-Sauer he’d have shown those Romans a thing or two? I say if he had, the lessons we really need to hear - like forgiveness, love and sacrifice - would have meant nothing. You say I’m missing the point? You mean missing the point more than going to worship the Prince of Peace on Sunday with a Saturday Night Special in my ankle holster?

Obviously we disagree, so there’s only one thing to do. We’ll step outside, count to three and draw!

See, it’s way too easy for things to escalate, even in church. I once saw a Baptist church withdraw fellowship from a male church member who had been a problem. In the days and weeks after this fellow was ousted, he created a ruckus by running his mouth and disparaging the church. If the church members had had guns it would have been a whole lot simpler and less trouble to just shoot the guy. But there precisely is the problem. So many threats are inside the church.

Case in point. Earlier this year, The Alabama Baptist reported on a guy who had once been a minister in Alabama. Douglas Myers was arrested in Florida in 2006 on felony charges of molesting a boy in 2005. A Florida jury recently awarded the victim, now in college, $12.5 million based on the premise that Myers was a church-planter under the auspices of the Florida Baptist Convention, which has to pay the amount. The Florida Baptist Convention is going to appeal the court ruling, using the tried and tested defense that Southern Baptist churches have “local church autonomy.” That defense has allowed predators like Douglas Myers to roll from one church field to another like the proverbial bad pennies they are and ruin innocent people’s lives and destroy churches. Make no mistake about it, Catholics aren’t the only ones with a clergy problem.

Here’s a gun test case for you based on a true account. Let’s say it happened in Georgia instead of North Carolina where it took place, and let’s say the law passed which allows Georgia Baptists to be gun totin’ Christians in church. It’s an emergency meeting of the church fellowship. You are told by the pastor that the 68-year-old volunteer youth worker that you sent your 10-year-old son off with to Baptist camp is going to be indicted for playing strip poker with your son and other boys from the church while they were camping. Would you feel like taking out your gun and shooting this guy? Would you or would you be tempted to do so? It’s just too close to call when guns are involved in church of all places.

Bob Morgan is a retired, award-winning journalist and an author.