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I’m a gun aficionado, and I sometimes post pictures on Facebook of my target after I’ve shot rounds; one of my religious “friends“ recently told me that it makes me seem violent or dangerous. I said it doesn’t make me look any more violent than a “Christian” wearing a cross for a necklace; the main difference is that I’m not delusional about the possibilities. —Actually the cross is more violent—

GoodMan 7 July 26
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9

You do realise how weird your post looks to someone outside the USA...

Nah we know all too well the USA is all about
Guns and Jesus

9

Nonsense.

When I see a jerk bringing a gun into a grocery store, I abandon my cart and leave. I figure they are crazy and dangerous.

I call the manager and say allowing guns in the store endangers employees and customers. Write letters to the grocery headquarters.

"Walgreens, Wegmans, and CVS announced they will prohibit customers from openly carrying guns in their stores, even in states that are among the 31 that currently allow the open carry of handguns and rifles by civilians.

"The announcements bring the total number of major US retailers now banning open carry to five, following similar policy shifts by Walmart and Kroger yesterday. They come in the wake of several recent mass shootings in the US, including one at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas last month in which a 21-year-old gunman killed 22 people." September 2019

[finance.yahoo.com]

I understand and share your concern with open carry. I'm just a person that goes to the shooting range, and believes in self defense and home protection.

@GoodMan

Thank you.

" and believes in self defense and home protection"
Which is just a euphemism for saying you believe in the right to kill people and the right to own the means of doing so.

@OwlInASack I've heard,online, that gun crime in the UK was increasing. It's not the same as US, but increasing. At some point people should have a right to protect themselves, no?

@OwlInASack "no - crime has fallen consistently in the UK over a long period." Im really curious now. This was a specific conversation regarding guns in UK a couple years back, I was at first shocked at the idea because I didn't think there were guns even available to commit the crimes, but I think I looked it up and it seemed to confirm the notion. Also, knife crimes have increased there, I heard, which just seem way more grisly than shootings.

Sorry, this is supposed to be lighthearted and I'm turning it into a crime discussion, probably not right place

@VeronikaAnnJ

Here is a story on marking the first anniversary of the WalMart mass shooting in El Paso, Texas against Latinos.

[abcnews.go.com]

7

sounds like your "friend" doesn't know much about firearms. As former military I still own and regularly fire mine. Being a responsible gun owner is a great thing. Theres really no such thing as a responsible Christian as to them everything is "god's will"

redhog Level 7 July 27, 2020

Amen brother. Lol.

6

A cross is an implement of torture and execution. Anybody wearing one around their neck shouldn't really criticize anybody for being violent.

Deb57 Level 8 July 27, 2020

mmmm.......if I have stuck down a dark alley, I'd rather take my chances with the guy with a cross around his neck than the one wielding a gun.

@MsDemeanour it's just as likely as not that the person holding the gun could be wearing the cross.

@Deb57 very true. It's odd that Jesus, if the stories are even half correct would be a left-wing pacifist.

5

My attitude toward guns has evolved over the past 50 years....and though I still display my marine corp shooting award from shooting highest in platoon through boot with the M1 rifle....I no longer own a rifle..... or pistol. ..I do understand that "god" feeling of having a loaded gun in hand, and that secure feeling of knowing that as a man, I could protect my family, or my feeling of being dis-respected by someone......the thing is, not once in the past fifty years since the marines taught me to kill from up to 500 yds away, or to put all my shots at center-mass from a pistol....not once in civilian life have I had reason to pull a gun, much less fire at someone. ....and killing..anything, has lost all appeal.

4

A gun does not make one dangerous or violent. A dangerous or violent person does not need a gun. It's a tool. Around here most have one and the main use is scaring off coyotes bears and wildcats, and eliminating the occasional venomous snake that is too close to ( or in ) the house ( not fond of copperheads in the kitchen)
Remember, the longest war in American history was started by a handful of people with box cutters.

4

When I was a kid there was a craze for these spring-loaded pistols that fired dried peas.
Then we grew up.

Gareth Level 7 July 27, 2020
4

Well, you could have used tomatoes instead of paper targets. But its hard to get tight groups in tomatoes!
Personally, I always liked to shoot at watermelons, and old junk cars. I loved seeing the watermelons go kersploosh. And shooting up old junk cars was a lot of fun too!

