American churchgoers give a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘shotgun wedding’ – our favourite responses online
Yes, this really did happen.
Hundreds of couples brought their AR-15 rifles with them to a church in Pennsylvania where they had their marriages blessed and their weapons celebrated as ‘rods of iron’.
Worshippers clutching AR-15 rifles and some wearing bullet crowns, participated in a commitment ceremony today at World Peace and Unification Sanctuary, in Newfoundland, Pa. The event led a nearby school to cancel classes for the day. Photos @jacquelinelarma pic.twitter.com/GXzrZeK41z
— AP Images (@AP_Images) February 28, 2018
And here’s a few pictures of them in action.
The bizarre ceremony took place in the wake of the Florida high school shooting, and the church’s founder, the Reverend Sun Myung Moon, said teachers should be armed to prevent such occurrences happening again.
Hundreds of crown-wearing worshipers clutching AR-15 rifles drank holy wine and exchanged or renewed wedding vows in a commitment ceremony at a Pennsylvania church https://t.co/V7yOttUfEU pic.twitter.com/b2NZe85CHQ
— CBS News (@CBSNews) March 1, 2018
And here’s what people made of it online.
1.
And the rest of the world looks on and says "WTF America…"
— One Canadian's View (@CrazyLikeMoose) February 28, 2018
2.
Most of America looks on and says the same thing.
— Shannon (@suburbanlemon) February 28, 2018
3.
Exactly. Americans just “looking on” is how we got here.
— KYLO JohansREN (@johizzle) February 28, 2018
4.
This is crazy christians marrying their guns before they fuck them as god has decreed.
— Max Madness (@Max_thePower) February 28, 2018
5.
These images disturb me more than any non-violent/non-war/non-death related images
— Megan (@megw519) February 28, 2018
6.
It is NOT A CHURCH! It is an offshoot of “Reverend” Moon’s CULT. Why do y’all keep calling it a church?!!?
— Mmmm Cupcakes (@NotMaryJoLisa) March 1, 2018
7.
One man's church is another man's cult.
— Roberta Koutney (@GrettaMaeBert) March 1, 2018
8.
This seems fine. pic.twitter.com/wZtEZCVVii
— Katherine Ryan (@Kathbum) February 28, 2018
9.
https://twitter.com/JamieOGrady/status/968957102105464832
10.
The reason why satire is dead is because there's always some weird corner of the US where it's a reality x10. https://t.co/4ZB0BIChDD
— Nooruddean (@BeardedGenius) February 28, 2018
11.
Some Biblical scholars do aver that Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount gripping a semiauto, head wrapped in ammo. Others will disagree. https://t.co/tEOIrz8sZH
— David Simon (@AoDespair) February 28, 2018
12.
https://twitter.com/rolldiggity/status/968953470651805696
13.
What the actual… https://t.co/MsccXwaevY
— Sarah Chadwick (@Sarahchadwickk) March 1, 2018