Stick To Your Guns... And Bibles

The debate on gun control has sparked a heated discussion. People are adamant in their stand for or against gun regulations. If you listen to talk radio or read Facebook, you'll find passionate pleas from gun owners. Many have even quoted the old NRA slogan, "I'll give you my gun when you pry it from my cold, dead hands."

 

Those are pretty strong words! The people, on both sides of the argument, are sincere in their beliefs, and they're not going to be silenced. They are willing to fight for what they believe in.

That made me wonder: Would people be as passionate if the debate was about the Bible and our religious freedoms instead of guns? What if the government tried to ban Bibles? Would there be as much outrage as there's been over gun rights?

We are blessed in America to have the freedom to worship as we choose and to read the Bible. I pray we never lose that freedom. Our religious freedoms are already under attack. There may come a day when the government will try to ban the Bible, and that day may come sooner than we expect.

The current administration already has attempted to restrict Bibles at some military hospitals. A guideline memo issued by the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in September 2011 stated that religious items, including Bibles, could not be used or given away during visits with patients at the center. Fortunately, the rule was never enforced and was rescinded four months later.

Other religious freedoms also have faced restrictions. Last year was the 50th anniversary of the ban on prayer in public schools. It was a hotly debated issue at the time and now, decades later, the debate rages on. There have been various attempts to allow prayer back in school. However, many Christians remain virtually silent on the issue. The same is true on abortion. We've been silent for too long. It's time to stand up for the rights of the unborn.

The attacks on our religious freedoms will only increase in the last days. The Bible tells us to hold firmly to the hope we confess without wavering.

In 1 Corinthians 15:58, we're told, "Stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

We need to get fired up! We should be as passionate about the things of God as we are about guns. The day may actually come when they try to take our Bibles away. What will we do then? Will we let the Bible slip through our fingers or will they have to pry them from our hands?