VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Television Preacher Pat Robertson declared this week that he had received a message from God telling him to instruct the faithful to bring firearms into their churches and houses of worship.

“What is the new Beatitude? Blessed are the fully armed for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven,” he said on his show. He argued that more guns in churches was a good idea, in addition to being God’s will.

“Violent attacks and even deaths on church property occur far more often than people realize. The good news: you can protect yourself. What are you going to do? You going to give church members AK-47s at the door to let them blow away those intruders?” suggested Robertson. “I really believe that if the bad guys understand that the citizenry are able to react against them then they won’t be as free to go into a crowded mall or a school or a church and start blowing people out.”

According to Robertson, God has become worried about the number of people entering churches with loaded weapons and shooting His followers. To protect innocent churchgoers against this threat, He wants people to bring their loaded weapons with them when they go to church. “I do believe that that if people are trained with firearms, and they’re able to protect themselves, I don’t think it will lead to more violence, it will lead to less,” said Robertson. “God has told me that if an evildoer enters a church with the intent to kill, it is our duty to shoot him dead in His name.”

“You want to go to church to praise the Lord. You don’t want to go to church to shoot people or to get shot.” he continued. “But you also want to be ready with a well-oiled AK-47 when you need it.”