Episcopal leaders in Massachusetts are rallying alongside gun safety advocates to preserve a sweeping state gun control law against a campaign seeking to repeal it by voter referendum.
The Massachusetts Legislature voted overwhelmingly in 2024 to adopt the law, which further strengthened the state’s already substantial protections against gun violence. It implemented new prohibitions on guns in public places, imposed stricter licensing requirements related to mental health history, enhanced “red flag” measures for specific threats, expanded the definition of illegal “assault-style firearms” and outlawed “ghost guns,” those made privately to avoid tracking.
Since then, pro-gun advocates have objected, and they forced a referendum onto the ballot in Massachusetts’ general election this November. Unless a majority of voters say “yes” to the law, it will be repealed.
The Boston-based Diocese of Massachusetts, which includes congregations in the eastern half of the state, has gone on record opposing the law’s repeal. Its Diocesan Council endorsed the “yes” campaign in a vote on April 16, and Bishop Julia Whitworth has personally gotten behind the efforts to maintain the law.
“Episcopalians regularly promise, through our Baptismal Covenant, to strive for justice and peace, and to respect the dignity of every human being. This compels us to take action to prevent gun violence, in the name of our faith,” Whitworth said in a written statement to Episcopal News Service.
— David Paulsen in Massachusetts Episcopalians rally behind effort to preserve state’s strict gun safety measures
Episcopalian church leadership has a tendency to make stuff up.
‘ “Episcopalians regularly promise, through our Baptismal Covenant, to strive for justice and peace, and to respect the dignity of every human being. This compels us to take action to prevent gun violence, in the name of our faith,’ Whitworth said in a written statement to Episcopal News Service.’
First, their ‘Baptismal Covenant’ does say “Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?” and the response from the people is “I will, with God’s help.”
The false part is “This compels us to take action to prevent gun violence, in the name of our faith,’ – its false dogma.
‘gun violence’ is a false term – its criminal violence [valid self-defense, and suicide, are not ‘gun violence’ – valid self-defense is allowed by mans law and by Gods word thus not criminal in the eyes of mans law or Gods word, suicide is a personal choice of self-inflicted harm. This leaves only criminal violence by criminals who commit violence and not guns committing violence.]. Criminal violence is a matter of mans law.
In the old testament [Micah 6:8, Isaiah 1:17, Psalm 82:3] ‘justice application’ is defined for believers, and God cautions in other sections of the bible against mixing mans dogma (the law in this case) with Gods word. Later, in the new testament we find the words and teachings of Jesus where he is teaching [echoing in direct example Gods word, holding up a coin] says (the context line of the passage) “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.”
Criminal violence is a matter of mans law, ‘Caesar’ – it is not a matter of ‘in the name of our faith’ or intervention by the church or believers.
It is false that their ‘Baptismal Covenant’ compels them to “take action to prevent gun violence, in the name of our faith.” – This is false dogma, mixing the purview of mans law with a claim of ‘their faith’ in Gods word to create a concept believers and the church are not suppose to be involved with. This is not in the name of their faith, this is in the name of left wing anti-gun activism.