Texas Church Tries Guns for Roses on Valentines
Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2004 1:44 pm
DALLAS, Texas (Reuters) - It's Valentine's Day, Texas style and a church in Dallas wants people to show their love by giving up their guns.
The First Presbyterian Church in Dallas is sponsoring a program for people to turn in their guns to mark the Valentine's celebration of love. The sponsors will give $50 for each gun, and would be glad if the cash was used to purchase candy or flowers for Valentine's Day.
"We are not trying to disarm Cupid of his bow and arrow, but provide another meaningful opportunity for individuals to show their affection for their families by making their homes safe this Valentine's Day," said Bruce Buchanan, a pastor at the church.
The church has sponsored gun buybacks before but Buchanan said he moved the program to Valentine's Day because most of the people who turned in guns had families and they did not want the guns in their houses.
The church is aiming to buyback about 150 guns. The Valentine's Day celebration will be overseen by armed police.
The First Presbyterian Church in Dallas is sponsoring a program for people to turn in their guns to mark the Valentine's celebration of love. The sponsors will give $50 for each gun, and would be glad if the cash was used to purchase candy or flowers for Valentine's Day.
"We are not trying to disarm Cupid of his bow and arrow, but provide another meaningful opportunity for individuals to show their affection for their families by making their homes safe this Valentine's Day," said Bruce Buchanan, a pastor at the church.
The church has sponsored gun buybacks before but Buchanan said he moved the program to Valentine's Day because most of the people who turned in guns had families and they did not want the guns in their houses.
The church is aiming to buyback about 150 guns. The Valentine's Day celebration will be overseen by armed police.
