Print 
PDF
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made clear he is eyeing more gun controls for Australians after two terrorists attacked at Bondi Beach, killing at least 15.
The restrictions would not impact the two terrorists, one of whom is deceased and the second is in a coma after being severely wounded by police.
The idea of more gun control being the solution to violence is not a popular idea with people who love liberty.
And, besides, it doesn't work.
The Left is either blinded by its own misinformation or is merely seizing the moment to gain more control.
Be informed, not misled.
The New York Times says, "Prime Minister Anthony Albanese vowed on Monday to toughen Australia’s already strict gun laws, after the country’s worst mass shooting in three decades killed 15 people and wounded dozens more at a Jewish holiday celebration in Sydney.
“The government is prepared to take whatever action is necessary,” he said at a news conference.
Officials have said that the attack on Sunday at Bondi Beach was an act of terrorism carried out by a 24-year-old Australian citizen and his father, an immigrant living in the country legally. The elder man, 50, who came to the country in 1998, had six firearms registered in his name. His country of origin was not immediately clear.
Police officers responding to the massacre shot both suspects, killing the father and wounding the son.
The police said on Monday that they expected to bring criminal charges against the younger man.
What "action" might the government be prepared to take?
The Times says, "Australia had what advocates considered the 'gold standard' on gun control. The country essentially banned assault rifles and many other semiautomatic weapons, as well as shotguns, after a gunman killed 35 people in the Tasmanian town of Port Arthur in 1996. After the attack at Bondi Beach, the country’s leaders said they were prepared to enact additional restrictions."
The Leftist Australian Government has admitted that the Bondi terror attack was likely ‘motivated by Islamic State Ideology.’
Will controlling citizen ownership of guns help stop terrorist attacks?
P.M. Albanese also suggested the possibility that the government may set up certain durations for gun licenses to be reviewed in order to be sure those holding them have not become “radicalized.”
National Public Radio (NPR) noted that other gun controls on the table include ways to “speed up the establishment of a National Firearms Register” and changing important policies to bar “items involving 3D printing or accessories that hold large amounts of ammunition.”
They also said, "The origin of Australia's notoriously strict gun laws dates back to 1996, when a gunman killed 35 people in an attack in Tasmania."
"Mass shootings are rare in Australia," they said, "which has historically strict gun laws. But Sunday's deadly massacre has prompted Albanese and other Australian officials to revisit those laws and call for further restrictions to prevent more mass shootings in the future."
Their next step in confiscation.
The prime minister and regional Australian leaders agreed in a meeting on Monday to work toward even stronger gun measures in response to Sunday's shooting. Here's what they include:
- Renegotiate the National Firearms Agreement, enacted in 1996 and establishing Australia's restrictive gun laws.
- Speed up the establishment of the National Firearms Register, an idea devised by the National Cabinet in 2023 to create a countrywide database of firearms owners and licenses.
- Use more "criminal intelligence" in the firearms licensing process.
- Limit the number of guns one person can own.
- Limit the types of guns and modifications that are legal.
- Only Australian citizens can hold a firearms license.
- Introduce further customs restrictions on guns and related equipment. The Australian government could limit imports of items related to 3D printing or accessories that store large amounts of ammunition.
Albanese and the regional leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to Australia's national firearms amnesty program, which lets people turn in unregistered firearms without legal penalties.
In fact, their National Firearms Agreement avows that gun ownership and use are "a privilege that is conditional on the overriding need to ensure public safety."
This strikes a significant difference between their agreement and our Second Amendment.
We have a "right." They have a "privilege" that is conditional on other people's actions.
Takeaway
The issue of gun control is hotly debated, as you know.
Most, not all, but most people who legally own guns do so for self-defense and/or sport shooting.
There are a number of studies that have found gun control to not be effective in controlling violent crime, or homicide by a firearm. Still, they are generally not published in legacy media because those outlets disagree with their findings.
Most importantly, what does the Bible say about self-defense?
Exodus 20:13: "Thou shalt not kill." The word "kill" in the KJV often means "murder," not all killing, a distinction modern translations clarify as "murder" (Exodus 20:13, NKJV).
Exodus 22:2-3: States there's "no bloodguilt" if a thief breaking in at night is struck and dies, but bloodguilt exists if it's during the day, suggesting defense against lethal threat is allowed, while property defense is less so.
Luke 22:36: Jesus tells disciples, "He that hath no sword, let him sell his cloak, and buy one," indicating a need for physical defense tools.
Matthew 26:52: Jesus rebuked Peter for using the sword against the arresting mob, saying, "All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword," but this was in the context of derailing God's plan, not general defense.
Biblical Principles and Guidelines:
- Defend Life, Not Just Property: Scripture suggests defending life (Exodus 22:2-3) is more justified than defending property, especially if it involves lethal force.
- Wisdom & Discernment: Christians should use wisdom to know when to fight and when to flee or turn the other cheek, as seen in Jesus' guidance to flee persecution (Matthew 10:23).
- Not Initiating Violence: The emphasis is on protecting against aggression, not initiating it or seeking vengeance (Romans 12:19).
- God's Protection & Provision: God is seen as a defender, but also provides means (like swords) and wisdom for His people to protect themselves when necessary.
Be Informed. Be Discerning. Be Vigilant. Be Bold. Be Engaged. Be Prayerful.
