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Do we need greater gun control?: Jewish texts support right to bear arms as ethical obligation
J Weekly - Covering the SF Jewish Bay Area ^
| January 10, 2013
| Robert D. Altabet
Posted on 01/10/2013 11:37:05 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
The tragic Newtown shooting has led to renewed calls for gun control by Conservative and Reform Jewish leaders, who have highlighted this as a religious issue (As Jews, we must act against gun violence now, op-ed, Dec. 21).
These emotional reactions are understandable, but their one-sided presentation of Jewish tradition fails to distinguish between the requirements of the real world and our hopes for the messianic age.
Jewish tradition speaks both to defense preparation and the need for_training and safety with the best tools available, firearms, which are susceptible to misuse in the wrong hands.
Exodus 13:10 tells us, The Israelites were well armed when they left Egypt. Speaking to this verse, Nachmanides says the right to arms is a characteristic of free men, and the Jewish nation did not go out looking like fleeing slaves, but went out as an independent people that could be armed.
The commentator Meam Loez ponders how the Egyptians were able to gain control over the Israelites, since the Israelites were so numerous and powerful, suggesting the use of subterfuge to take away the Israelites weapons.
Though that Midrash may not be historically true, it offers insight into the values of the Passover Haggadahs authors, who could not understand how their forebears did not have weapons to defend against oppression. This year we are slaves, the Haggadah reads, and in the coming year we will be free men. In 1848, Rabbi Ehrenburg of Berlin published a Haggadah omitting that line, in the belief that German Jews had gained freedom and were no longer enslaved. With hindsight, we see his error.
Exodus 22:2 permits killing an intruder as a justifiable homicide, Rashi explains. Even when the thief has not shown deadly intent, one can assume such intent, since the thief is prepared to murder...
(Excerpt) Read more at jweekly.com ...
TOPICS: Current Events; Judaism; Moral Issues; Religion & Politics
KEYWORDS: banglist; guncontrol; secondamendment
To: 2ndDivisionVet
If you read 1 Samuel you will find that “gun control” is nothing new.
The Israelites could not sharpen their weapons or implements without the consent and oversight of the Philistines.
2
posted on
01/10/2013 11:49:41 PM PST
by
conserv8
(It's not the end, it's the beginning.)
To: 2ndDivisionVet
"Gun Control" is
a firm grip, steady breathing, accurate aim (developed by lots of practice), and a slow trigger pull.
The Swiss have got it CORRECT !
We need to learn
from the Swiss and implement their
"gun control measures" here in the United States right now, today!
" Today, military service for Swiss males is universal. At about age 20, every Swiss male goes through 118 consecutive days of recruit training in the Rekrutenschule. ...
Even before required training begins, young men and women may take optional courses with the Swiss army's M57 assault rifle.
They keep that gun at home for three months and receive six half-day training sessions.
From age 21 to 32, a Swiss man serves as a "frontline" troop in the Auszug, and devotes three weeks a year (in eight of the 12 years) to continued training.
From age 33 to 42, he serves in the Landwehr (like America's National Guard); every few years, he reports for two-week training periods.
Finally, from ages 43, to 50, he serves in the Landsturm; in this period, he only spends 13 days total in "home guard courses."
Over a soldier's career he also spends scattered days on mandatory equipment inspections and required target practice.
Thus, in a 30-year mandatory military career, a Swiss man only spends about one year in direct military service.
Following discharge from the regular army, men serve on reserve status until age 50 (55 for officers).
By the Federal Constitution of 1874, military servicemen are given their first equipment, clothing and arms.
After the first training period, conscripts must keep gun, ammunition and equipment an ihrem Wohnort ("in their homes") until the end of their term of service.
Today, enlisted men are issued M57 AUTOMATIC assault rifles and officers are given pistol.
Each reservist is issued 24 rounds of ammunition in sealed packs for emergency use.(Contrary to Handgun Control's claim that "all ammunition must be accounted for," the emergency ammunition is the only ammo that requires accounting.)
After discharge from service, the man is given a bolt rifle free from registration or obligation.
Starting in the 1994, the government will GIVE ex-reservists assault rifles. Officers carry pistols rather than rifles and are given their pistols the end of their service.
When the government adopts a new infantry rifle, it sells the old ones to the public.