Whoosh-Bang-Destroy, how could anything be more fun than that?

Do you clean up the messes you make?

@Lorajay Oh, it's a blast! Clean up messes?
Naahh! Watermelons, musk melons, cantaloupes, and coconuts are all bio- degradable!

@davknight Yeah, let's forget about the lead.

4

Although there is much-written evidence of thousands of crucifixions carried out by the Romans. There is very little archaeological evidence remaining. This is because early Christians took parts of the crosses for souvenirs.
Some poor bastard like Brian dies an excruciating death and the blood-soaked timber that he was nailed to ends up as an adornment.

Life of Brian

4

I too am a target shooter but in australia there is no concealed carry for anyone other than professionals in government or security. I've noticed that the moment you mention firearms a shutter drops down over the eyes and brain of many people and they stop reading what you've written and interpret what you've said in the context of their own beliefs, so you get comments that seem to be completely unrelated to what you've posted and although that could be said of many posts on this site, it's never more evident than when firearms are mentioned. I'm with you, if you were playing golf you'd brag about your handicap; if you were a archer you'd post your target, but the moment you post a rifle or pistol score it's like you're bragging about the demon you summoned.

@OwlInASack You're obviously correct. The extreme polarisation is interesting to see from a non american perspective. In most other countries target shooting is just seen as another sport like archery, or darts.

@OwlInASack lets face it, they'd be nice to play with, but the idea of using a gun on a person is an attitude that is not that prevalent in pther places. O visited cambodia where they have everything up to miniguns but no gun crime. I own guns, but the idea of using them on a person, isn't something I'd contemplate. If I disliked a person enough to hurt them, it wouldn't be with a gun and in self defence there are faster and easier strategies. Run like f#ck comes to mind, rather than stand and someone be hurt.

4

A dangerous person is one capable of violence, but not control.

3

Facebook posting about your gun activities seems unwise in that it could make you an easy target.

3

I understand the strangely satisfying sound of the echoing "ka - o-ow" from a rifle fired in open space. I also understand the feeling of macho power one gets from firing a BAR or machine gun. Butn I also decided long ago that neither was worth the possible destruction caused by people in the civilian population owning and firing automatic weapons, pistols, and all assault weapons. I choose to forgo those questionable pleasures.

3

I'll assume you are seeking an idea of why some might interpret your posting of used targets as "violent or dangerous" and not just ranting. If it is the latter, feel free to ignore this. We all have the need for a good rant from time to time.

I would see that as indicators of somebody who intends to promote to the world how deadly they are (or in some cases are not). I can agree that a gun is a tool, but it is a tool with but one purpose, inflicting massive damage against a living creature. I will even agree that there are times when this is preferable, such as when somebody who is trained to use a gun and make those life or death decisions in a tense situation (e.g. military professionals) is defending somebody from something with greater force. However, in the USA at least, I don't find a lot of people are mentally sound enough to warrant their ownership of a gun. My default position would be to not trust them. That and I personally find a gun a bit of a cowards weapon. If one is not willing to watch the life drain from a formerly living creature, whose existence they have ended, I do think less of them. Yes, I have hunted, and captured my own dinner that was living flesh. I never killed an animal (fish included) at a distance much longer than arms length.
Your intentions may well be to showcase your skill with a firearm, but others may not see it as such. I would definitely interpret that as a potential threat from somebody.

3

I don't quite see the correlation unless you hit someone over the head with a wooden cross.
The cross a a symbol was in use long before it was adopted by Christianity and probably the Nazi swastika was a much more violent symbol then the simple cross.
As for needing to be armed to go to the supermarket, I am with Literate Hiker on that one. If you are so paranoid that you need to pack a gun to go shopping maybe you should shop online and have your groceries delivered.

3

I am not a believer in gods or religions, I also think your social media postings of shot targets are unnecessary. Self defense and home protection did not help Breonna Taylor, for example.

What do you see as the problem with posting shot targets? They are not intended as a threat or a warning in any way; they are only shared with friends that know me personally, and have expressed curiosity in what I do from time to time. I'm well aware of what happened to Breonna Taylor; what is your point in that regard?

@GoodMan if you have to ask, then why bother with an answer to your first question. Second question, boyfriend had a gun, a license, he even fired the first shot, now Breonna is dead. So much for home protection and self defense. Isn't that obvious to you that having a gun, a license, firing first, had only death of a loved one as a result?

