This past weekend, I spent some time with a friend of mine who is currently a police officer. He showed me his Glock and a rifle. Since that time, I have wrestled with a subject that previously, I had merely dismissed. That subject? Gun ownership.
I grew up with a stepfather who believed in the second amendment to the United States Constitution: ". . . the right of the people to keep and bear arms . . .", subscribed to The American Rifleman magazine and was a member of the National Rifleman's Association and owned a few guns.
I have lived out on my own since age 18 when I went away to Bible college in Dallas, Texas. Since then, I have never been in a situation where I believed that my life was threatened in such a way which would necessitate to "keep and bear arms".
A question my friend asked was, "Do you own a gun?" I answered, "No." He responded, "Why not?" Of course, from his mindset as a police officer, citizens should be equipped to protect themselves. From my perspective, as I have previously stated, I haven't felt the need.
This morning, I awoke with the thoughts of how very permanent a bullet's damage can do to the human body; how very terminal if it penetrated through certain internal organs; how very slow death would come if a person bled out while the police were on their way in response to a 9-1-1 call. And, how I would have to watch that person die; how would I be able to cope with that later? Someone at work today said, "Well, better you got counseling than dead."
So, the inner struggle within continues . . . thankfully, both the finances and the real desire to purchase a gun are VERY LACKING!
A peek into my mind, to hear the thoughts of a 40-something single male as he walks this planet called Earth.
John M. Kirton II
DISCLAIMER: This is a personal weblog. The opinions expressed here represent my own solely and not those of The Village Church, her ministers, pastors, administrators, staff, covenant members, regular attenders or visitors; my parents; my alma mater, Dallas Christian College, her administration, faculty, Board, alumni, or students, past, present and future; or my employer and fellow employees.
My Story
- John M. Kirton II
- I attended public school for two years and private school for the remainder of my education. After graduation, I attended Bible college in Dallas, Texas, for four and one-half years consecutively. Unfortunately, I failed a class and was unable to graduate with my class but God enabled me to re-take the course and I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Bible and minors in Youth Ministry and Biblical Languages in 1994. After failing the aforementioned course, I had continued attending a church but began to falter in my faith. It was during my second year after my Bible college years that I was introduced to the International Churches of Christ (ICOC), where I became a member and was involved for twelve years. It was not until my twelfth year that, after much prayer from my parents and closest friends, Greg Faure and Wayne Stiles, I became convinced that the ICOC was a religious sect. In June, 2000, I left the ICOC and became a covenant member of The Village Church in Highland Village, TX, in April, 2004.
