Are guns some kind of new age religion?

Better guns than stockholm syndrome.

At least guns give us a fighting chance.

Like gay marriage, false flags, and religion, people tend to get touchy and offensive about this topic, because generally, people favor one side or the other. There is little gray area with gun control.

While I hate hearing ignorant arguments from BOTH sides, I myself am a red-blooded American girl, and I love my guns. I am very pro gun (as you can see from my avatar) and I always will be. Guns are one of the few things they HAVEN'T yet taken from us, and they give us some sense of independence and worthiness. Our government is stealing money from us at all ends, taking our properties, ruining and killing our family businesses, and invading our privacy on the phones and internet. We have little rights left.

They've made it nearly impossible for the average person to farm and hunt for themselves. We rely on their foods, and sometimes even rely on their money FOR the food. EBT. Welfare. Government cheese.

Our generations are becoming more detached, and our independence has almost completely been stolen.

Of COURSE we're gonna cling to our guns.

If you don't like it, don't live here.

But don't whine to US about it. We're not gonna change.

I don't just own one firearm, I own many.

I own them for a multitude of reasons, the primary of which is really simple: I enjoy shooting firearms recreationally. That I can also hunt with them, which I do, and use them in a self-defense scenario is a major added benefit.

I appreciate the mechanics and engineering that's evolved their design. It's the same reason I wear a fine swiss made mechanical watch instead of a quartz. I appreciate their place in history, even though it has brought many negatives. Because I like to be well informed about anything I do or spend money on, I've read and researched about them, and talked with or made friendships with many people who share the same interests. Much like how people do for -anything- they are interested in

But let's be clear here; this isn't about gun owners and their supposed fanaticism. This is really just that -you- don't like them, and therefore anyone who does is clearly some paranoid fanatic just waiting to shoot someone.

Wrong.

I carry a firearm everyday concealed. It doesn't alarm anyone, it doesn't panic anyone, no one knows and they can go about their hopefully happy lives. I carry one because there are people out there who wish to do harm without consideration of consequence or the impact it has on the people they do harm to.

I carry one because I want to be able to protect my daughter and myself should we be caught in an event that is otherwise intractable.

I, and I'm willing to bet almost the entire majority, of defensive firearm carrying individuals have absolutely no wish, desire, or need to kill someone. In a nutshell, we carry a firearm that we hope to never need, to contend with people who carry one with the intent to do harm.

I'm willing to bet, assuming you can be honest with yourself, that were you in a situation where someone was doing violent harm to you and those around you; you would not complain if someone like me pulled out my firearm, and put them down. And you know what? Even if, for some reason, you -wouldn't- want someone to step in and stop them, I'd do it anyways; even though some places have crazy laws against doing that, because I wouldn't stand idly by while someone hurts my fellow citizens.

Here's a short video for you to consider:
Do you need a reason to own a gun

Edit: Oh, and in answer to your original question: No, it is not some kind of "new age religion." There is no "gun-culture" in modern America. I would have considered the old-west a bit of a gun culture, I suppose. Then people lived and died by the gun just as much as anything else. But not today.

Some folks do guns, some do cars, some do trading cards. Some folks do threads on conspiracy websites. It's what seperates us from each other. I happen to collect firearms, been buying them since I was legally able to do so. I dont love them and hold them and stroke them, as you imply in your op. Some folks do, I rarely get rid of a firearm I have purchased. As stated, I collect firearms. A simple count off the top of my head, about 22 rifles, various ages and from various countries, About 36 handguns, again various ages and some are antiques, several want even fire. Several are worth quite alot more than when I purchased them.....an investment.

Some invest in stocks, some buy land, I invest in firearms,. I am doing a thread today to let you all know what I have decided to do with the BULK of my collection.....It will surprise some that sort of know me on ATS. I blew my wifes mind when I told her.