Jerry Falwell Jr’s Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia opens a state-of-the-art gun range. While atheists are asking who would Jesus shoot, this looks at the issue of Liberty University and guns. Also, The Wondering Eagle asks a dark question that needs to be posed in light of evangelical culture, their obsession with guns, paranoia of the federal government and their belief they are being persecuted. Could a Waco or Ruby Ridge standoff happen at Liberty University one day?
“An armed citizenry is the best protection against tyranny. I was shocked when after the Parkland shootings the NRA became the target. The target should have been the NEA (National Education Association)”
Jerry Falwell Jr on NRATV
“We have a very pro-Second Amendment student body.”
Jerry Falwell Jr.
We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.[a] Because of the joy[b] awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.
Hebrews 12:2 NLT
Jerry Falwell Jr on NRATV
Universities often pride themselves on expansion and development. As times change and technology marches forward many universities develop programs for their campuses to reflect that change. These are some developments at differing universities around the United States. For example at Auburn University in Alabama they are constructing a new performing arts center, graduate business building, aviation education building, and renovating the engineering research laboratory. Over at the University of Chicago at the Harris School of Public Policy they are in the process of building the Keller Center. This will complement one of the top public policy schools in the United States. Also being renovated at the University of Chicago is the John Crerar Library. This historic library which the university took over has been in operation since 1897. Created will be a computer and data-science hub. Out west at Stanford University that echelon of higher learning is investing in its future. Being built is a new biology building, new graduate residences, and the first new dining hall at the university in twenty years – the Arrillaga Family Dining Hall. Over at Montana State University in Bozeman being worked on and completed in 2019 is the Norm Asbjornson Hall which is a dedicated education labs and classroom facility. Meanwhile at the University of Colorado at Boulder planned construction projects include the aerospace engineering science building, and a new residence hall. Then we get to Jerry Falwell Jr’s Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. What are they proud of and boasting to the world? Well it’s their university gun range of course.
My History with Guns
Before this post proceeds let me explain my history with guns and my thoughts. My father was a hunter and when he lived in Columbia, Missouri when he worked for the University of Missouri in Columbia he actively hunted. He hunted peasant in Missouri with a German Shorthair Pointer. I grew up influenced by my Dad, and his thoughts on guns made an impact. In the Boy Scouts at summer camp I went to the rifle range when I was younger. In time I became an Eagle Scout. Plus my Dad and I were involved in Ducks Unlimited. I was a member of the Green Wings and won a shotgun at a raffle which I own to this day. I regularly went to Ducks Unlimited with my Dad when I was growing up. From time to time my Dad and I went to a rifle range outside Fresno, California in the foothills. This was quality time that today I treasure.
When I moved from California and attended college in Helena, Montana I was in a sportsmen’s paradise. Hunting season is big and when it opened people would take the country to catch deer and elk. I had a person on my dorm floor that gave me deer sausage at the time. Wasn’t my favorite but I tried a piece. At Carroll College students could bring their guns and lock them in the safe downstairs. In Montana it used to be that college students could keep guns in their dorm rooms. That changed in May of 1990 when someone shot to death two college students in a dorm room at Montana State University in Bozeman. I am trying to remember but I think when I was younger I was a member briefly of the NRA. The NRA at the time was very different than what exists today. At the time is was more of a sportsmen organization that emphasized hunting education and training. It wasn’t as politically active like it is today. In addition to owning a shotgun that I won at Ducks Unlimited when I was younger I have also expressed interest in a handgun my family owns that used to belong to my great-uncle who was Montana’s Governor. Its a family relic, and I want to preserve and protect it. But I write all this to state that I own a gun and am a firm believer in gun sports.
A New Gun Range at the Only “University” in Virginia that has a Concealed-Carry
Liberty rolled out a new concealed-carry ahead of classes in 2016. What brought about the change in the gun policy is the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007. That was when Seung-Hui Cho, a college student who was mentally ill, went on a rampage that left 32 killed. Students at Liberty pay for the gun safe to be installed in their dorm room, and its removal. If you want to read more about the concealed-carry issue you can do so here, here and here.
