Some buddies from church went out playing and they asked me to come.

You're better off believing in God they'd warn you, just in case. Because you'd hate to arrive at the gates of heaven a nonbeliever and find out the Christians had been right all along. It was a pretty ingenious line of thinking. It almost made me want to go to church. Not enough to actually go, but still.

Many black members remained in the church.

The church is part of a cultural precinct that includes the museum and historical society, theatre, school, library and community college,

Some people go to church. We shoot. It's the same type of get-together. To us, this is our sport. This is what we like to do.

Those of us who are soldiers day in and day out, have been kept from table because the church is in conflict and our kids are still dying.