I have been very troubled for the past week after the recent shooting at a Lutheran Church in Kansas. Apparently, a man walked into the church at the beginning of worship and killed Dr. George Tiller, who was serving as usher. The speculation is that the gunman killed Dr. Tiller because he disagreed with the doctor's work by providing abortions to women.Unfortunately, these incidents seem to be on the rise. Last July, a man entered the Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee as the children were singing for the congregation. He opened fire and killed two people, wounding several others. Authorities say that the man was angered over the Unitarians' "liberal" stance on such issues as gay rights. In March 2009, a man entered First Baptist Church in Maryville, Illinois and shot the pastor during worship service. No motive has been attributed for this killing, but the man had several rounds of ammunition, leading authorities to believe that he had planned a mass murder.
In the midst of this climate, a pastor in Kentucky has proposed a "bring your weapons to church day" for his congregation. Church members will bring their guns, learn about gun safety, sing patriotic songs, and even have a chance at winning a free handgun from a raffle. According to the pastor, the United States would not exist without God or firearms, therefore, this worship service is a celebration of both.
I think you probably know that I strongly disagree with this pastor. I vehemently oppose any attempt to connect God with our human inclination towards fear and violence. Shouldn't our sanctuaries be just that - a sanctuary from the fears and divisions of the human world? Sure, we still have divisions within the church, but in worship we are supposed to rise above these and be reminded that we are one in Christ. Is it becoming a trend for some believers to take it upon themselves to administer God's judgment upon those with different beliefs?
I don't know the answers; I just know that these shootings sadden me. I will be praying for those congregations that have been victimized, and praying that the Kentucky congregation may hold their gun/worship service without incident.
1 comments so far; join in by clicking here.:
This is a tough issue. I grew up around guns and hunting - I still vividly remember the first rabbit I shot with my dad's double barrel shotgun. Very little rabbit left, to be honest.
Anyway, I would never support outright gun bans, but I feel that our defensiveness on this issue thwarts what would be legitimate and effective methods of law enforcement and safety provision.
Many would argue that citizens need guns to protect themselves from our government. I would counter that we need the Rule of Law more. Our ideals will keep our government in check, as long as we are willing to engage in active citizenship, and not just retreat behind our walls of perceived safety and chosen alienation.
Oh, and the PCUSA is way further out there than I am, asking all presbyterians to actively call for control of both handguns and assault weapons. See http://www.pcusa.org/101/101-gun.htm for further info.
Post a Comment