My thoughts and my prayers are with those who suffered at the hands of the killer this weekend in Aurora Colorado. It is a senseless act of extreme violence that will impact not just the 12 families of those who were killed but also the 60 people and their families who were injured in the shooting.
As someone who lives outside of the USA it seems to make no sense what so ever that the gun laws in the USA are so relaxed. That there seems to be a mass shooting with regularity often in schools and universities and now in a movie theatre. My question to the State and Federal Government is when will you learn?
At what cost will you uphold the right to bear arms over the fact that thousands of men, woman, children are being senselessly killed year in, year out.
In 2010 there were 8,775 people were murdered through the use of firearms. Now I know that guns don’t kill people, people do. People who are evil, broken, dysfunctional or insane commit these acts. But there are 8,000 families who won’t see their father, mother, brother, sister, son or daughter again because of the ease of access to firearms.
Not to mention the firearm suicides of approximately 13,000 per year.
In Australia we learnt the hard way. Many people were murdered at Port Arthur. The Federal government responded boldly by changing the gun laws to hold people to a higher standard if they wanted to own a firearm. Since the laws were changed deaths by firearms have halved. Here is what an author of a research report into the changes wrote:
The authors conclude that “The Australian example provides evidence that removing large numbers of firearms from a community can be associated with a sudden and on-going decline in mass shootings, and accelerating declines in total firearm-related deaths, firearm homicides and firearm suicides.”
The American church has a great challenge and opportunity before it. To take a leadership stand on helping the community and government understand why there is a need to change the gun laws and applying a sterner test to gun ownership.
Or the church can choose to remain silent and support the current level of access to guns, and watch as countless more thousands of innocent people die, year after year.
Hear me loud and clear here. I’m not suggesting that you remove your amendment right to bear arms. I’m suggesting that you make the test for a reasonable reason to own a firearm higher.
Friends speak the truth to each other. I love my friends who serve and are members in churches throughout the USA and support you wholeheartedly. This is your chance. Your moment to help make a difference that can change thousands of people’s lives and not be murdered by firearms.
This isn’t an amendment issue for the church. This is a justice issue. A severe injustice is committed every time someone loses their life through being murdered by a gun that is easy access to.
It’s not up to the church obviously to change gun law, but the church can influence the community that change is for the community good.
What are you going to do?
If you are in church leadership I’d like to hear your thoughts, even if you don’t agree with me. (everyone, keep your opinion it to the issue, don’t get personal otherwise I won’t post your comment.)
