Citizens of Virginia are now allowed to take their guns to the church.
World Religion News reports that the Virginia Senate has passed a new bill that permits Christians and the public, in general, to carry arms everywhere including the church.
This new bill was passed after senators voted 21–18 in favor of SB 372. It was sponsored by Republican Sen. Ben Chafin of Russell County.
The previous state law says, “If any person carries any gun, pistol, bowie knife, dagger or other dangerous weapons, without good and sufficient reason, to a place of worship while a meeting for religious purposes is being held at such place he shall be guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor.”
To take a gun to church or not?
Supporters of this new bill say they passed the bill because of incidents like the mass shooting at a Baptist church at Sutherland Springs, Texas, on Nov. 5, 2017. 26 people were reportedly killed in that attack.
This is why supporters argue that congregants should have the right to carry weapons in case they need to defend themselves.
In 2011, Sen. Ben Chafin made an argument for the need for Virginians to carry arms into churches.
He said, “It’s a private property rights issue. In the communities that I represent, there are a whole lot of first Baptist churches.”
The sponsor added that this should be allowed as long as they have permission from their place of worship.
Not everyone is happy with this new bill. Jeremy McPike, the Democratic Senator argues that there should be more specifications in the Republican bill.
He said, “Those who are voting for this measure are voting for guns over God,” adding that there are better solutions.
The bill has also been opposed by officials of the Virginia Interfaith Center in a news press release.