Windsor Hills Youth Conference - Giving away an AR-15

[brosmith]

Please read article and watch video.

[url]http://www.koco.com/news/16860079/detail.html[/url]

I think Jim Vineyard is out of his mind.

[Guest Guest]

Hmmm... I am not sure where they are doctrinally and I am not sure how they plan to deal with the fact that the winner may be under age to own a gun, or out of country(canada) but beside that and the fact that 800 is quite a bit to spend for a prize I don't see a big issue? Maybe it is because I am from texas... Guns are given away as prizes for a lot of things here although I don't recall a church doing so.


BTW whoever was providing the guns for the kids to shoot in the video had a wad of cash... full autos will run you 10,000 plus...

[John81]

AR-15!!! :-S ...... :thumb :cool

[brosmith]

[quote="Seth Doty"]I don't see a big issue?[/quote]

#1 - I think it's sheer stupidity to allow a child to handle or shoot an automatic weapon.
#2 - Giving away an AR-15 (or any other weapon for that matter) has no place in a church youth conference.
#3 - Such a contest sends the wrong message and creates the wrong atmosphere.
#4 - Such a contest undermines the authority of the parents (I wouldn't want my child owning such a weapon) and puts the child in a legal predicament (is it lawful to transport such a firearm across state lines?)
#5 - Church youth conferences ought to be centered around spiritual things (such as preaching, teaching, Bible memory, ect) not on worldly amusements.

[okjac80]

as long as a parent is the "keeper" of the gun until the child is old enough, I don't see the big deal. As far as children owning guns, most of my cousins and sibilings all had guns before we even had our first bike. GRanted, we didn't keep it in our rooms or anything, but it was ours.

[John81]

I grew up with guns, hunting and shooting.

We had BB guns and pellet guns as soon as we could hold a gun up and pull the trigger. We were shooting rifles then too. It wasn't long afterwards we had our own rifles, followed by our own shotguns.

[Guest Guest]

[quote]#1 - I think it's sheer stupidity to allow a child to handle or shoot an automatic weapon.[/quote]

That is a poorly informed statement. We aren't talking about 2-3 year olds, we are talking about teens that are under direct supervision. You can join the army at 18 and I guarantee you will fire full auto weapons. A full auto isn't a "horribly dangerous" weapon, at least not much more than any gun, nor is it particularly difficult to control.

[quote]#2 - Giving away an AR-15 (or any other weapon for that matter) has no place in a church youth conference. #3 - Such a contest sends the wrong message and creates the wrong atmosphere.
[/quote]

Personal opinion. Nothing wrong with that, but that is all it is.

[quote]#4 - Such a contest undermines the authority of the parents (I wouldn't want my child owning such a weapon) and puts the child in a legal predicament (is it lawful to transport such a firearm across state lines?)[/quote]

Part one of number four may have some validity, but unless the teens were eighteen or older they would need their parents to fill out the paperwork anyway. I doubt they planned to send a rifle home with a teen without parental approval. As far as part two of number four, yes it is quite legal to take a ar-15 over state lines. Only potential issue is some states(like California) have additional restrictions on what "evil" parts a ar-15 may have(magazine with over 10 rounds, bayonet lug, etc.) That could be checked on by looking up the laws in the state the kid was from. I strongly suspect the majority were local teens making it mostly a non-issue.

[quote]#5 - Church youth conferences ought to be centered around spiritual things (such as preaching, teaching, Bible memory, ect) not on worldly amusements.[/quote]

I agree with that, but most youth conferences also have fun activities for youth too. As long as there is nothing wicked about the "amusement" and it is not the main focus, there is nothing wrong having fun things like that to do.

I think you are having a bit of an overreaction. :wink

[John81]

[quote="Seth Doty"][quote]#1 - I think it's sheer stupidity to allow a child to handle or shoot an automatic weapon.[/quote]

That is a poorly informed statement. We aren't talking about 2-3 year olds, we are talking about teens that are under direct supervision. You can join the army at 18 and I guarantee you will fire full auto weapons. A full auto isn't a "horribly dangerous" weapon, at least not much more than any gun, nor is it particularly difficult to control.

[quote]#2 - Giving away an AR-15 (or any other weapon for that matter) has no place in a church youth conference. #3 - Such a contest sends the wrong message and creates the wrong atmosphere.
[/quote]

Personal opinion. Nothing wrong with that, but that is all it is.

[quote]#4 - Such a contest undermines the authority of the parents (I wouldn't want my child owning such a weapon) and puts the child in a legal predicament (is it lawful to transport such a firearm across state lines?)[/quote]

Part one of number four may have some validity, but unless the teens were eighteen or older they would need their parents to fill out the paperwork anyway. I doubt they planned to send a rifle home with a teen without parental approval. As far as part two of number four, yes it is quite legal to take a ar-15 over state lines. Only potential issue is some states(like California) have additional restrictions on what "evil" parts a ar-15 may have(magazine with over 10 rounds, bayonet lug, etc.) That could be checked on by looking up the laws in the state the kid was from. I strongly suspect the majority were local teens making it mostly a non-issue.

[quote]#5 - Church youth conferences ought to be centered around spiritual things (such as preaching, teaching, Bible memory, ect) not on worldly amusements.[/quote]

I agree with that, but most youth conferences also have fun activities for you too. As long as there is nothing wicked about the "amusement" and it is not the main focus, there is nothing wrong having fun things like that to do.

I think you are having a bit of an overreaction. :wink[/quote]

:amen: :goodpost:

[Jerry]

Winsdor Hills is right on Biblically/doctrinally - but I wouldn't encourage giving away a gun for a prize. Though if you are from a state where guns are legal and used regularly, I guess it might be a nice prize...

[Jerry]

I know last year or the year before they took the teens out to practice on a shooting range. It was a well-supervised activity, and sounded like something worth trying.

[Guest Guest]

[quote]but I wouldn't encourage giving away a gun for a prize.[/quote]

I probably wouldn't encourage it either, more due to the expense and potential liability issues than anything else, but there is nothing morally wrong with it. I could always use a AR-15. :Green

BTW Jerry, guns are legal in all states in the USA. The second amendment in the US constitution protects that right. The SCOTUS just ruled in Heller vs. D.C that amendment protects the individuals right to own guns, and in that court case, handguns in particular. We have it a little better than canada. :wink

[Kayla]

These people are Okies, it doesn't surprise me at all.

[okjac80]

[quote="Kayla"]These people are Okies, it doesn't surprise me at all.[/quote]
what the ever living thunder is wrong w/ us Okies????????????? :loco

[Kayla]

Okies are pretty crazy you have to admit. I live in OKC most of the year and I think they are pretty crazy...especially their driving.

[okjac80]

[quote="Kayla"]Okies are pretty crazy you have to admit. I live in OKC most of the year and I think they are pretty crazy...especially their driving.[/quote]
I really miss Oklahoma! I don't think we are any crazier than anyone else....except when it comes to football. We are pretty crazy come football season, we really like our Sooners.