Suspended from work for mentioning an AK47 on a date

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One of my buddies was married to a gal who was very uncomfortable "having a gun in the house". The odd thing was that she was the unit armorer in their National Guard unit.
 
I am sad for you, and frankly for all gun owners, and people of faith, that this situation has unfolded the way you describe.

The way I interpret your telling of the situation, by law, they would have to get your permission for your therapist to share any details of the private professional conversations you have had. So, they did ask.

Part of me is curious if you have granted it yet. Part of me thinks it might be a nice view into their motives if you allow them to speak to your therapist, only in your presence, and at their expense. It might be a way to gain some insight into thier intentions and methods. Part of me thinks it's none of their business what you do on your own time. If you are under contract, does the contract have any behavioral clauses? What you do 'on the clock' IS their business, and anytime you are representing the chruch entity. (wearing a shirt, attending a function, etc.)

As a church, (and since mega-churches tend to be wealthy) they stand to loose a lot - image, attendance, and ultimatly, $$- IF your actions were improper, and under their employ, and they also must take all allegations seriously, and investigate fairly, and without prejudice. However, you were not acting as a representative of the church during your date, right? This is a main point. I work as a fireman, and we are subject to background checks, with certain behavioral inquires and the like, since we have incredible access to people, not unlike yourself. But, you're not a pastor, you're an outside contractor, right? I'm willing to bet there are a girl or two that I dated when I was single that thought I was 'weird', I know I sure found a few I though were nuts.

It's a little off topic, but still kinda still applies: I attend a large church with my wife on most Sundays. My faith is important to me. But, a couple years ago, there was a large 'mega-chruch' in CO, (same denomination as mine) where the pastor was accused of, and admitted to an improper relationship and drug use. His story was the subject of a documentary recently. I find it sad that the very place that should be the heart of forgivness and grace chose to BANISH him from the state. They have since lifted the banishment requirement, but that just seems wrong to me. In his 'hour of need', the church didnt just turn their back on him, they drove him away. Its sad to me, but it sure seems that churches are making decisions based on $$, not what was instructed by Christ. That's religion getting in the way of faith.

I hope your situation gets resolved. It won't resolve itself, it will take active action on your part.

Best wishes, and keep the faith.... ;)
 
Anyway, lawyer's advice was to resign.
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That is certainly the cheapest and least hassle in the short run. But what happens when word goes around you were dismissed with cause from a contract at the church? People talk, you know.

Seriously, is he a labor lawyer? Consult one. Did the church do their due diligence and speak with her therapist to see if she had unresolved issues or a history of accusations? Was this actually a fair assessment?

I find it troublesome that people can be penalizsed for exercising constitutionally protected rights, in private, years before an event. I would not just let it be.
 
WOW! I carry a handgun to church at every service and my priest knows it and is OK with it. I am also on the church vestry.:)
We have church "range days" twice a year where we go to the range and have a relaxing day of shooting and fun. Yes My AR-15 is usually there as well. My priest is a participant at the range day. It is advertized in the weekly bulletins, on our church website and from the pulpit.:D
I just don't understand some churches.:banghead:
 
I would name the church and tell the parishioners what happened. I would bet a bunch of the parishioners would be upset.
 
WOW! I carry a handgun to church at every service and my priest knows it and is OK with it. I am also on the church vestry.
We have church "range days" twice a year where we go to the range and have a relaxing day of shooting and fun. Yes My AR-15 is usually there as well. My priest is a participant at the range day. It is advertized in the weekly bulletins, on our church website and from the pulpit.
I just don't understand some churches.
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Ill bet you are going to be getting some new neighbors soon. ;):D
 
similar thing here, a guy who worked for a public agency that had mainly evolved into a full employment program for unskilled leftists, quit in disgust and went to work as a probation officer. Unfortunately he, at one time, gleefully told his boss about shooting a possum that had gotten into his house.
She wrote him up as a disgurntled employee-not eligible for rehire. he contacted his lawyer had had that bit of hysteria removed from the recod.
 
aerod1, sounds like you have found the prefect church. I'm soooo jealous.
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I don't think it was by accident that I was drawn to this church. I have certain needs that some churches can't meet and I think you know what I mean.
I have to be in a church that has a strong, active mens group.
 
Matt, The only suggestion I can offer is in James chapter 1 verses 5 thru 8. It is my experience that when I am unsure of what I should do I should ask for guidance & then wait on the answer. When it's time for me to do something I know what to do-The hard part sometimes is finding the willingness to put action to it.
aerod 1-It's nice to see someone else from the trades on here-I've been a union sheet metal worker for close to 20 years.
 
