MEH
Member
I got into a discussion with my Pastor this morning about this... I decided to post the resolution for the rest of you to see.
I'd also appreciate any suggestion on how to explain why these anti-gun bills won't work, and why we shouldn't be supporting bills to limit freedom.
I'd also appreciate any suggestion on how to explain why these anti-gun bills won't work, and why we shouldn't be supporting bills to limit freedom.
RESOLUTION #2008-06
RESOLUTION TO 2008 ANNUAL CONFERENCE SESSION
Pertaining To Support For “One Handgun A Month” Legislation In Pa.
Presented By: Church And Society And A United Methodist Witness Pa
WHEREAS: The United Methodist Church has a long history of support for gun control
legislation. The Social Principles 164 F states the position on the use of violence. Furthermore, the
Bible discusses the following imperatives;
1) The Sixth Commandment, “Thou Shall not kill,” not only forbids killing; it also implies
that we are obligated to prevent harm and to preserve life and the well-being of human
life;
2) The book of Isaiah (1:17) encourages us to seek justice, Isaiah (65:29) speaks of a time
when man will neither harm or destroy.
3) Micah 6:8 NRSV “He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to
walk humbly with your God?
4) In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus calls us to be peacemakers by saying “Blessed are the
peacemakers, for they will be called Children of God”; (Matthew 5:9 NSRV)
WHEREAS: An increase in the incidence of handgun violence has occurred in recent years, with
the attendant result of increased deaths. According to Law Enforcement’s Uniform Crime Reports,
in the year 2007 in the Central Pa. Conference the murder rate (expressed in per 100,000) in some of
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our larger cities is as follows: Harrisburg 21.0, York 3.07, Williamsport 3.3, and Columbia 6.31 and,
The overall rate for Pennsylvania is 6.2; and
WHEREAS: The Commonwealth’s existing gun laws make multiple handgun purchases easy and
cheap encouraging the illegal trade in handguns. According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and
Firearms (ATF), the enabling factor in the illegal handgun distribution system in our Commonwealth
is “straw purchasing” of handguns in bulk by eligible individuals who are, in fact, stand-ins for
prohibited felons who traffic in guns. They then sell to drug dealers, violent teens, and gang
members; and
WHEREAS: Statistics provided by the (ATF) Crime Gun Trace Analysis indicate that 76% of the
guns used in the commission of a crime in Philadelphia were originally legally purchased within the
Commonwealth. However, nearly 87% of that total were not at the time of the commission of the
crime in the hands of the original legal purchaser of that weapon; and
WHEREAS: By limiting purchases to no more than one handgun in a 30-day period, legislation
would disrupt straw purchases and seriously decrease the number of handguns available to the
criminal element for use in violent criminal purposes. Reducing the supply would also reduce the
incidence of handgun injury and death within the Central Pa. Conference. Substantial evidence shows
that these laws effectively reduce illegal handgun trafficking without negative impact on lawful gun
commerce.
WHEREAS: a recent survey, by Greenberg Research, demonstrated that most Pennsylvanians
(70%) support enactment of a One Handgun A Month law, and almost all Pennsylvanians (96%)
support a law to require the reporting of lost or stolen handguns.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That the congregations in the Central Pa.
Conference call upon the House and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairs as well as Governor Rendell
to enact and sign legislation to place limits on the purchase of handguns by individuals; require
reporting of lost or stolen handguns and track registrations; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Board of Church and Society request that the
Conference Secretary communicate this resolution to Governor Rendell and Judiciary Chairs; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Board of Church and Society be empowered to form a
fully-diverse taskforce to work in coordination with other groups vigorously and continually towards
enactment of the aforesaid One-Handgun-a-Month legislation until such time as it is signed into law;
AND FINALLY, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Eastern Pa. Conference of The
United Methodist Church encourage the aforementioned taskforce to provide educational materials
and resources to congregations in its jurisdiction. These materials should provide information on 1.)
the gun violence epidemic, 2.) the causes and affects of readily accessible guns, 3.) how the One-
Handgun-a-Month legislation will reduce the supply and the number of handgun deaths, 4.) and
finally, afford them a mechanism to use their voices to seek enactment of said legislation, corporately
and individually.
Person Responsible for Presenting Resolution: Rev. David Tatgenhorst
I made a similar suggestion to my Brother on the way home.