In 2016 Jerry Falwell Jr. announced that Liberty University will open a state-of-the-art shooting range on campus. This was to be done to promote gun ownership and the value of the second amendment of the United States Constitution. The new complex that was announced by Falwell will also feature pistol, rifle, and shotgun facilities as well as an archery range built into the mountainside of the 7,000 acre campus. The anticipated cost when unveiled is $1 million. In an interview with the Washington Post Jerry Falwell Jr. said the following about the gun range. “This is one of the examples of how Liberty is unique and different. We really had the perfect setting for our own competitive shooting range.” The idea for the gun range came after meeting with Wayne LaPierre who is the executive vice president and chief executive officer of the National Rifle Association which is headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia.
Opening day at the Liberty Gun Range
The gun range at Liberty just recently opened. Its projected cost was much more than anticipated and came to $3 million. The range includes area to fire shotgun, rifle, and pistols. It has been named as the Liberty Mountain Gun Club. However, the university has not performed a risk management study according to what I am reading in the news. Liberty also plans to offer discount rates to law enforcement. It should also be noted that the atheist community has noticed this development and has been critical of it. You can read about that in this Friendly Atheist post, called, “Liberty University Opens “Sophisticated” Gun Range (Just Like Jesus Wanted).” If you would like to read more about gun range you can do so here, here, here and here. Also Jerry Falwell Jr. was featured on NRATV to promote and tout the program. You can watch that presentation here. I took a screen shot and have the picture from that presentation leading this post.
Some Thoughts on Liberty’s Gun Range
Up above I explained my personal views on guns. I decided to share that because of what I am about to say. I honestly have a hard time respecting Liberty University because of the Falwell clan. I still recall our country dealing with September 11, 2001 and the lives lost at the World Trade Center, Shanksville and the Pentagon and Jerry Falwell saying that it was the result of the ACLU, gays, feminists and more. I was pissed off, and his comments were entirely inappropriate. When Falwell died I was grateful that he was gone. Watching the kind words that people said and then watching Falwell on television was night and day. I often wondered if they were speaking about the same person. But now we are dealing with the son. And while I hoped things would improve now I actually miss the original Jerry Falwell in a way. Let me explain why and go into some thoughts.
The policies of Liberty have always been off the wall. To be truthful I have never understood why someone would want to attend there. John Piper is in the Neo-Calvinist camp and I have written about him a lot. His theology is different then Falwell, but when I think of a wasted life I think of someone who picks up a Liberty degree. Jerry Falwell Jr’s response to the Virginia Tech shooting in time was to have concealed-carry on Liberty’s campus. That is so jacked up. The Virginia Tech shooter was mentally ill, and with how some evangelicals are about psychology and psychiatry you can’t even have an honest discussion on mental illness. That is what Liberty should have discussed. That is what campus money and resources should have been poured into. To go from that to a gun range is highly irresponsible, and a waste on resources. For me this shows why a degree from Liberty is going to be useless. In a fundamentalist setting you can never have a top notch education. And when money is going for gun ranges and not educational programs or more then that is a profound loss. This for me also shows how evangelical Christians have a misplaced faith and priorities. The fact that this is playing into atheist criticism which in this case is righteous speaks volumes from my perspective. Jerry Falwell Jr. wants to get more guns into the hands of students, and this is coming from the same crowd that believes they are being persecuted. This leads me into a deep concern that I have to state next.
Given Some Parts of Evangelical Culture Could There be a Ruby Ridge or Waco Situation in Lynchburg, Virginia One Day?
