TexasCHLforum.com

They did it... They graduated it from non-binding handbook policy to legal oral notification by reading an official statement from the church's Southwest Area leaders. I am not happy with this flawed policy.

(1) The statement indicated that Texas had made it legal effective 9/1 to carry weapons in church. Someone has been listening to flawed news reports rather than being familiar with the law. 46.035(i) legalized it many years ago. Whether they knew it or not, they already ran a years-long field trial where concealed carry was legally allowed in the church, and license holders didn't cause any problems. If they were trying to nip this in the bud before people started legally carrying at church, they missed the chance by several years.

(2) The rationale about being a safe haven for worship doesn't fit the decision to be a gun-free zone. My idea of a safe haven for worship is one where I don't wonder if someone is going to come in and start shooting without resistance.

But wait, off-duty police officers can carry! Ok, that's gonna be somewhere between 0 and 2 people in the whole building on any given day, which is inadequate. It's still easier for me to carry a pistol than a policeman.

LDS church members, let your bishop and stake president know this policy is wrong, and ask them to send that feedback up the chain. Policy is not doctrine. Sometimes policy is wrong and can be changed. There's a history of that in other matters.