You know what Catholics hide in the basements of their churches?

For this priest, the Cross is his weapon.

Guns. Guns to be used in the Takeover.

NOT true.  That was the old prejudice against Catholics in the United States however. As a kid, I first heard it repeated in the film, "Dark at the Top of the Stairs". It was a fear mongering statement against Catholics suggesting they were a menace to the country and were working for the Antichrist pope of Rome.  A similar prejudice was attempted at the turn of this century by left-leaning political pundits against evangelical Republicans, fearful they and their militia-cults might stage a revolution.  I suppose they might still think that way, considering the right-wing complaints against the numerous attempts to ban guns in our country ... and Fr. Z's post(s) on the subject of conceal and carry, right to bear arms, and more recently, defending 2nd Amendment rights - against New Jersey, federal courts ...  As usual with the Fr. Z blog - the comments offer an interesting insight into the mindset:  "Save the 2nd Amendment, save the world."

On that particular post Fr. Z permitted a few negative comments.  One commenter from New Zealand dared to ask (Fr. Z's comment in his red):

Why a priest of Jesus Christ would be keen on owning a hand-gun for self-protection is beyond me. [And it might not even be any of your business! I'm just sayin'...]

Although, in another comment, Fr. Z hinted at why he feels the need to carry a gun:

The pro handgun stuff does not belong on Catholic blogs. We do not need handguns to be part of our everyday life. [When your hate mail starts to include pictures of where you live, get back to me on that.]

 I don't care if Fr. Z carries a gun.  I know people who carry guns - that isn't an issue for me.  Obviously it is an issue for others.

Since so many now days seem to be armed, I have to wonder if the conceal and carry trend has an effect on how law enforcement responds to crime wherein deadly force is not usually required, and only after investigation, it increasingly turns out to have been unnecessary?  (See Police out of control.)

Personally, I think the conceal and carry arguments go a little too far on Fr. Z's blog.  I agree - in part - with the comment "pro handgun stuff does not belong on Catholic blogs."  I believe ordinary Catholics living in the world can write about anything they want, but it seems to me it can be perceived as a bit antagonistic for a priest to be 'brandishing' his gun in public, as Fr. Z does quite regularly.  (His latest posts on the subject also suggest that he really does set the snark tone in his com box.)

That said, it seems to me such posts feed into a deeper paranoia within the culture warrior-crusader mentality.  Afraid that religious freedoms are rapidly being suppressed, religious Second Amendment supporters are afraid their right to bear arms will be taken away as well.   It also makes it easier for the 'Homeland' to assume Catholics are 'anti-government'-'domestic-terrorists' who just might be hiding guns in Church basements - for the Takeover.

Documents from an Ohio National Guard (ONG) training drill conducted last January reveal the details of a mock disaster where Second Amendment supporters with “anti-government” opinions were portrayed as domestic terrorists. [Is this along the lines of the Obama Administration identifying Catholics as terror-threats, right?]