April 25, 1997

Ministry groups call Christians to arms
Gospel Plow says believers have a responsibility to own weapons
By Charles H. Featherstone
Logan
Herald Journal

Did Jesus tell his followers to turn the other cheek and love their neighbors as themselves?

Or did he instead tell them to praise the Lord and pass the ammunition?

Gospel Plow, a Christian ministry in Sedalia, Colo., thinks it knows. That's why it has produced The Christian's Guide to Small Arms, an amazing little electronic book for the Windows 3.1 and Windows 95 computer systems, and stuck it on its World Wide Web site.

Quoting the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 22, verses 35 through 38 -- in which Jesus instructs his disciples to go out and sell their cloaks to buy swords -- Gospel Plow warns that the United Nations and other anti-Christian forces are out to occupy and destroy Christian America.

"The most probable scenario that the Christian American, called to fight fo God, family and country, will be presented with is that of guerrilla resistance," begins the section on ammunition. "The wisest course in this situation is to choose weapons and tactics that minimize supply, training and maintenance problems."

The book is organized into eight sections, covering ammunition, types of weapons, safety, becoming a good marksman, religious and historical reasons Christians should be well-armed, and a whole host of documents -- from the U.S. Constitution to Patrick Henry's "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death" speech and two essays by Operation Rescue founder Randall Terry.

It's a thorough primer on firearms, containing information and pictures on more than a hundred rifles, pistols and shotguns. It gives cost, weight and length of the weapon, as well as general availability.

There are also some nifty hints. Having trouble loading your SKS from a zip-clip? A little paraffin wax rubbed on the clip should do the trick.

The guide never sways from the avowedly holy mission of learning to hit the target.

"In time, with dedication and experience, the shooter will become a skilled marksman. His weapon will come quickly and smoothly into action with the sights aligned, trigger squeeze and steady hold will seem second nature, the bullet will leave the bore of a weapon that is in complete control ... may Christ have mercy on the enemy's soul for his body is forfeit," the guide declares.

Gospel Plow isn't giving the Christian's Guide to Small Arms away, however. After an opening animation of a sword, a screen comes up asking for a $25 donation to the ministry.

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