Do you own a gun for self-defense purposes?

Question

I intentionally posted in this section because I'm curious to know the religious affiliation of those who do own guns for this purpose. So please list that as well.

And feel free to throw in any additional details such as how you made the decision to own a gun if any form of ending a life is against your religion.

I am not asking with a hidden agenda, nor intending to come back and give anyone crap. I'm simply curious.

Thank you!

Answer 1

Pagan, with strong Wiccan influence.

Yes, we have guns in the house, both for target shooting and for self-defense.

The Wiccan Rede reads "An it harm none, do as ye will." Many people think that means that Wiccans can't ever do any harm, period.

However, "Harm none" does not equate to "Be a victim".

Harming someone else in self-defense (or defense of a loved one) is permitted, however there are three things I need to keep in mind:

1) I must respond in proportion to the threat, particularly when that response may take someone else's life.

2) I must be prepared to accept the repercussions for my actions - physical, legal, emotional, and spiritual.

3) I must take care to not turn from "defender" into "aggressor" by turning my actions from "Defense" into "Revenge".

Answer 2

I feel no desire to have anything to do with guns.

I'm a spiritual atheist. I just don't see the point for the average joe to have a gun, other than culling certain animal populations whose natural predators have been eliminated by humans (which could easily be remedied by getting rid of all the humans). I only support that because an overpopulation of animals leads to their own suffering.

If I were attacked, though, and had a gun, I would shoot to kill. No problem. No more people getting hurt by that person. No messy legal battle. No questions asked.

Answer 3

I do not follow any religion nor do I own any guns. I have fired a few, but it's just not for me. As far as I'm concerned, guns only have one purpose and cannot be used for anything else.

Fine cutlery, on the other hand, is mankind's oldest tool. It can be made functional, beautiful and sharp.

If I needed to defend myself, steel doesn't make a loud noise and I have a dirt floor basement...

Answer 4

Yes. We're Baptists and we live in the mountains. A gun is necessary to fend off wild raccoons (known carriers of rabies, which is rampant in the area right now) and other critters including bears.

Also, my husband is a hunter, and though deer meat tastes great (less filling!) I don't think that counts as "self defense".

Answer 5

We don't own a gun, wouldn't know how to use one. Got a couple of dogs that make lots of racket.
I think I could use a gun if I feared for my life but I would try only to stop the threat, not kill.
To my husband and I, it is hard to even kill bugs.

Answer 6

I used to own a gun, but not for self-defense. If I had to defend myself with a gun, I don't think I'd have any qualms about doing so. However, I've never been in that situation.

I'm an atheist.

Answer 7

I own a gun (actually, my family used to own ten guns) but they were more for parental midlife panic alleviation purposes than self-defense purposes.
We killed a lot of wild turkeys with them, and when a crazed murderer was running around near our town, we were steeling ourselves to shoot him in the knees in the unlikely event that he charged up our woodland driveway.
But now we don't have any bullets. The magic is gone.
The gun-buying parent was Baptist.

Answer 8

I am Muslim. I do not own a gun. I didn't want to have one in my apartment alone. But I will be getting married in April, and moving into a house w/ my husband to be. We plan on getting a gun to protect the house.

Answer 9

Atheist and several. I shot expert every time I fired in the military and I would use them if I had a reason. I still go to the range at least twice a month. Everyone should own one and learn to use it.

Answer 10

No, you can't even do it at 18. You have to be at least 21 in Michigan and most other states.