I’m always amazed at the people who seem to believe that if we’re Christians, we should be anti-gun. After all, they seem to think that if gun control were passed, we’d save oh-so-many lives and that if you really believed life was scared–a Christian belief–then you’d support people taking away our right to defend ourselves.

And, to be fair, many who describe themselves as Christians believe just that.

Many more of us, though, don’t. Over at the Washington Times, they’ve got an interesting story up about Christianity and guns going together quite well.

Imagine if you will a place where kids as young as 3 years old are taught to handle a firearm — where women with increasing frequency are trained to defend self and family with guns — where middle-schoolers and high-schoolers alike are both competent and competitive at ready-aim-and-firing — and where going to church on Sunday is as natural as hitting the shooting range on Monday.

Twilight zone?

Nope. That’s the AGFF/Jacksonville Shooting Sports Complex in Jacksonville, Arkansas. That’s the scene of small-town, beyond-the-D.C.-bubble-Beltway America, where God, guns and flag-waving patriotism is part and parcel of the normal growing experience.

Where Christians who shoot are as American as apple pie.

“In my opinion, it’s our right as a Christian, as a non-Christian,” said Jerry Hill, the manager of the Jacksonville shooting range — which is actually operated and funded under the local Parks & Recreation Department, rather than privately owned and maintained.

Gasp, go the liberals.

What would Jesus say, scold the leftists.

What would Jesus say? Well:

“He said to them, ‘But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.’” – Luke  22:36 (NIV)

Sounds like Jesus would be down with this kind of thinking.

Of course, those who try to use Christianity to promote an anti-gun agenda tend to argue that the above is somehow taken out of context, but unsurprisingly, I disagree.

Do guns and Christianity go hand in hand? Well, that’s beyond me.

What I can say, though, is that there’s nothing in Christianity to preclude people from owning guns and the people who tend to own guns are a lot less hostile to Christianity than the other side. It’s not surprising that many Christians would embrace gun ownership.

Especially, as the author continues:

But this just shows how different the thinking and mindsets between Outside City dwellers and Inside City dwellers — between the largely Democrat-dominated cities and the largely Republican-dominated suburban and country settings.“

He is the ultimate peacemaker, but he also lost his temper … and tore everything apart,” Hill said, in reference to the Bible passage about Jesus turning out the money-changers in the temple.

In other words: Jesus approves of righteous anger and self-defense. Being Christian doesn’t mean being a docile victim.

Precisely, and absolutely no one should be docile in the face of unspeakable evil. It’s like the meme says, if someone asks “What would Jesus do,” remind them that flipping tables and chasing people with whips is on the menu.

Now, I’m not a theologian, of course, but there’s a natural alliance between Christianity and gun ownership. One is protected by the First Amendment, the other by the Second, and both essential to liberty.