Conceal carry in SDA meetings?

[Yet another Jim]

Thank you.  

If anyone studies the Bible, without bringing in their own prejudices, they will find that locking your doors follows the principles taught in the Bible just as self-defense does.  Anything less and you have crossed the line and are guilty of the sin presumption.  

Before anyone gets upset over this statement there are exceptions...  Example Jesus wasn't guilty of presumption when he allowed himself to be taken and die on the cross because that was the whole purpose of Him coming, to save us.  Jesus said after telling Peter to put away his sword In Matthew 26:53,54 (NKJV) "Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of Angels?  How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?"  This is just another example in the Bible proving that self-defense is not a sin, if it were Jesus could not have prayed thus for any reason (Praise God He didn't).  This, along with other verses show why Peter was told to put his sword away.  However taking part (working with God) in keeping those around me safe wherever I am is not one of those exceptions.  We have to stay focused on the fact that ALL life is precious, even the crazed killers life.  However God commands us to defend life with our whole souls and sometimes taking a life is required.  I'm thankful that I live in a country where the laws, in most places, do allow for this. But we have to be careful of not crossing the line into vengeance because vengeance is the Lords.

As I inferred in my original post, I was raised a pacifist for the most part.  I have never been outside the church and the those prejudices were actually getting in the way with my relationship with God.  It took a lot of prayer and study for me to allow God to take away my prejudices...  

As I read through the first page of this thread I felt inspired (there is no word you can put here that someone wont object to:  impressed, moved, ...) a few weeks ago to write the high level summary above of what I found on the subject of self-defense.  I still challenge everyone to whom I give a presentation on self-defense: show me where I'm wrong keeping in mind that the entire Bible is the inspired word of God and it does not contradict itself.  

That said I am nothing special other that a son of God anxiously looking for Christs return, which I suppose is a BIG DEAL.