A Tennessee gun store is offering a free Bible and choice of American or Confederate flag with every purchase of a handgun.
Bang Bang Guns of Oakland, Tennessee, is offering the promotion to every customer that walks in the door. The small gun shop, located just outside Memphis, will give away a copy of the Holy Bible and either a 3' x 5' American flag or Confederate flag with every purchase of a handgun, box of ammunition, and a holster. The promotion is scheduled to run through July 14.
When asked why the shop decided to run the promotion, Bang Bang Guns manager Tony Tavares said, "Why not?"
"It's pretty patriotic to offer both and a Bible as well," he told the Washington Free Beacon. "It's freedom of speech with some religion to go along with it."
Thus far, customers have responded positively to the promotion.
"The customers like it," owner John McFarland said. "We sell everything from $200 guns all the way up to $20,000 Barretts. It's picked up really well."
McFarland said he's tired of people attacking traditional American values and that he created the promotion to support others who believe like he does.
"I'm at a point in my life where I'm tired of everybody making me feel bad for what my moral beliefs are," he told the Free Beacon. "I believe there's history behind the rebel flag, I believe there's history behind the American flag, I believe in the right to bear arms, and I believe in freedom of religion."
"I just wanted to let everybody know we believe in that and we support everybody who believes in that."
He said the free Bible and flag promotion is about promoting people's right to believe in God, guns, and country.
"We’re just trying to promote American freedoms," McFarland said. "I'm pretty outspoken politically and I believe everybody has their rights. I believe if you're an atheist you have that right. I believe if you believe in God you have that right. And I believe if you believe in the Confederate flag, you believe in the history behind it, you have the right to have it. And that's where we stand and I'll stand behind that."
"To me, that's more important than any amount of business."