This was a different kind of shotgun wedding ceremony.

Some couples gathering to exchange or renew wedding vows at a controversial church in Pennsylvania on Wednesday carried AR-15 rifles during the ceremony, WFMZ reported.

The ceremony comes two weeks after an AR-15 was used to kill 17 people at a high school in Parkland, Florida.

Ammunition was not allowed in the church, and guns were zip-tied at the door, WFMZ reported.

Wednesday, members of Sanctuary Church in Newfoundland, Pennsylvania, said they were following God’s will to honor the Second Amendment, WFMZ reported,

Pastor Hyung Jin Moon said in a prayer that God gave people the right to bear arms, according to The Times-Tribune of Scranton. Moon is the son of the Rev. Sun Myung Moon, who founded the Unification Church.

Moon and his followers believe the AR-15 is a symbol of the “rod of iron” described in the Bible’s book of Revelation, the Times-Tribune reported.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Bob Banks is an actor, known for Supercool (2021), Outer Banks (2020), The Vampire Diaries (2009-2017), Antwone Fisher (2002), Love Crimes (1992), Midnight Edition (1993), Daddy’s Little Girls (2007) Selma, Lord, Selma (1999), In the Heat of the Night (TV Series) (1991-1993), and I’ll Fly Away (TV Series) (1991-1992). Bob is an accomplished Voice Over (VO) Actor and lives in Atlanta, GA.

Credit: The DJB Foundation, Inc.

Featured

Members of the conversion crew take a break as the main scoreboard is lowered to the floor to be worked on as the arena gets ready for the next concert at State Farm Arena, Thursday, October 2, 2025, in Atlanta. The crew was working on creating a stage for the Friday, Oct. 3 Maxwell concert. (Jason Getz/AJC)

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com