Why aren't we safe in church?

A murderer attacked a Latter-day Saints church in Michigan. I was talking to a friend who is in a leadership position in his local LDS church. Our conversation was the evening before the Michigan attack. I asked if LDS churches allow their members to go armed in church. They do not. That seems so odd to me, but it is more common than I thought. My friend is an expert in armed defense and in trauma care. He knows best practice. He also obeys his church leadership.

My friend has a lot of duties. He governs his church and their missionaries. He is also responsible for the church’s Relief Society that does charity work in the community. Let that sink in for a minute.

My friend has a lot on his mind. He worries about the safety of his missionaries as they travel around the globe. He worries about the safety of the people who come to his church in need. My friend provides continuing guidance for the many groups that meet in his church. Churches help new moms, teenagers, and on up to the elderly. That is a good thing — and a lot to worry about. If a crazy man would assassinate Charlie Kirk, then none of us are safe.

BFA-sponsored program: Protecting Houses of Worship class earns participants' praise

What once worked for church safety does not work today. The original idea was that a few church members would probably be involved with law enforcement. Some of the church members would be sworn officers who could carry a firearm concealed in public. They are allowed to go armed on church property. Church officials asked these LEOs to provide protection. Those church members were acting as church security guards. The idea of using officers and deputies that way dates back to the era when concealed carry by civilians was uncommon. Many things have changed.

Today, churches do a lot. They might provide preschool play-dates. They have support groups for young moms. They have continuing religious education classes for young men and women. In a very real sense, the church is always open. The original idea of asking a few deputies to provide security failed too softly to cause alarm. I think all of the church members are valuable and deserve protection.

If the church loves us, then why are our families left undefended?

I’m sure the church answers the call if a young woman asks for help in the middle of the night. They find her a safe place to stay. They will help her move. In the middle of the night, they send the dads and brothers who would do as much for their sister. They provide their own security.

I find it odd that the people who respond for the church in the middle of the night
are better protected than the congregations during a church service.

The simple solutions that worked for a Sunday service doesn’t work for the 24-7 church we see today. We know there are solutions to keep church members safe. We know because other churches solve that problem every day.

Today, the number of adults who legally carry a concealed firearm in public has increased dramatically. These licensed gun owners outnumber LEOs by about 25-to-1. About one-in-a-dozen adults are legally armed in public today. They protect themselves and their family everywhere they go.. except when they are disarmed in church.

The problems of church security seem to run deeper than issues about physical defense. I think there are also psychological issues at work.

We all want to feel special. That is an undeniable part of human nature. I wonder if some church leaders think they are favored in the eyes of God. They imagine that evil might come to other churches but not to them. Their view is confirmed every day that their church is not attacked. That view is dangerous.

I know it hurts, but let’s ask the obvious questions.

How many church members have to be murdered before the church changes its security policy?
How many churches will be burned to the ground before the church leadership will reconsider its safety plans?
Let’s look one level deeper and ask again. How many church members will be murdered before the members ignore their church leaders and protect themselves and their families?

I think you are important. Your life and your family are valuable. You have a right to ask about your safety in church. I hope you get honest and reassuring answers no matter which church you attend.

If your church won’t change to keep you safe, then it is probably time to change churches.

Rob Morse writes about gun rights at his SlowFacts blog and hosts the Self Defense Gun Stories Podcast and co-hosts the Polite Society Podcast.