@Mofo1953 So your point is that because one person was unable to defend themselves that nobody should try to be ready to defend themselves? That's frankly an asinine way of thinking. Some people die in car crashes even though they are wearing seatbelts and the airbags work, should we stop putting those in cars as well? What about all the people who have successfully defended their life with a firearm? Are we just ignoring them? I can point you to a youtube channel with literally hundreds of videos showing self defenders saving their own lives and the lives of others and those are just ones that have been caught on camera.

You know what you definitely can't rely on to save your life? The cops showing up. Not even bashing the police here, they are a reactionary force. They literally cannot be there to defend everyone. As someone who has been victimized because of my size and my gender, I can say that ID rather have the tools to try to defend myself then be forced to cower at the mercy of a criminal and pray they don't decide that today's my last day on earth.

@PixieStyx No, that is not my point. Therefore, you are the ass who made that asinine deduction. I am against owning guns, that is my point. Having a gun will not protect against someone who wants to harm you, there will always be people that will out smart you, out gun you and that will kill you regardless if you have a gun or not, there will be nothing you can do nor will the cahnces of you not getting killed will improve . I do not deal with theoretical scenarios, I only care about facts and statistics. Check the statistics of deaths by fire arms in the USA (which allows anybody and their mothers to own guns) and compare them to other high income countries that don't or that limit very strictly the ownership of fire arms. Learn something positive for a change and stop being ignorant to these facts.

@Mofo1953 Well you keep your defeatist way of thinking and I'll keep my self defense and I'll continue to hope with all my heart that you are never in a situation where you need to defend yourself.

@Mofo1953 Also I'd like to point out that while I referred to your reasoning as asinine I wouldn't dream of insulting you personally. Calling me an ass is frankly rude and uncalled for. As for your facts and statistics they fail to account for the hundreds of real world examples of people defending their lives. Perhaps don't assume that your research is exhaustive an infallible? It rarely makes you look like anything other then arrogant.

@PixieStyx the word asinine comes from being an ass or acting like an ass, look it up.
Here is the definition of asinine by Merriam Webster so that you understand that when you call anyone that his or her reasoning is asinine what you are actually saying is that what that person did is basically acting like an ass. Do not worry, many people use words that they do not understand, now you know:

as·​i·​nine | \ ˈa-sə-ˌnīn \
Definition of asinine
1: extremely or utterly foolish or silly
an asinine excuse
2: of, relating to, or resembling an ass

And, no, you are wrong again, numbers do not lie, they account for all the dead people be it for suicide or murder and that is exactly what I am trying to show you, ignorance is arrogant in nature, the numbers are not from research, they are statistics, again, look it up so you understand the huge difference on what is research and what are statistics provided by official channels.

@PixieStyx it is not defeatist, it is how I proudly live my life, 67 years on this earth, lived in several countries, many different cities in America and overseas, and I have never been attacked by anyone, never mugged, never had my home invaded, and statistically I do not see this happen to me in the few years I might have left nor do I live in fear at all, I am sorry that you do and of course you will do as you want and so will I. I prefer my outlook on life though, not living in fear of attack by anybody.

@Mofo1953 I am fully aware of the definition. Though I was referring to the first definition that being "extremely or utterly foolish or silly" however that's beside the point. I was referring to you specifically calling me an ass where I had only said anything about your opinion. Not about you personally.

I'm happy to hear that you've lived a safe life. I hope that no one ever needs to defend themselves. However having been the victim of armed crime more then once in my much shorter life I can't say i hold the same confidence that the world will just work around me and keep me safe.

@PixieStyx i wish you good luck with or without a gun.

3

I think the cross is a sign of violence but in a passive way. Being a gun aficionado depends on the person. I love video games like COD and no doubt some people would conclude that I love violence. My defense is that it's not about loving violence but loving the challenge, the test of one's reflexes in a fast-moving environment.

I guess the cross could be a passive sign of violence depending on your knowledge of and interpretation of things.

@GoodMan I don't think so. The cross is a universal symbol.

@TheInterlooper Do you mean my kill/death ratio? About 85% (yeah, I know).

@brentan What cross are you referring to? I'm I'm talking about the cross of christianity...For the sake of clarity, I'll refer you to this link: [newworldencyclopedia.org]

The cross is an instrument of torture. I don't consider that passive. While both a cross and a gun can kill, a good shot would be more merciful.

