You don't have to agree with what I consider a safe direction, you may restrict your options much further than I do. We are each responsible for anything we send that direction. You can drive around with a bucket of sand in your car to aim at if it makes you more comfortable to do so.
Shoot, fire, pull the trigger, these are synonyms in this context. You can do them with or without a cartridge in the gun. You can do it with a dummy or proving cartridge if you like. If I have it pointed in a safe direction, I am actually ready for it to SHOOT, I've simply taken steps to prevent it sending a bullet out of the muzzle.
Ready to shoot obviously means something more than ready to shoot to you.
Since these are rules of safe gun handling, I think we can make the leap to assume that it will apply to the gun we are handling regardless of ownership.
If you are handling my million dollars, please handle it responsibly. No, you don't necessarily get to keep it, but while it is in your possession, please try to keep it away from fire and the Clinton Foundation. Thanks.
Excellent post, we are striving for the same thing. For the record, I DO see your point. It's akin to telling a kid there's a santa claus and then BAM, little Jimmy at school tells the kid the truth. What is real, what isn't real, what else is a parental ruse. I totally get it, especially with new shooters.
I'm old school and I'm going to dance with the girl that brung me. 4 rules for me.