Let me set up what I want to communicate. First I know that its highly unlikely that you will find militia activity at Liberty. Yet there are other issues in evangelicalism that I think could set the stage for a tragedy. And in writing this post I am just asking questions based off culture and history. I am asking questions that I believe should be asked. Keep in mind this this is me openly questioning. There are a number of evangelicals who are into conspiracy theories. September 11, 2001 was an inside job by the CIA. There is an international cartel that wants to control international banking and money. Hillary Clinton was involved in a pedophile ring in a pizza restaurant in NW Washington, D.C. And President Obama is a Kenyan citizen. In the last few years I watched social media of places I used to be involved in and I have shook my head in shame as to what some people believed. So when people have a conspiracy mindset, and they react to the federal government with suspicion can that create problems? For example many evangelicals have a warped perspective of what it means to be persecuted. The honest truth is that many evangelicals are the ones that are doing the persecution of others today. I have met some interesting people and some paranoid people in evangelicalism over the years. Plus some parts of evangelicalism is obsessed with guns and is very much a gun culture. Having explained the issues let me ask this question based on a possible scenario.
Imagine one day the local police in Lynchburg, Virginia get a tip that Liberty is allegedly breaking laws in how they are handling guns or stockpiling weapons at their gun range. The police follow up and Liberty denies this happened. Some people say that Liberty’s own police reinforce what the university is doing. The Lynchburg police go away and focus on other issues. Then in the course of time other incidents of alleged firearms violations are brought to the attention of law enforcement. Word actually gets to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and they hear about how local law enforcement went to Liberty and thus they decide to approach the school. Due to how some evangelicals are about their guns, combined with their sense of paranoia about the federal government and conspiracy theories; is it possible you could have a stand off between Liberty and a federal law enforcement agency? This is a question that I am asking. based on reading and researching about evangelical Christianity. Could a Waco or Ruby Ridge situation develop in Lynchburg, Virginia? Some of the people who will read this do not know what either event is. Let me briefly describe what happened. On February 28, 1993 the ATF did a raid on the Branch Davidians as led by David Koresh in Waco, Texas. Four ATF agents were killed, and 16 wounded in a massive shootout, and the FBI took over and a dangerous standoff developed. The standoff lasted for 51 days and the FBI then attempted a raid by pumping tear gas into the buildings. A fire broke out and 76 people died. While its a tragedy I will not be an apologist for the Branch Davidians. The FBI did its job. It was a tragedy but I am not into conspiracy theories. The FBI was dealing with a cult and I stand by and support the FBI in what they tried to do. What the federal government did not know was the weapons that were being stockpiled and the paranoia by the people at the Mount Caramel compound. If you want to read more about Waco you can do so here and here. Then you have the Ruby Ridge situation in Naples, Idaho in 1993. An 11 day siege developed when Randy Weaver, members of his immediate family, and friend Kevin Harris resisted agents by the United States Marshall Service (USMS). When the USMS showed up at the Weaver property after he failed to appear in court over firearms violations a shootout occurred that resulted in the death of a Deputy US Marshall, Randy Weaver’s son and the family dog. In a subsequent siege Randy Weaver’s wife was killed by an FBI sniper which happened on the first day of the siege. The siege was ended when Weaver and his family surrendered. You can read more about it here and here. Now please understand I am asking a question. I am asking this question because of my exposure and familiarity to evangelical Christian culture. When you think of how some evangelicals act about guns, deal with paranoia of the federal government, believe they are being persecuted the question must be asked. Can a Waco or Ruby Ridge like situation develop like that in Lynchburg, Virginia with Liberty University? Yes The Wondering Eagle believes that it is possible. This is a troubling post for me to write but this is a question that must be asked. After all Jerry Falwell Jr believes that guns should be made available to students. In a paranoia mindset what is the next step?
