Question: I have a locked safe with a loaded gun inside in case there are Intruders into our home. I thought I had put the combination in a safe place because I put it under some books in the bookcase. My son must have seen me put it there because we found it and open the safe. He shot one round through a door and that scared him and so he put the gun back. In retrospect I probably should have kept the combination with me perhaps in my wallet. I don’t think he’ll try that again, but I’m feeling really bad about his finding combination in the first place. Is there anything I can say to him to please ask first before he does anything like this? ­– Worried Dad

Dear Worried Dad,
I checked some references about the usefulness of having a loaded gun at home for self defense: less than 1%. The leading causes of death in children and teens are accidents, homicide and suicide. Do you need any other reasons to not have a gun? I had a gun in my house and I called the local police to come get them. They did with no questions asked.

Please do the same.

Carolyn Young
LCSW

Dear Worried,

I am sorry that your son had that terrible experience that he had. But what were you thinking to have had a loaded gun around in the first place? I understand the fear of intruders, but long ago I decided that I was not going to have a gun around. (My wife and I do have two attack dogs, each weighing less than 20 pounds. But they do make quite a racket!)

Seriously, have you ever thought how you’d feel if you or your son accidentally shot a person you know? What if you killed a person you didn’t know? How would you ever sleep again without being disturbed that you killed somebody’s son or father? Guns may protect us, but from what?  

I was probably not the right person to respond to your question. As a kid I used to go shoot my .22 rifle with my father. But now I own no guns and, in light of what I have said above, I think I fear hurting people more than I fear being hurt by them. But I’m a minister, so what would you expect?

Good luck in finding peace. I wish you well.

The Rev. C. L. “Skip” Lindeman
Upland Christian Church, Disciples of Christ