Worship banners classified as weapons

[HelenaZF]

Well, I've whacked my share of worshippers while wielding a flag or banner...how about you?

(I will now be quite careful to NOT do it in North Carolina....)

--Helena



Worship banners classified as weapons



RALIEGH-DURHAM: Responding to a spate of gouges, pokes and injuries due to over-zealous worship, North Carolina's governor is on the verge of classifying worship banners and streamers as weapons, meaning that anyone who injures another person in the act of worship can be tried for assault.

"I've seen enough bloodied heads to know that someone had to get this stupid trend under control," said bill co-sponsor James DeWalt.

Worship banners, which worshipers in charismatic churches wave during song services, now fall into the same category as knives and baseball bats. Streamers, which DeWalt says are "basically another form of handheld mace or medieval war instrument," will be considered weapons of opportunity. If someone is injured "during the act of worship" by a banner pole or streamer, the bill says, it will be considered a misdemeanor.

Local churches vowed to fight the classification.

"We're doing nothing wrong," said Randy Quandt, pastor of Fountain of Life, the largest charismatic church in the city. "If you sue us for whacking someone with a banner pole, you have to sue cheerleaders for hitting someone with a pom-pom. It's ridiculous."

His church keeps a nurse on hand for the "occasional scrape" resulting from their worship style, he says.



(from LarkNews.com, a rather tongue-in-cheek Christian news site that gathers real, but off-the-wall Christian news stories )

[flaglady]

Well, I guess in essence they're not wrong but rather taking it to extreme! In my book I use half a page for health and safety, urging people to employ a sense of responsibility when using flags as they can be "dangerous when used without due care and attention" and that it is the flagger's duty to mind others not t'other way around! :yayisrael:



I have wopped a head or two in my time (including my pastor's!) :oy: but can't say I've ever caused one to bleed. One would have to wonder how that could occur! :think:



However, I have found that a fair degree of humility and apologising can pacify the most injured dignity or brow!!

[HelenaZF]

Hey, the GOOD news out of that announcement is that flagging and banners are now considered "a trend"! It's not all bad........



I have a set of flags I call "royal pennants". At the tip of the pole is an attached 3-dimensional jeweled crown that, in fact, could kind of look like a mace from a distance, and has some heft to it.



I was using a pennant one Sunday and connected with a man's head as I was whipping around in the aisle. I believe I did clonk him a good one! I was mortified and looked for him after church to apologize, but he had left, so I agonized over this for a whole week before I saw him again.



As I was appropriately groveling and asking his forgiveness, his family was standing with him. One of the sons grinned and said, "you know, he's been much better ever since."