If you have Information on Liberty University and Issues you can Publish them here at The Wondering Eagle
This is not the first time I have written about Liberty University. I have written before about this troubled school. You can read more about Liberty in “Recommended Reads on Liberty University: Philip Wagner at the Chronicle of Higher Education Alludes to Stigma of a Liberty University Diploma; Plus Brandon Ambrosino on Liberty’s Alleged Tax Violations in Politico.” In that article I look at some issues that emerged at Liberty recently. One article deals with a graduate from Liberty who talks about the stigma and problem with a Liberty University diploma. The other article deals with alleged tax violations by Liberty. Liberty University will be written about more as time passes. Its with that in mind that I put out the following call for information. If former students would like to explain their experience or issues there they can do so here at this blog. There is a lot going on at Liberty and the surface has barely been scratched. So with that said, let’s scratch it and see what can be found. That is it for the day guys, know that I love you.
Wondering Eagle 
From the Declaration of Independence:
“certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. ”
Key words:
“Among These”, meaning that there are more than just 3 “unalienable” rights.
Bill of Rights:
From the Archives DOT GOV web page regarding the Bill of Rights:
“The Bill of Rights
The call for a bill of rights had been the anti-Federalists’ most powerful weapon. Attacking the proposed Constitution for its vagueness and lack of specific protection against tyranny, Patrick Henry asked the Virginia convention, “What can avail your specious, imaginary balances, your rope-dancing, chain-rattling, ridiculous ideal checks and contrivances.” The anti-Federalists, demanding a more concise, unequivocal Constitution, one that laid out for all to see the right of the people and limitations of the power of government, claimed that the brevity of the document only revealed its inferior nature. Richard Henry Lee despaired at the lack of provisions to protect “those essential rights of mankind without which liberty cannot exist.” Trading the old government for the new without such a bill of rights, Lee argued, would be trading Scylla for Charybdis.”
Bill of Rights includes the 2nd Amendment for such a purpose as what was written in the Declaration of Independence.
Amendment II, aka the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
Militia:
Not to be confused with the US ARMED FORCES. A militia is “WE THE PEOPLE”, not the government.
Those who join a militia BRING THEIR OWN GUNS. The purpose of the militia is to do what the Declaration of Independence states, which I provided, which states that it is a RIGHT AND A DUTY.
Those who join a militia BRING THEIR OWN GUNS, they are not issued.
Prudence states that the US Government will have better and more powerful weapons than TODAY’S LIBERAL VERSION of what the GOVERNMENT should do to LIMIT what kind of weapon WE THE PEOPLE can own, thereby SECURING the liberal mandate that WE THE PEOPLE have NO RIGHT to throw off a despot government, NO RIGHT to self defense, but we can HUNT with a musket, of course.
NOW, to Jesus:
Yesterday’s version of a gun was known as a SWORD.
Before Jesus died on the cross, Jesus gave a LIST OF THINGS that the disciples NEED to bring with them, AFTER, AFTER, AFTER, AFTER Jesus ascended to Heaven.
That list:
Purse
Scrip
Shoes
Swords (plural)
Not the word “AFTER” above? Especially for the word “swords”
Luke 22:35-38 KJV
35 And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.
36 Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.
DING DING DING DING…BUY A SWORD…SELL YOUR CLOTHES TO BUY ONE IF YOU DON’T HAVE ONE.
37 For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end.
38 And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.
DING DING DING DING…BUY A GUN…SELL YOUR CLOTHES TO BUY ONE IF YOU DON’T HAVE ONE.
What do you suppose Jesus MEANT in buying a sword?
SELF PROTECTION.
For the atheists, we believe in a GOD, and the Declaration of Independence mentions one. Acknowledge that.
Ed Chapman
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Sounds like a Seventies-vintage Guns & Ammo editorial.
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You know, there’s a way that I could see Liberty approaching having a gun range, one that I would not have a problem with. If they had said “We know that a lot of our students are already gun owners, and we think that any responsible gun owner should have adequate safety training before carrying a gun. So we are opening a gun range that will provide a training program for our students who own guns, and a gun safety certification from that program will be required for any student who wishes to bring a gun to campus.” I would be fine with that.
But no, they are not about education and responsibility, they are about persecution fantasies, and waving their big guns around. Ugh.