Reservists are encouraged to buy MILITARY ammunition(7.5 and 5.6mm-5.56 mm in other countries-for rifles and 9 and 7.65 mm Luger for pistols)
which is sold AT COST by the government, for target practice .
Non-military ammunition for long-gun hunting and .22 Long Rifle (LR) ammo are not subsidised, but are subiect to NO sales controls.
Non-military non-hunting ammunition more powerful than .22 LR (such as .38 Spl.) is registered at the time of sale.
Swiss military ammo must be registered IF bought at a private store, BUT NEED NOT BE REGISTERED IF bought at a range.
The nation's 3,000 shooting ranges sell the overwhelming majority of ammunition.
Technically, ammunition bought at the range must be used at the range, but the rule is barely known and almost never obeyed.
The army SELLS a variety of machine guns, submachine guns, anti-tank weapons, anti-aircraft guns, howitzers and cannons.
Purchasers of these weapons require an EASILY OBTAINED cantonal license, and the weapons are registered.
In a nation of six million people, there are at least two million guns, including 600,000 FULLY AUTOMATIC assault rifles, half a million pistols, and numerous machine guns.
Virtually every home has a gun.
Besides SUBSIDIZED military surplus, the Swiss can buy other firearms easily too.
While long guns require NO special purchase procedures, handguns are sold only to those with a Waffenerwerbsschien (purchase certificate) issued by a cantonal authority.
A certificate is issued to every applicant over 18 who is not a criminal or mentally infirm.
There are NO restrictions on the carrying of long guns.
About half the cantons have strict permit procedures for carrying handguns, and the other half have NO rules at all.
There is NO discernible difference in the crime rate between the cantons as a result of the different policies.
Thanks to a lawsuit brought by the Swiss gun lobby, semi-automatic rifles require NO PURCHASE PERMIT and are NOT registered by the government.
Thus, the ONLY long guns registered by the government are FULL AUTOMATICS."
The Swiss have got it CORRECT !
Remember:
The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they TRY to take it.
Read
Second Amendment: Its Not About Hunting, IT'S ABOUT TYRANNY .
3
posted on
01/11/2013 12:03:40 AM PST
by
Yosemitest
(It's Simple ! Fight, ... or Die !)
To: 2ndDivisionVet
He has the wrong verse. It isn’t Exodus 13:10.
Exodus 13
18
But G-d led the people about, by the way of the wilderness by the Red Sea; and the children of Israel went up armed out of the land of Egypt.
4
posted on
01/11/2013 12:22:11 AM PST
by
MestaMachine
(Sometimes the smartest man in the room is standing in the midst of imbeciles.)
To: 2ndDivisionVet
5
posted on
01/11/2013 12:39:01 AM PST
by
JoeProBono
(A closed mouth gathers no feet - Mater tua caligas exercitus gerit ;-{)
Comment #6 Removed by Moderator
To: dennisw; Cachelot; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; Lent; GregB; ..
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7
posted on
01/11/2013 5:13:06 AM PST
by
SJackson
(The Pilgrims—Doing the jobs Native Americans wouldn’t do !)
To: dennisw; Cachelot; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; Lent; GregB; ..
Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume
If youd like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
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posted on
01/11/2013 5:13:28 AM PST
by
SJackson
(The Pilgrims—Doing the jobs Native Americans wouldn’t do !)
To: dennisw; Cachelot; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; Lent; GregB; ..
Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume
If youd like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
..................
9
posted on
01/11/2013 5:14:26 AM PST
by
SJackson
(The Pilgrims—Doing the jobs Native Americans wouldn’t do !)
To: 2ndDivisionVet
I have been having a great deal of revelation about gun control and self defense.
I believe we are to both turn the other cheek and comfort our enemies, and also rise up when God builds His army. There is a time for both concepts.
The Lord, God, our Father is a movement of mercy and justice. The left has a social justice movement , and is trying to rob God of his plans to bring people into redemption in peaceful ways. But the ability to shake his kingdom, even violently, is always there.
The left , as usual, wants to control mercy and justice- away from God.
So- God tells us there is a time for everything under the sun, even war.
We, as faithful, are not to war until we are directed to do so. And then when we are fighting because we are seeking the kingdom, we are to protect ourselves and arm ourselves and be courageous.
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