@itsmedammit The passivity lies in the perspective of Christians towards the willing self-sacrifice of Christ.

2

Not really a fan of guns. I do respect the ability to accurately hit what one is aiming at. My ex so was a an excellent marksman and supplied us with quail, duck, rabbit and pheasant. Usually only using one round per kill. I tried target shooting once - meh - not my thing.

2

I got it, and I used to be just like you. In the 1970's I was still doing all the gun tricks of the the 1960's westerns. Today I haven't even shot a gun in years but I bet it would come back to me quickly. I once had a boss who was just like you. He said he was preparing for the worst and protecting his family. Secretly I bet he was putting faces on his targets. That way he was protecting his sanity.

Christians are much different. How can they ever think that Jesus would like a cross? They think that in his glorified resurrected body he chose the messed up body to forever be a symbol of what he did for humankind. At best that is all messed up.

2

I get nervous around people throwing darts. Wearing jewelry around the neck?...........not so much.

Don't stand between the dartboard and the people with the darts you'll be okay. 😁

@oldFloyd THanks for the tip. I'll bear it in mind. But you can imagine how much more nervous I'd get around people with guns. Of course, I've only ever seen cops with guns and they make me nervous enough. I can't begin to get my head around a culture that normalises guns.

@MsDemeanour the open carry thing bothers me too.

I once knew a bar owner, who took his pool table out, and installed a dart board, in order to keep down fights. Well, Americans tend to throw darts the way they'd chuck a tomahawk. And the dart board only caused more fights. So, he took it down and put the pool table back in.

@davknight Some people have to be morons no matter what game they play.

2

I agree the cross is more violent, it was in the context of Christian use, a device of death by torture.
However, both the crucifix and the gun are both inventions that have the reraison d'etre of killing (even if consequently they have had other symbolism forced on them, in the same way a toddler hammers a jigsaw piece in to the wrong space insisting it can fit.)
Anyone who picks up a weapon, be it a bow, a sword, a javelin/spear, or a gun is training them self to use it efficiently and in the context of the weapon efficiency means effectively lethal.
My father trained me to be a marks man as a boy, first with 177 caliber air rifles and pistols and later with actual fire arms, as soon as I was old enough I sold my guns and in the forty odd years since have never touched a gun again.
Never will and I have no desire to be in a situation where I am asked to associate on familiar terms with some one who feels it is appropriate to publicly display affection for instruments of death.

2

As long as you don't carry in stores cool 😎

bobwjr Level 10 July 27, 2020
2

A strange comparison.. I’m armed, too, but never shoot to make holes in inanimate objects. Guns are tools, to me. Sighted one in this spring, it had been awhile, and I’d needed it. The rest remained oiled and secure.

Researching groundhogs, basically to find what caliber worked best to eliminate them, YouTube was loaded. So I watched, then some more … until it got to the guys simply shooting to watch things blow up, or be knocked down.. I’ve never understood that, or respected it. Seems like arrogant boys with lethal toys, to me.

So why you’d post shot stuff on facebook strikes me the same. Yes, I’ve posted photos of my garden … but not the rabbit that is no more.. I get your dig at Religion, their obedience to lies has helped kill countless. But other than keeping them sited in, I like the idea of walking softly, while carrying a big ..caliber ~

Varn Level 8 July 26, 2020

People about their hobbies all the time man, it's no biggie to take some pride in a skill you're good at

I believe that guns are tools also, and don't see the wrong in posting the results of my target practice to "friends." Just as with anything, I understand how things can be interpreted various ways. I see others post things that I wouldn't post, I just consider it a difference of choice, and evidence that we are all difference; not necessarily a bad thing just because I wouldn't do things their way. My shooting results are shown while discussing safe gun handling, and following the rules in place at a shooting range; not simply shooting to watch things blow up or "advertise" the rabbit that is no more. I also have a garden, but just because some of my posts aren't pics of it, doesn't mean I'm any less of a responsible gun owner or that I'm arrogant. I appreciate your candor!

@educatedredneck, @GoodMan And, why is it always guys 😕

@Varn Well, my sister owns a gun (maybe more don't know) she also voted for trump, is a believer/Christian and very republican. Which probably explains why I don't know how many guns she owns, we don't really talk much.