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Ubi, Dubium,
From:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2016/12/15/gun-friendly-liberty-university-to-open-on-campus-shooting-range/?utm_term=.2be0b865c663
“Falwell said that one of the reasons for the university’s aggressive posture on carrying firearms is so that the campus will be prepared in the event of an “active shooter” scenario. Falwell pointed out that that the 2007 mass shooting at Virginia Tech occurred just 85 miles west of his campus; he said the “gun-free zones” that encompass other Virginia universities make them vulnerable.
“It’s where the terrorists are most likely to strike,” Falwell said, adding that students and Liberty families approve of the university’s stance on firearms. “They don’t want to see anything happen here like at Virginia Tech, where nobody was able to fire back.””
Ed Chapman
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The best defense against an “active shooter” is to make it harder for an angry mentally disturbed teenager to get a gun. An active shooter is still going to be able to kill a lot of people before anybody shoots back. And a lot of armed civilians means a lot more gun accidents, which kill more people than mass shooters do.
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I have to say, I disagree. We didn’t have MENTALLY ILL people a generation ago going around shooting people in school. And by GENERATION, I mean BEFORE the first school shooting ever happened.
We’ve had guns in this nation since it’s founding. People who are NOT mentally ill RESPECT the law, generally speaking. Criminals do not respect laws, period. We had mentally ill people in this nation for quite a number of generations. Guns and Mentally ill people have been around for eons. We never had this problem before THIS generation.
The LAW ENFORCEMENT failed the last one. But it’s too convenient to blame NRA.
When I was a child, I took a GUN SAFETY course AT SCHOOL, at the young age of TWELVE. I am 53 years old. The worst violence at school in those days was the semi annual FIST FIGHT, for which BOTH parties generally verbally agreed to. CHILDREN RESPECTED ADULTS, and did as they were told, generally. Bully’s existed in those days, but were dealt with much differently, and with authority that generated fear in the bully. NO ONE would have ever thought to have brought a gun to school to kill the bully.
Guns are not the problem. THIS GENERATION is the problem. My ex-wife and I just today were discussing our daughter. We both agree that this generation has an ENTITLED problem. They think respect is earned. We both grew up KNOWING respect is NOT EARNED. We grew up with RESPECT YOUR ELDERS. I grew up with CHILDREN SHOULD BE SEEN AND NOT HEARD. I got spanked. I was swatted with a paddle at school. Three different times. We believe in DISCIPLINE. Today’s generation is way too lackadaisical in raising children to OBEY adults. NO ONE in my generation talked back to adults, but if they did, they’d get the back hand to the face, and yes, they’d leave a red mark, and no one thought that was abusive.
We have a CULTURE problem, as well noted from the last two episodes of ROSANNE.
Ed Chapman
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> The best defense against an “active shooter” is to make it harder for an angry mentally disturbed teenager to get a gun.
No, the best defense is someone else who is armed.
The average time for an active shooter event is 8.5 minutes
as per the office of homeland security. Police always
arrive after the incident is done already, and carnage
has been levied.
Parkland: 17 dead in just 6 minutes.
Maryland: 1 dead, then shooter eliminated after
confronted with an armed presence within
the school within a minute.
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Possible.
There are a lot of factors which could come together in a Perfect Storm situation:
Just add a little Cosmic Justification by Divine Right.
And the fact that with both JFJr and Franklin Graham, we see a pattern of increasing extremism/fanaticism with each generation.
Though JFJr really needed to announce this wearing crimson speedos, black hooker boots, ponytail, and Fu Manchu ‘stache. Would have been SO appropriate:
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just a few thoughts from someone who wept for a month over the recent massacre in Florida . . . and who DOES want any organization or politician held accountable that preaches ‘do nothing, do nothing, do nothing’ as more and more kids are targeted . . .. the NRA is big money and big politics and the WORST is that it may have been used as a channel for foreign money to be sent into the Trump campaign (guess which country is suspected)
Falwell JR. rides the Trump tiger . . . . when the whole Trump/Russia thing breaks wide open, I am fearful of violence as the Trump base seems to be being ‘primed’ for it, should Trump be asked to answer for his actions, depending on what the special prosecutor and his team find
someday we will know . . . . and if it doesn’t go Trump’s way . . . . . there will be a re-action, but WHAT? and HOW? I hope cooler heads prevail when the time comes.