I will be praying for you. If you resign or fight God be with you because as 20 year Baptist Minister I sat that church is WRONG in how they are treating you.
 
Matt,

The whole thing is utterly ridiculous.

I left my church several of years ago when the pastor and the board there expressed a "concern" that I might be carrying my service sidearm while at service. The fact that I am a sworn LEO had no mitigating effect on their concern nor did the fact that no one ever saw me "carry" on church property because I never did.

It only became "an issue" when another member of the congregation mentioned that I was a sworn Police Officer to one of the board members in passing. The "inquistion" began and I left after some rather "pointed" accusations were leveled at me.

I find that since then, I am closer than ever to my God, since I've none of the "politicizing" to distract me from that which is most important. All my prayer is now taken care of in the privacy of my own home and I couldn't be happier.

Hope everything works out for you. :)
 
That church is too weird and does not deserve you.

PS: Don't mention guns on a second date unless you met her at the range.
 
Have you ever noticed how when the crazies go crazy and people are so surprised, we later find out about all sorts of warnings like friends, former girlfriends, coworkers, or classmates that knew the person was weird or seemed to have an perceived unnatural fascination with firearms that that weirded out said friends?

Ever notice how when that information comes about how we note that we wouldn't let something like that happen, that we have our situational awareness turned up high and we have our gut feelings about people, etc. etc. etc. Ever notice how we question why those who had those feelings, hints, insights into the bad guys why they never were more proactive in coming forward and doing something about it?

So this girl who dated the OP has a gut feeling and we think she is the crazy when all she was doing was being concerned because the OP weirded her out and she followed her gut feeling and did the right thing to report the oddity as such. She was proactive.
 
I am a Christian, and I married a woman who wants to shoot with me. You need to come to the south. I listened to my pastor once slip into the sermon that he was an avid rabbit hunter...This type of anti-gun sentiment really is ashamed, especially since guns, held by men of valor, helped us gain the right to worship God in a free society.
 
The OP posted that she was ex-military. Military often = interest in guns. Not always...and I have recently come to the conclusion that I should be even MORE careful about what I assume in regards to individuals with military backgrounds.

~Norinco
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Yeah, I learned this one too. One of my roommates has been in the Navy for a year now, and he would have never shot a gun if it weren't for me. He's a really nice guy, but a bit of a "momma's boy" if you will. His dad was a police officer and apparently didn't like guns, only had his duty gun, and never took his family shooting. When I talked about moving in, I told him I had guns and they'd be in the house. He talked to his mom about the issue (She lives in MD and we live in FL) and requested that I have locking cases for my guns. I said, sure, my cases are lockable. Then when I moved in, he told me to store the ammo in a different place than the guns. This was when I had to take a stand. He had shot my guns before; I mentioned that we both were 22 years old and knew how to operate them. There aren't any kids in the house nor do we know anyone with kids. Guns don't go off by themselves, and putting them in the same room as their ammo is not inherently dangerous. A few months later I got my 1911, and a safe, which apparently made him feel a whole lot better. Yet he didn't comment on our other roommate keeping his loaded Beretta in a drawer.

Yesterday I came home with my Saiga 12 and the 12 round mag for it. Both my roommates looked at me funny, and then the one guy said "*** do you need 12 rounds for in a shotgun?" My reply, "I don't, but why not have 'em?" Then he proceeded to lecture me on how his Beretta 92 in .40SW loaded with FMJ would be more deadly than my Saiga with 00 buck. :confused: He had been drinking so I'll assume it was the alcohol talking.
 
OP weirded her out and she followed her gut feeling and did the right thing to report the oddity as such. She was proactive.

Two years later?
 
Have you ever noticed how when the crazies go crazy and people are so surprised, we later find out about all sorts of warnings like friends, former girlfriends, coworkers, or classmates that knew the person was weird or seemed to have an perceived unnatural fascination with firearms that that weirded out said friends?

Ever notice how when that information comes about how we note that we wouldn't let something like that happen, that we have our situational awareness turned up high and we have our gut feelings about people, etc. etc. etc. Ever notice how we question why those who had those feelings, hints, insights into the bad guys why they never were more proactive in coming forward and doing something about it?

So this girl who dated the OP has a gut feeling and we think she is the crazy when all she was doing was being concerned because the OP weirded her out and she followed her gut feeling and did the right thing to report the oddity as such. She was proactive.
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Umm... usually the people who go crazy are just weird, not necessarily obsessed with firearms. The Va Tech shooter didn't buy his guns until a couple weeks before IIRC.

