Islamist Terror Demands Vatican Catholic Defense

Titusville, FL – “With Islamist terrorists murdering, plundering and raping in the Middle East and threatening our homeland, church officials and others must overcome their fear of private citizen firearms possession,” gun rights expert John M. Snyder stated here today.

“They should endorse individuals’ gun rights in America and throughout the world,” he added.

“Since Christians, and especially Catholics, appear to be bearing the brunt of terrorist savagery, it is crucial that officials of the Vatican and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) promote the individual right of Catholics and others to keep and bear arms,” Snyder said.

“Militant terrorists of the Islamic State (IS), known until recently as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), are on the march,” Snyder stated. “They are murdering, even decapitating, Catholics and others throughout the Middle East. They are on a campaign of rape, pillage and destruction.

“American officials warn against IS attacks in our homeland. These warnings come from United States intelligence and congressional sources, including Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI), Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. Concerned people cannot tolerate clerical hoplophobia.”

“Fortunately, according to press reports, His Holiness Pope Francis has appealed for certain military protection of populations under attack from elements of the so-called Islamic caliphate,” Snyder noted.

“This is a good first step,” Snyder continued. “What’s needed beyond this is Vatican abandonment of its support for unreasonable treaty restrictions on international small arms trade. Terrorist entities could care less about such restrictions. People who need guns to defend themselves and their families are the ones who would be affected adversely by this kind of treaty.

“At least one Middle East leader, Massud Barzani of Kurdistan, has offered to provide arms for Christian volunteers, creating self-defense groups to resist IS, according to Fides, reports Catholic World News. It seems the Vatican could and should say and do what it can to help out its own co-religionists.”

Snyder said, “USCCB should terminate its disgraceful support for the criminalization of private handgun possession. Such criminalization would eliminate practically the ability of law-abiding citizens to defend themselves and others from criminals, including terrorists.

“Catholic Church officials and clergy generally must abandon pacifism. It is dangerous to follow such a philosophy in the real world. The clergy should see reality for what it is. Let them realize people need guns for protection. As Christ Our Lord and Savior Himself proclaimed, ‘The man without a sword must sell his cloak and buy one,’ according to Luke 22:36.”

“Holy Michael the Archangel,” petitions a traditional prayer, “defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do you, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the divine power, cast into hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through the world seeking the ruin of souls.”

“Amen,” affirms Snyder, a practicing Catholic.

About John Snyder:
Named the Gun Dean by Human Events, “the senior rights activist in Washington” by Shotgun News, a “champion of the right to self-defense” by The Washington Times, and “dean of gun lobbyists” by The Washington Post and The New York Times, John M. Snyder has spent 45 years as a proponent of the individual Second Amendment civil right to keep and bear arms as a National Rifle Association editor, public affairs director of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, treasurer of the Second Amendment Foundation, and founder of www.GunRightsPolicies.org.

A former Jesuit seminarian, Snyder is founder/manager of Telum Associates, LL.C., founder/chairman of the St. Gabriel Possenti Society, Inc., a director of Council for America, and serves on the boards of the National Association of Chiefs of Police and the American Federation of Police & Concerned Citizens. He is also the author of the book Gun Saint. Visit: www.GunRightsPolicies.org