I'm a Christian. I'm not exactly what you'd call a good one, which I'm constantly trying to work on, but I am a believer. As a believer, faith leaders are very important to helping me navigate through life and learn to be a better Christian.
However, some faith leaders--and members of the media--need to learn what a faith leader's lane is.
This comes up because I came across a story that, like so many others I've encountered over the years, tries to leverage a supposed faith leader's role to justify gun control.
Gun control advocates and faith leaders held a press conference at the state Legislative Building Wednesday urging lawmakers to oppose bills that would allow carrying concealed firearms without a permit.
It’s one of the biggest issues this session. Legislators are considering bills that would allow “constitutional carry,” or the idea that individuals should be able to carry concealed weapons without restrictions based on the Second Amendment.
Senate Bill 50, “Freedom to Carry NC,” allows North Carolinians who are U.S. citizens, at least 18 years of age, and not otherwise prohibited by law, to carry concealed weapons without applying for a permit.
It’s backed by Republican leadership and would make North Carolina the 30th state to enshrine such a policy in state law. The bill has passed the Senate and is awaiting action in the House.
Its counterpart in the lower chamber, House Bill 5 or “NC Constitutional Carry Act,” has the same idea. This measure still needs approval from the House Rules Committee.
...Rev. Jennifer Copeland is the executive director of the North Carolina Council of Churches, which represents 19 denominations. She said owning or carrying a gun doesn’t make people safe.
“All of us are less safe when everyone around us has a gun tucked into their waistband or carries it around in their purse,” she said.
Now, understand that Rev. Copeland has every right to her opinion. This is a free society,y and everyone has a right to think what they want to think and speak on any subject they desire and voice those opinions. In short, they have a God-given right to be wrong.
But I do resent the hell out of her using her role as a member of the clergy to push for gun control like that.
She needs to stay in her lane.
I'm not saying there are no times when a minister or priest should speak out on political issues. There are cases to be made from a biblical perspective on a great many issues, and the clergy has a role in providing guidance to those who wish to maintain their positions in a biblically consistent manner.
But note that there's no mention of the Bible there. There's no attempt to present a faith-based argument for gun control. It's just, "Hey, I'm a preacher and guns are bad, mmmmkay?"
That's out of line.
Far too many people try to leverage their authority in one area as somehow making them worth listening to on guns. This is called an appeal to authority fallacy. It's like Neil deGrasse Tyson opining on so many other topics outside of astrophysics, but thinking that his expertise in that field somehow makes his opinion relevant on biology or music.
Faith leaders are leaders, but should stop at leading people in matters of faith. While some have gained additional expertise outside of their faith, unless you can present that as well, there's no reason to listen to you on anything.
If they want to speak simply as free men and women voicing their opinions, awesome. They have that right, even if they're pushing for utter nonsense.
But I resent them leveraging their credentials to somehow lend credence to their personal political views, particularly when it comes to our rights.