Think about it this way. Dude is dating a chick with a military background. One would assume that most people in the military are familiar with guns and enjoy shooting them. Generally this is the case. However, some people in the military are against civilians owning guns, and some people in the military are against guns in general. I would argue that these people are in the wrong profession, but they exist nonetheless. So if you were overall not thrilled with guns, and some guy mentioned that he had an AK in trunk, would you be weirded out? Probably. OP is a shooting enthusiast, and wanted to see if the girl, being ex-military, enjoyed it as well. Unfortunately, it didn't go over well. The OP's church is apparently not only God-fearing but also gun-fearing, and gave him the boot. Nothing weird about owning an AK.

One of my friends thought the fact that I had an AK was awesome, then gave me a look when he saw that I had a box full of 30-round magazines. (I only have 5; it's a small box and it has packing paper in the bottom, so it looks like it could be more). He also looked at me funny when I pulled out my bag of .45 ammo, which had 8 50-round boxes in it. I had 2 boxes from a while back and Wal-Mart was out of 45 for the past 10 or so times I've been there, so when they got a shipment in, I got 6 more boxes. That's the difference between a shooting enthusiast and a gun owner.
 
Yeah, I learned this one too. One of my roommates has been in the Navy for a year now, and he would have never shot a gun if it weren't for me. He's a really nice guy, but a bit of a "momma's boy" if you will. His dad was a police officer and apparently didn't like guns, only had his duty gun, and never took his family shooting. When I talked about moving in, I told him I had guns and they'd be in the house. He talked to his mom about the issue (She lives in MD and we live in FL) and requested that I have locking cases for my guns. I said, sure, my cases are lockable. Then when I moved in, he told me to store the ammo in a different place than the guns. This was when I had to take a stand. He had shot my guns before; I mentioned that we both were 22 years old and knew how to operate them. There aren't any kids in the house nor do we know anyone with kids. Guns don't go off by themselves, and putting them in the same room as their ammo is not inherently dangerous. A few months later I got my 1911, and a safe, which apparently made him feel a whole lot better. Yet he didn't comment on our other roommate keeping his loaded Beretta in a drawer.

Yesterday I came home with my Saiga 12 and the 12 round mag for it. Both my roommates looked at me funny, and then the one guy said "*** do you need 12 rounds for in a shotgun?" My reply, "I don't, but why not have 'em?" Then he proceeded to lecture me on how his Beretta 92 in .40SW loaded with FMJ would be more deadly than my Saiga with 00 buck. He had been drinking so I'll assume it was the alcohol talking.
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I'd find new roommates...
 
I wouldn't necessarily assume that because she's a veteran, she enjoys shooting. But I would assume that because she's a veteran, she wouldn't have such an irrational reaction to my mention of a gun in my trunk.
 
LUKE 22:36

And He said to them, "But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one.
New American Standard Bible (©1995)

NOW Tell them to be more Christlike and sell their armani suit and buy an AK.
 
aerod1,

Check the CHL laws, I believe carrying in a church is still prohibited in TX unless you are LE.

PC w6.035. UNLAWFUL CARRYING OF HANDGUN BY LICENSE
HOLDER. (a) A license holder commits an offense if the license
holder carries a handgun on or about the license holdets person
under the authority of Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code,
and intentionally fails to conceal the handgun.
(b) A license holder commits an offense if the license holder intentionally,
knowingly, or recklessly carries a handgun under the authority
of Subchapter H. Chapter 411, Government Code, regardless of
whether the handgun is concealed, on or about the license holder's
person:
(1) on the premises of a business that has a permit or license issued
under Chapter 25,28,32,69, or 74, Alcoholic Beverage Code, if
the business derives 51 percent or more of its income from the sale or
service of alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption, as deter40
PCw.035. TEXAS CONCEALED HANDGUN LAWS
mined by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission under Section
104.06, Alcoholic Beverage Code;
(2) on the premises where a high school, collegiate, or professional
sporting event or interscholastic event is taking place, unless
the license holder is a participant in the event and a handgun is used
in the event;
(3) on the premises of a correctional facility;
(4) on the premises of a,hospital licensed under Chapter 241.
Health and Safety Code, or on the premises of a nursing home licensed
under Chapter 242, Health and Safety Code, unless the license
holder has written authorization of the hospital or nursing home
administration, as appropriate;
(5) in an amusement park; or
(6) on the premises of a church, synagogue, or other established
place of religious worship.
 
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