Our nation has been in shock and unbelief since Friday when our nation witnessed the unthinkable in the mass shooting at the Newtown elementary school. Others have written well about it (Dale Jenkins has a great post on humanism and Steve Higgenbotham speaks to the anger we feel.)
These shootings got me wondering, “Are the shootings really more common than they used to be?” In some brief internet research I discovered that mass shootings have been around for a long time. As you might expect there was a rise of them in the 1920s and 30s. Most experts and others focus on the last three decades. Many point to the increase as beginning in the mid-1960s. Yet, 2012 has been the worst year ever.
Here are some exerts from an article by Amy Sullivan at The New Republic.
“With more than 140 casualties (injuries and deaths), the toll from mass shootings in 2012 has been nearly twice that of any other year.”
“As of today, there have been 70 mass shootings in the United States between 1982 and 2012, leaving 543 people dead (assuming the reports of 27 fatalities from today’s shootings are correct.) Seven of those 70 shootings occurred this year. Sixty-eight of those 543 victims were killed this year. If the scenes of horror and heartbreak are now familiar, it’s because the past six years have been particularly bloody. Fully 45% of the victims of mass shootings in America over the past three decades were killed since 2007. That is a crisis.”
A mass shooting is defined by the FBI as one when at least 4 people are killed, not including the gunman. So the problem is getting worse. That leads to two obvious questions: Why? and What are we do do about it? I certainly do not have all the answers but here are my thoughts, feel free to share yours?
WHY?
- This is yet another moral failure that we are seeing across our nation because we have deserted our core beliefs in God and His Word. Our secularized culture where basic accountability and responsibility to God is not taught must be a factor. The basic institution of the family has broken down and plays directly into this issue.
- We have a mental health crisis in our country. Though we have made tremendous technological advances, we are becoming more disconnected. The weak, sick, and hurting amongst us do not get the protection, care, and love they need. We must be a more connected and community based culture. How many do you know in your own neighborhood? Christians should be leading the way in this area.
- This is pure evil. Satan loves to hurt, harm, and destroy. This is like the evil of Moses’ time when Pharaoh had Hebrew babies killed. The battle of good and evil is so visible.
WHAT?
- While much attention will focus on gun control, and there may need to be more limits set on high-powered assault weapons, this issue in my opinion cannot be fixed in the halls of congress. The issue is a society and community issue that must be addressed by our citizenry. We must turn away from increased individuality, privacy, and return to caring, loving, and protecting others from those who have problems. We have to look out for the hurting and seek to help.
- We must return to teaching and speaking publicly about God. Not just when there is a crisis, but living in our communities with the understanding that God exists, His Word gives moral laws for our following, and there is a day of judgment coming.
- Finally, this is another incentive for Christians to pray and work for God’s kingdom and reign to become more evident in this world. We need more light than darkness! The church must lead the way in demonstrating godly homes, concern for the needy (physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually), and teaching regarding the foundations of society and mankind being based on God.
These are the thoughts of this preacher; and really they are a call to action. The battle is raging. We as the church are God’s soldier’s. We must act. This blog is called “Life in the Kingdom,” this is the exact opposite of life in the kingdom of Christ. These actions call for citizens of His kingdom to rise up and act in prayer, love, teaching, and hope.