Trump is not above the law. I want to see him held accountable, but I would rather see it happen in November when the Blue Wave removes Trump’s House of Representative minions. . . .
I hope for peaceful resolution, but things don’t look so good and Falwell JR. is not helping at all.
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Christiane,
As far as I am concerned, the NRA has nothing to do with criminals who have no respect for the law. The NRA did not fail here. Law Enforcement failed to enforce the law.
The NRA supports the law, and that law is the 2nd Amendment in which the US FEDERAL GOVERNMENT cannot infringe upon at all, not one iota, not one jot or tittle. And why? Because the 2nd Amendment is part of the Bill of Rights, and NO ONE can take that away from ANY citizen without DUE PROCESS.
A Felon cannot have a gun, but due process occurs first before that is declared. One can forfiet their rights, but not have it arbitrarily taken away without that due process.
People reported TWICE to the FBI, about the guy in Florida. The FBI did nothing. The local Sheriff knew about this guy, and they did nothing.
The school had a DEAL with local law enforcement to NOT REPORT YOUTH CRIMES, because schools with less reported crimes got more money for the schools.
Where did the NRA come into play with all that? The answer is, they didn’t. It’s all a political stunt by the left
There are laws to PREVENT what happened, and no one IN THE LAW, followed the law. This could have all been prevented if Law Enforcement had enforced the law. This kid’s due process would have been many months PRIOR to the shooting, had law enforcement done their job.
But all the left, and Wondering who denies he is a left winger, all scream that it’s the NRA fault. Go figure.
Ed Chapman
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He’s far from the only one (see above replies to your comment).
As in Trump goes on Twitter and the streets fill with the Faithful packing armbands, tiki torches, and AR-15s? I’ve heard that speculated about if Trump loses the 2020 elections; the guy always struck me as a VERY sore loser.
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Wondering,
In addition to what I just told Christiane, I also wish to point out the case of that BUNDY guy in, what was it, Nevada, I think?
He was acquitted recently.
But let’s go back a while, regarding what the FBI was going to do.
A MILITIA showed up, and the FBI backed off.
And since BUNDY was aquitted, it shows that the FBI was NOT in the right, and the MILITIA was right to defend Bundy against the government.
That is what the 2nd Amendment is all about. Those guns were PRIVATELY OWNED guns of the CITIZENS of the United States of America.
In order to be in a militia, you bring your own guns, which means that gun ownership is a prerequisite to membership in a militia.
Try taking those guns away! See what happens. The NRA will be doing what they are doing now, which is defending those rights of WE THE PEOPLE to bear arms, and proving that those arms in the 2nd amendment is not about hunting rabbit in the forest at all.
Ed Chapman
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There are issues with how Liberty trains their pastors to run churches like CEOs of a business. I’ve experienced enough examples of them to believe it’s an issue. But that isn’t germane to the gun issue. While their rhetoric is sometimes needlessly combative, and sometimes reckless, I believe there’s far more likely to be a shooting in a “gun-free zone” which are notoriously soft targets, rather than a place like Liberty, where the shooter would wonder if anyone there is packing.
Given that these incidents take an average of 8.5 minutes to play out, as per the office of homeland security, the potential of having an armed presence to end any active shooter incident before there are multiple casualties is far more likely at Liberty. I’d feel far safer in a place like Liberty, and safer having my daughter sent there, than at a “gun free” campus.
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Where there’s easy prey, The Predators will Swarm.
Kzinti are not impressed by Moral Vegan Pacifism.
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Problem is, with Culture War Christians, GUN RIGHTS have become yet another Salvation-Level Doctrine.
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