Sgian dubh in church?

[The Wizard of BC]

I don't ask or expect anyone to agree or disagree. This is just my personal feeling.

Everyone will make up their own mind about how they will act. A question was asked, I answered.

[tpa]

So call me weird but I would never carry a Sgian Dubh into a church, a school or a courthouse.

In the UK Steve, you would not get into a courthouse with one and probably not a school, excepting parents evenings but church is a different matter - think weddings when a SD is supplied as part of the hire outfit for those that choose to go that way.

[GrainReaper]

Let me preface this with - I am not a religious person. The closest I would come to would be agnostic.

But, that said, I'm sorry, I must be the exception.

If I were to enter a place of worship, any place of worship, where peace is preached, taught, and expected, I would not carry a weapon of any kind, sort or description. You may call it a tool if you must, call it part of the uniform if you wish, that is your choice. I was taught that inside that building is sacred and special. I can not think of any need or justification for a tool or weapon during service.

I don't think I would want to hold up my ethnic rights or anything else that would justify a weapon in such a place. I also think that the concept of selflessness is taught there. The concept that it is not me, myself, and how good I look in my finery that is most important.

I would also not carry a weapon out of respect. Respect for the others in that place. Respect for what concepts that are being taught.

I guess to me there are three places that I hold sacred and would never carry a weapon. (Even a weapon some would justify as a tool.) Those are 1) A place of worship, 2) A place of learning, and 3) A place of Law. So call me weird but I would never carry a Sgian Dubh into a church, a school or a courthouse.

excellent reply, I can see the logic in it is well founded... You will get no argument from me!

[Geoff Withnell]

I certainly can't say you are wrong, Steve. Just for cookies and grins, being a Jew, this is how I handle the Synagogue (which could easily be considered to fit in all three of your categories, Steve). During the week, I carry my sgian. It's a tool, and there is no problem with carrying a tool during the week. On the Sabbath, however, I am not supposed to work. So it is against the spirit of the Sabbath to be carrying around a tool, so as to be ready to work. So I leave it off.

[OC Richard]

The sgian, not being a weapon, but a utility knife, would fall under the same considerations as the latter.

I have a sgian but I rarely wear it any more. For one thing, it's another bit of kit to put on, and I've tried to streamline my kit as much as possible (no sgian, dirk belt, kilt pin, etc). For another thing, more and more venues here in the USA have "zero tolerance" policies regarding weapons, and they tend to regard anything remotely resembling a weapon as such.

I wouldn't wear Highland Dress to church anyhow. (I'm Catholic BTW.) For me, church is about community, about everyone coming together as a body, and the last thing I want to do is to wear anything that shouts "Look at me, everybody!"

The exception is of course if I'm performing on the pipes at the service in question, in which case Highland Dress is expected.

[kilted firefighter]

As they say, because everybody has one "opinions are like..." well never mind that. But my opinion is yet a further variation, in that while I would carry a knife/tool into my house of worship, for similar reasons to those expressed by OC Richard, I would not wear a kilt there. But this has much to do with being keenly familiar with the general feelings of the congregation.
KF

[The Q]

I probably wouldn't wear a sgian to church, but see nothing against it. As for wearing Highland dress in church, it'd be black Argyle for a wedding or similar happy special occasion, Tweed jacket, plain shirt and tie and kilt if a normal service.
I was brought up to wear your best clothes to church. The fact that it's a kilt makes no difference.

[Jock Scot]

As they say, because everybody has one "opinions are like..." well never mind that. But my opinion is yet a further variation, in that while I would carry a knife/tool into my house of worship, for similar reasons to those expressed by OC Richard, I would not wear a kilt there. But this has much to do with being keenly familiar with the general feelings of the congregation.
KF

Without going into detail here, there are very conservative thinking congregations in Christian Scotland, where the kilt would not be worn to church either.

[ctbuchanan]

I am M.C. of our Catholic parish and wear my kilt to church on occasion and I always wear my sgian dubh. It never occurred to me not to. The Knights of Columbus carry swords and some members of our local police department come to church while dressed for work including their firearms and no one has ever been concerned that I know of.

CTBuchanan

[Sean Wilson]

I live in the UK and have wore my kilt to church (I'm Church of England) on seveal occasion. The last time was at Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve just gone. I always wear my SD when out of the house including church. I was not attending my usual church as I was visiting my parents at Christmas and as usual no one hardly batted an eyelid at what I was wearing. I doubt anyone even noticed I carried a SD.

I did however get a compliment from an older lady who said she liked the colour of my kilt. The vicar approved of my attire too... but then again he would, he's my father - lol