It's "the nut behind the bolt" that make guns dangerous

Despite attempts to link Sunday's mass shooting [in Texas] and the carnage in Las Vegas to a "gun problem" in the United States, I'm not buying.

And not just because I happen to believe in two things that aren't particularly smiled on in today's "post-Christian" society: the Second Amendment and God.

Guns, like rental trucks, are inanimate objects. As I was taught as a youth, "it's the nut behind the bolt" that make guns dangerous.

A pair of nuts were behind all the guns used in these horrific attacks. In Texas, it was a good guy with a gun who stopped the bad guy with the gun from doing even more damage.

Unfortunately, in both instances, it seems some officials knew both these whack jobs were capable of violence.

We'll likely never know exactly what set off the Vegas shooter. But the Texas killer appears to have been a disturbed ex-husband out for revenge.

According to Texas law enforcement officials, he sent threatening texts to his mother-in-law on Sunday morning before his attack. Apparently, it wasn't the first time.

And the Air Force says it will "review its procedures" after it was revealed that his court-martial and subsequent conviction under Article 128 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice wasn't entered into the federal NCIC database. If it had been, he would have been disqualified from legal firearms ownership or purchases.

He had already been denied a concealed carry permit by Texas officials.

Again, we have what is a failure of the system to flag someone who had already been convicted of domestic assault.

Still, Second Amendment organizations point out- quite accurately- that had it not been for a good guy with a gun, this bad guy with a gun may have claimed even more victims.

It's no secret that event the most delusional seek out easy victims. But despite it not often being discussed in church circles, all the Christian flocks out there aren't without their own shepherds.

A quick survey I initiated on my Facebook page yesterday provided some quick insight to the fact that not all churches depend purely on faith and providence to protect their congregants.

Responses to the question "Wondering how many of you have security details in your churches?" quickly ranged from "none" to "we do- and we runheavy .

One church staffer responded "We have discussed it, but no."

Another told me that his church had held a meeting Sunday morning on the subject of "updating tactical shooter procedures" while having no idea "what was going on at the same time we were meeting".

And churches with security can't easily be categorized.

Several small churches told me there were no "formal" plans in place, but concealed carry permit holders coordinated their attendance with local law enforcement officers so as to have at least one armed person in the congregation at every service.

Another told me his church had an armed safety team and trained medical team present at all times. One said his church teams were equipped with police radios and had the option of executive protection type soft body armor- in what looked like windbreakers.

Another responded simply "Next Sunday every US church will likely be armed to the teeth."

That probably won't be the case.

But if you're considering the idea, please consider this well in advance.

Having a gun isn't doesn't qualify you to provide protection to your fellow churchgoers, any more than owning a hammer qualifies you to repair the church roof.

You should be trained and capable with any tool before volunteering your services with it - especially if that tool is capable of taking a life.

The simple fact that some people will volunteer without proven capabilities been one reason why several church leaders tell me me they've chosen not to entertain the idea of formal "teams".

Republished from The Outdoor Wire.