Megachurch In Alabama May Get Its Own Police Force

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But would I be allowed to come back?
Despite the media attention terrorism is getting these days, the idea that any and all churches around the country live in danger is - I'm sorry to say - simply paranoid. If a church is located in somewhere like Pakistan or Egypt, that would be a different story.
And just who is this civil servant?

A terrorist incident has happened, in my area, of which was aware, near a center for autistic people. Terroristic threats were made in my parent's church, and some pastors have reported being attacked with a weapon, in this country.


Law enforcement, at the time, was given some kind of warning, and passed it around the church, informally.

I'm sorry. I don't mean to be so rude, but it doesn't seem like I've gotten past your normalcy bias. I am apolitical. Yes, it does happen, here. They come from Pakistan, or whichever, Islamist country.

Well, where do you reside?

Depend on the power of the church, if it's able to bypass law forces, which they may well be eventually able to do if it got it's own police force, nothing prevent the church leaders to strike in some way against those opposed to their ideas: modern democratic governments got some measures to mitigate such abuse, not religions.

Well, look at it this way, at least the state would be separated from policing the church.

The church could also be then the de facto state.

The church police will be allowed to thump non-believers with bibles.You will be beat if you don't give your pew seat to a member of the congregation if the church is at capacity.Heathens will be forcibly baptized by the church po-po.

Campus police a pretty common, not weird at all. The Catholic university where I grew up had it's own police force too even tho it was in the middle of the city, it's not a great area and it's a big school so more security is needed.

Megachurch seems to imply there are a lot of people attending service or the extent of the services they provide, I agree that people are letting their anti-Christian prejudice cloud their judgment.

"Jesus commanded Peter, 'Put your sword away!'" (John 18:11, NIV), and then He healed the ear that had just been whacked.

I could understand congregants wanting one or more watchmen on the wall for the sake of some security, but "legal protections if they shoot anybody" already exist and having gun wavers present would be like wearing "Kick me!" on one's back.

You would just leave.

When church is over, of course.

Here is a true story of "a little old lady" giving some thought to security at a synagogue...

I was once sitting in a meeting room in a synagogue when an elderly woman came to the door of the room and was trying to peek in. The Rabbi, also a female, went to the door and asked the woman what she might be able to do for her...
"Are you all okay?", the woman asked.
"Yes," said the Rabbi, "we are fine. Why do you ask?"
Said the woman, "I saw the motorcycles outside and thought maybe you were all being held hostage in here."
"No, we are fine," said the Rabbi, and the woman said "Okay, just checking..." and then turned and walked away.
At that point said I to the Rabbi, "I might be concerned if there were *no* motorcycles out there!" After all, and as the Rabbi knew, that is where I had parked mine before coming inside.

Also, if you don't respect the pastor, as a moral authority, you shouldn't come.

I practice what I preach.

Respecting someone, and disagreeing with them on certain matters, is not inconsistent.
Theology is one thing, while science and politics are quite another when it comes to church.

Megachurches are usually repurposed sports arenas.

The "congregation" can be 50 thousand.

Half of them might "get the spirit", and start writhing on the floor, and speaking in tongues!

So yeah, the venue might need its own police force to keep order.

Whether or not we believe that the signs and wonders have ceased, at the original Pentecost, in the original context, they were supposed to be orderly and meaningful -- not chaotic.

Speaking of the need for strongmen, in the sanctuary (and, I realize that this is not coming from the far right of Calvinism) self-reporting demoniacs have attempted to harm the pastors, with live weapons.

Whether or not that's your worldview, it's still a crazy person, there, to kill you.

The onus is being placed on overly-pious Christians, but not on anti-missionaries, infiltrating the church.



A term, which is often used by charismatics. Maybe, you will think it is sexist --
Jezebel spirit.

In the Bible story, she presumes ownership, over Naboth's orchard.

Either, the pastor, the elders, or some governing body, are the presumptive authorities, over that establishment.

Stealing someone's soapboax, or his thunder, or generally making him look like an ass, is being an interloper.

You could start your own church, where anyone is allowed to interject, at will. You could be your own schism. But, I wouldn't want to take responsibility, for a group of people, who wouldn't meet me, halfway. Would you be able to get a word in edgewise.

The original temple would have guards and was considered a likeness of heaven, which also has guardian angels.

In the parable of the wedding feast (Matt 22) or of the 10 virgins, not all are admitted.

Adam and Eve are kept out of the Garden.

You are supposed to be afflicted with a version of systematic thinking, yet fail to grasp the concept of sanctified space.

If you are a gatherer, and not a scatterer, along the lines of Korah (Num 26), then gather. Don't hijack the initiative, which others have taken, when founding the establishment. Spread out, and collect more hungry people.