Houses of God oppose gun rules

SALT LAKE CITY — Guns in the house of God? Unsurprisingly, clergy in Utah aren’t fond of the idea.

But nearly four dozen leaders of Utah churches and synagogues say they also don’t want to be forced to have a notice posted on a state-run Web site that announces they have placed a ban on firearms for their sanctuaries.

The interfaith alliance says a state law requiring that they notify state officials if they impose a gun ban constitutes undue government interference with religion.

“We don’t think we need to be on a state list of who’s allowed to be exempt from the gun law,” said Bishop George Niederauer, the head of Roman Catholic Church’s Salt Lake Diocese.

Bishop Niederauer and several of his fellow religious leaders gathered recently in Salt Lake City to protest amendments added last year to the state’s concealed weapons law.

The earlier version of the law said houses of worship could post signs notifying congregants that guns were banned from the premises.

State Sen. Mike Waddoups sponsored the amendments that say if church officials announce a firearms ban orally or in a church bulletin or newspaper, then they must also register their bans with the Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI), which then posts the notice on the agency’s Web site.

However, because of the law’s wording, it could mean that if a church simply posts a sign prohibiting guns but never mentions it, then the clergy aren’t required to notify the state. But no one seems to know for sure.

The clergy protest came after a newspaper reported that no churches had registered with the BCI about their intention to ban firearms.

Bishop Niederauer and others said they wanted to make clear they don’t allow guns in church — but also don’t agree with the state’s meddling.

“We do not need the state of Utah to give us permission to make such a statement or hold such a position,” the religious leaders said in a joint statement.