Asking the Clergy: What does your faith say about gun ownership?

The Valentine’s Day shootings in Parkland, Florida, have forced Americans to re-examine issues such as interpretation of the Second Amendment and gun control. This week’s clergy discuss how the faithful should interpret gun rights within the bounds of their religious teachings.

The Rev. Linda Anderson

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at Stony Brook

Unitarian Universalism is a non-creedal faith with Protestant roots. Among its foundational principles today are an honoring of the individual’s search for truth and meaning, the right of individual conscience, and respect for the inherent worth of every person. These are among the principles guiding decisions on moral and life issues, including gun ownership. Therefore, Unitarian Universalism would leave decisions about gun ownership up to the individual. Where we would have something to say would be in the arena of the responsibilities of such ownership, both individual and societal. Unitarian Universalism asks each of us to consider the purpose of owning a gun and the suitability of the gun owned to its purpose. When the type of gun we want would do nothing but harm to others and ourselves, the law must step in to protect human life. For instance, we would consider whether assault weapons in the hands of private citizens, however legal, serve any purpose other than destruction of life. It would ask us to “understand how we can reduce the likelihood, or at least the frequency, of mass shootings by understanding the factors that lead to gun violence, what changes in public policy might mitigate or reduce gun violence, and how we and other people and communities of faith might advocate for such changes” (uua.org). In other words, what is the purpose of the guns we own, and do the guns we own reasonably suit that purpose?

David Listen

Former Buddhist monk and Buddhism instructor in the greater New York City area

Buddhist scriptures, commentaries and texts on ethics do not contain specific guidelines on gun or weapon ownership, according to my knowledge. However, Buddhist nuns and monks who follow the specialized code of monastic ethics are encouraged not to even touch weapons. For laypersons, there are no rules saying that a person cannot own a gun or weapon. However, a core teaching of Buddhism — similar to the ethical teachings of all religions — says “to refrain from killing.” The heart of Buddhist ethics is to do no harm, thus killing or maiming living beings is prohibited. Beyond that, Buddhists are encouraged to protect all life — not only their own kin or fellow Buddhists, but all beings. The safety and well-being of one individual affects the safety of all beings. Therefore, to even consider using a weapon to deal with a problem is the utmost last resort, because it brings about harm. However, Buddhist teaching also points out that if a person does not act out of hatred, craving or fixed views, and one needs to defend oneself or others from immanent threat, then there may be cases where using weapons is necessary. Therefore, gun ownership is not necessarily prohibited or encouraged; rather, the intention behind using a gun or weapon is the essential point.

Rabbi Mendy Goldberg

Lubavitch of the East End, Coram

Any time an event occurs such as the tragedy in Parkland, Florida, we are all devastated by the horror and senselessness of it all. Judaism teaches that preserving human life is the greatest deed one can do, and murder is the most depraved attack on man and G-d there can be. How can we preserve human life and avoid future such occurrences and misfortunes? Judaism views weapons and their possession as a reproach to mankind, and it is forbidden to have anything likely to cause damage. Some rabbinical authorities forbid raising a dangerous dog even if it is kept chained. This would indicate that a dangerous object — such as a gun — is forbidden, even if it is safeguarded. However, those same rabbis point out that in a dangerous area, one may keep a bad-tempered dog chained by day but allow it to patrol one’s property by night. If we are told by G-d to defend ourselves, we may possess the wherewithal to do so. In today’s world, there is no better tool — if G-d forbid it comes to this — than a firearm. This is part of a range of obligations centered on preserving our health and well-being, as well as the obligation to defend ourselves or a third party against aggression. Yet, Jewish law forbids the sale of arms to people who are suspected of criminal intentions, clearly demonstrating the responsibility to enforce background checks on prospective arms owners. We need to be responsible with things that may be dangerous, not prevented from having them. Let us hope and pray for that time, when, as it is written: “And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, And a wolf shall live with a lamb.” (Isaiah 11:6-9).