BlogLine

Ban on Guns in Church Upheld

8/13/12

By: Sun Choy
In GeorgiaCarry.org v. Georgia, the Eleventh Circuit upheld Georgia’s 2010 ban on guns in places of worship. The Baptist Tabernacle of Thomaston and GeorgiaCarry.org, a gun rights group, claimed that the ban violated their constitutionally protected religious freedoms and their right to bear arms. In rejecting plaintiffs’ argument that guns were necessary to protect the congregation, the court noted:
At various points, Plaintiffs allege that they would like to carry a handgun in a place of worship for the protection either of themselves, their family, their flock, or other members of the Tabernacle. Plaintiffs conclude by alleging that the Carry Law interferes with their free exercise of religion by prohibiting them from engaging in activities in a place of worship when those activities are generally permitted throughout the State. That Plaintiffs “would like” to carry a firearm in order to be able to act in “self-defense” is a personal preference, motivated by a secular purpose…
Given the passionate views of plaintiffs, I would not be surprised if they are considering an appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States.