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I will be in the minority who does own guns. That said, I've never bought a single one. They are all hunting guns that were handed down in my and my husband's families. We live in a very rural area, and I grew up hunting, fishing, foraging, and gardening to supplement our food and income. I don't remember the last time I hunted, so we just have them, locked up. If I ever needed one for self defense, I'd be in big trouble 😂

Growing up, they were tools like anything else and that is how we learned about them. pretty much every kid here takes gun safety training. When I was a kid (late 80s in this case) we took at as part of our schooling. We took our rifles to school, on the bus, and put them in our lockers until the end of the day where we went to the gun range in our school basement to learn safe gun handling. Crazy 🤯 But I am grateful for it, and I feel safer overall among rural people who don't treat guns like status symbols or fun toys or whatever people think of them otherwise.

I can also say I am grateful for the knowledge and skill. If I had to provide for my family, I would know how to do so and living in a rural area, it's a valuable thing to know. Despite being (partially) Buddhist, I do still eat meat. I often tell myself I should do better to connect with my food than to buy it from the store, but I haven't gotten there yet. Just can't bring myself to it.

And may all beings affected by war find peace.

I am afraid there is little we can do. What could people do against the Mongolian horde centuries ago? Ah wait, they were not so hyperconnected and engaged in a world system where human rights had achieved this level of awareness and development. This is what I have heard. We could do more now. But this cycle of violence is so prevalent. Reality is dukkha. A constant reminder is war.

What left to do but to cultivate peace and loving-kindness.

The algorythm is a crazy propaganda tool. It also seems so chaotic...

In the sense of, it does not care which rabbit hole you fall through. It just loosens up the selection and tricks you into more and more of these clever punchlines, highly articulated verbosity or just horror shock with intense facts.

I try to feed it good music.

The example you are bringing answers the question of why would someone need such a powerful item. It is justified under my view. But yes, impulse control, self-awareness, emotional intelligence should be stressed and taught to people that inevitably will be in touch with them. You mention hunters for example or in certain areas of the world where it is essential (I'm thinking of Fosdick living in Alaska. Don't know why I imagine harsh blizzards, a bear, having to venture through the forest..)

I would be worried though, as a Buddhist, if living in a an area where being armed for self defense purposes is common is good for my practice. Maybe the challenges of bearing a firearm for self-defenses, the risks of taking a life, even if it were for self-defense.

@Lionduck said:
The question, "Should Buddhists own Guns?"
The question should rather be,"What attitude or mind set should Buddhists who own weapons have regarding their ownership and use of said weapons?"

True @Lionduck ...The problem lies in the fragility of the mind, so easily swayed by the defilements that come with being human, fear, anger, rage, hate, delusion and the rest.

@shoshin1 said:
We are involved in and with politics whether we like it or not. Even Buddhists, who seek peace and compassion, cannot escape the consequences of silence or inaction. Every choice, every word, shapes the world around us.

Some try to avoid their own discomfort by denying the injustice happening around them, or by claiming both sides are equally to blame, using that as a way to soothe their conscience.

My take on this: if you feel you have to speak, speak on peace, compassion, equanimity. Justice is not one of the brahmaviharas, for good reason — it stirs the passion, and does not lead to dispassion or letting go or happiness. The Bodhisattva’s path does not lead to greed or hate, and we can by our speaking lead others to that example.

most gun deaths are accidental or suicide.

Most gun deaths are suicide. Accidental deaths make up only around 1%, and homicide accounts for about 34%.

I think its similar to the question of political involvement. Does it move us toward liberation and compassion, or deeper into suffering and entanglement?

We are involved in and with politics whether we like it or not. Even Buddhists, who seek peace and compassion, cannot escape the consequences of silence or inaction. Every choice, every word, shapes the world around us.

Some try to avoid their own discomfort by denying the injustice happening around them, or by claiming both sides are equally to blame, using that as a way to soothe their conscience.

I also don't feel comfortable with the notion of "should". People, and Buddhists, can do what they want with their lives.

Yes, a Buddhist can technically do whatever they want (and I know I often do), but the real question is whether those choices move us toward liberation and compassion, or deeper into suffering and entanglement.

Bearing in mind that guns were developed for the purpose of killing or maiming, their very existence sits uneasily alongside the Buddhist precept of avoiding harm.