All murders are homicides, but not all homicides are murders.

In the book immediately following “Thou Shalt not kill” there is all kinds of reference to “their blood shall be upon them.” Not to mention all the infractions that are supposed to result in being stoned. Or the injunctions to put various people to the sword.

A small nit to pick, but important. The original commandment was “Thou shalt not murder”. Murder being unjustified killing. It was never intended to be used as it now is, as justification for not defending life.

That didn’t happen in this case, but it has been used by the other side as justification for making helpless the citizenry.

Having said that, Uncle’s real point is well taken, and unassailable.

I’d far rather study why a sucessful and well-adjusted person is sucessful and well-adjusted.

This is usually the case with anti-religious people.

One of the things Pagans did through most of the 90s was find a bit of cover in association with certain UU congregations via CUUPS. I thought the UU association has since thrown them overboard, but a quick Google search shows that I may be wrong on that. How many Christian churches would do that? (How many Christians are appalled by the notion?)

It was one of the many things Wiccans and Pagans did to get the tax advantages for their congregations, and also to try to influence the Veterans Administration. (The VA had steadfastly refused to allow Wiccan or Pagan markers on grave sites. Until they lost law suit on First Amendment grounds, they just plain refused to recognize Wiccans who died in service to the country.) Of course the DoD had to lose a similar law suit before Wiccans serving in the military could freely exercise their religion while serving. The simple act of getting tax advantages for a Wiccan congregation has also taken a law suit in the past. (Religious freedom but only for state-approved religions.)

And yes, a lot of people did assume that he was “someone” going after the non-Christian, gay-friendly Unitarian/Universalists. It would not have been surprising if he was. It is surprising that he has so little concept the beliefs of people he was trying to kill because of their beliefs. “Never underestimate the power of human stupidity.”

Does TN law prohibit carry in churches?

Even if we go way back to when ties were closer and the two faiths hadn’t merged, Unitarians didn’t believe in the Trinity and the Universalists belived in (essentially) the universal redemption of souls, both of ‘em deal-breakers tp most other Christians. Fast-forward a few hundred years and the ties between UU and traditional Christiaity are even looser.

I’m okay with that. But it means the shooter was a moron in addition to being evil.