@silverotter11 I lived over three decades in woods so dense you couldn’t see a neighbors place. Once, I tossed a nice handgun out of sight ..as the rack of a cop car slowly climbed my driveway … spinning it’s street tires.. “Where am I” the deputy asked? Had a gun-nut neighbor who scolded me for tossing the weapon, ‘you’ve a right to have a gun on your property,’ he lectured me. Yah, dead right.. thought I. But when the law is lost, you’d better stay prepared.

Guns are a tuff call… Someone mentioned above how prevalent they’ve become in the hands of idiots, definitely a serious problem. When I was a kid, they were still used for home protection, hunting or varmint control. Now, it seems they’ve become toys, quasi-military trophies and penis-extenders.. In a nation out of control, in too many ways to count, I unfortunately feel they’re necessary..

Having grown up with them, a daughter got her concealed carry permit. I understand, but could not have envisioned that loving child needing such a thing… But after a lifetime of ‘shooter drills’ at school and the political division and disintegration of our nation, I do now 😕 ..what she won’t be doing is posting her groupings on fb.. she was taught better than that ~

@Varn It really is how one is raised. My ex so was a marvelous marksman and supplied us with small game (lordy I miss the duck!!) and usually one shot one kill!! He did not hunt deer or elk tho. Lived in the woods also, miss that but not the responsibility of land ownership. The real issue is how did America end up with so many crazy gun owners? Maybe the real reason I don't target shoot is I am too cheap. Have you any idea the cost of ammo it would take to get me even remotely able to hit what I was aiming at? LOL truly the few times I tried it (we had a little target range on the property and also did some skeet shooting) were laughable.

@Varn there's always a handful of women shooters. I shoot in a field w a solid backdrop and have seen a few women there. One was Delta and does room clearing drills

@silverotter11 Yes, me being cheap was/ is another reason for not ..wasting ammo 🙂 I came from a fishing family, still have cases of pints of Chinook I’d canned back in OR.. Dad always described deer as being more work than they’re worth. That’s been my experience, too. He’d spend an ugly weekend hiking them up a wooded ravine, I’d take out several from my front yard, and they were still too much of a bother..

As mentioned, a neighbor was a re-loading, cutting edge gun-nut. Taught me a lot, had his massive gun safe, would warn me when friends were coming to shoot - hundreds of dollars $pent in an afternoon, no doubt! They once shot a doug fir (tree) in half! He had a homemade cannon, too… He didn’t last long in the woods, though, had his priorities mixed up. When yur off on poker-runs with dirtbikes ..while your neighbor (me) is splitting kindling for your wife and new child to start a fire… something’s wrong 😕

@educatedredneck Maybe I had too many acres for too long… My sister and her partner occasionally shoot, and ...I believe bush jr. was once a ‘target.’ I forget what sparked that … I think someone was posting shit on her partner’s fb page showing Obama shot up.. They didn’t post ‘their results,’ but she had shared them with me..

As mentioned above, maybe I’m just cheap.. Strange, the daughter who got her permit is probably the least likely to need it. The other one, much like her dad, just shoots when in the mood … but then she still lives near the hills. Her sister’s in downtown Portland, of all places 😕

2

Twenty shots qualifying for conceal carry. It was an unfamiliar pistol.

Had to have six within the three innermost rings. I think I did ok.

What kind of pistol was it (Make, Model, Caliber)?

@GoodMan Ruger SR40c. Son in law gave it to me as a birthday gift and mine were still packed.

Looks like you did very well! Good grouping, and I counted more than six within the three innermost rings.

@Larimar 😲 I bought my mother in law perfume and flowers.

@LenHazell53 my son in law knows his wife's mama. He gave it to me for protection since I'd been stalked and he'd already tried to kill me. He knew I was a good shot.

@Larimar presumably the stalker had already been arrested?

@LenHazell53 no, Missouri is not understanding of women's safety. For me, it was a choice between pissing him off and convincing him to finish the job, or letting it go and allowing him to forget.

1

I am always surprised what people post and why. I have a range on my property so I target shoot quite a bit. I haven't ever posted one of my targets online but then I have never posted a picture of food either... I never quite got the allure of posting what you are eating. Does anyone REALLY care what you had for dinner? At least with a target you might get bragging rights if it as a good one.

Just please tell me you aren't one of those idiots that straps on your AR so you can "secure your 2A rights..."

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