Dear Pastor,

I do not think a pastor should carry a gun. How can he preach the commandment, "Thou shalt not kill," and carry a weapon capable of killing? How can a pastor say peace be unto you and carry a weapon that breaks peace?

I know it may be important in Jamaica for citizens to have guns, but the pastor has to set the example to maintain peace. Why would anyone want to kill a pastor? If that happens, I would think it is in error. And if it is an error and the pastor has a gun, I hardly think he will get the opportunity to use it and the gun may end up in the hands of criminals.

X.E.,

Dear X.E.,

Pastors have been shot and killed in Jamaica. And some have been stabbed to death. Evidently, you are not aware of these things. So, I excuse you for the statement you have made when you say that if a pastor is killed, it would be in error.

protection

I am not prepared to argue whether a pastor should or should not carry a licensed firearm. When I lived and worked in a rural parish as an assistant pastor, the pastor of the church had a licensed firearm and everybody knew that he had it. Nobody questioned whether or not he should have it and he lived and worked in Jamaica for over 40 years.

I am afraid you do not understand what the Bible means by "thou shalt not kill". It means one should not commit murder. That is premeditated murder. Not all killings are murders. To murder is to unlawfully take a human's life.

Whether a pastor or any preacher carries a gun, is a personal decision he has to make, and no one should condemn him if he feels that he should do so.

Pastor