A Christian Perspective on Gun Control
WARNING: This blog post is controversial. Some readers will find it offensive. Gun control is talked about daily by FOX and MSNBC, along with social media and in news publications. But, I do not hear gun control talked about in Churches or among Christians. With this post, I intend to break the gun control silence among Christians. This is my Christian perspective on gun control.Before we even start, I ask that you read the entire post. Topics like gun control tend to bring out the worst in people. Whether you're in agreement or disagreement with this post, consider the following wisdom.
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. - Proverbs 18:2 NIV
Yes, I am saying what you think I'm saying... Don't be a fool. Read the whole post and be open-minded.
Where do I stand on the topic of gun control?
I own a handful of guns and am always dreaming of when I can get another one to add to my collection. I see nothing wrong with owning guns at all. The short answer, I do not believe in gun control. But, I do believe that there should be more restrictions/prerequisites to owning guns. If you have a criminal background, you should not be able to own a gun. If you cannot pass some sort of mental stability/health test, you also should not be able to own a gun. But, in general, I do not believe the second amendment needs revisiting.
What would Jesus think about owning guns?
When Jesus was alive, there were no guns. The closest thing we have to compare with during His time is swords. Here is what Jesus said about swords which translates into gun control today:
Then Jesus asked His disciples, “When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?” “Nothing,” they answered. He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one." - Luke 22:35-37
Jesus viewed it as important for His disciples to defend themselves, if necessary. He told them to arm themselves. This is certainly something for all of us to consider...
This post isn't about me or Jesus (directly). Let's get back to the guns!
A Christian perspective on gun control must start with some facts on the topic. Please note that nothing I am about to share is my opinion. The following points are facts. You can disagree with my opinion that I shared above. But, you cannot disagree with the points I am about to share.
• Guns are good but can be used for bad.
When taking prescription drugs, as prescribed by a doctor, they can save someone's life. But, when abused, drugs can lead to mental illness, overdose and even death. It's no different with guns. They can protect and defend or gather. But, guns can also cause harm and murder.
• People killing other people with guns are already breaking the law.
Putting more laws in place is not going to stop evil people. They're already fine with breaking the laws that are in place. Gun control won't solve or help the problem that we currently face. The issue goes much deeper than lack of gun control; I'll speak more about this later in the post.
• The cities with the strictest gun control laws are among the most violent.
News channels and liberal media websites do their best to hide this from the American people. They even lie telling people that gun control works. But, it's not true. Let's take Chicago for an example. Chicago has some of the strictest gun laws in the nation. But, there is an act of gun violence within Chicago city limits every few hours.
• Gun violence receives too much publicity from mainstream media.
One of mainstream media's top political agenda's right now is gun control. Because of this, whenever a negative shooting happens, it's aired for weeks. My friend Steven Crowder recently published an article titled 'Good Guy With a Gun Confronts, Kills Restaurant Shooter.' But, you didn't hear about it on the news, did you? That's because the political agenda is to show only the negative side of guns, not the positive.Publicity itself is not the issue, it's the effects that follow. Toward the end of 2014 is when President Obama and his administration started pushing gun control. Every chance President Obama got, he would tweet about gun control and always bring it up on national TV.Do you know what the outcome of President Obama's agenda was? HERE IT IS. (Focus on 2015 and 2016 just after he started pushing the topic.)
Do you notice a trend here? Gun violence began climbing while America started focusing on it. Could it be that talking about this topic so much has been what has caused the increase in violence? It's no coincidence, that's for certain.
Before you think I'm some Obama hater, you need to know that this is not the case. I have nothing but respect for him, and any man who has ever been selfless enough to be a president of the USA. This is something that happened during his candidacy that I do not agree with.
As mainstream media has magnified gun violence and control, it's on all our minds. This plants ideas in people's minds to become copycats. Most people would never consider becoming a mass shooter if the idea was not introduced to them. People are so hungry for attention. What's the quickest way to get everyone talking about you? Something extreme. People get noticed and talked about when they do something evil, like a mass shooting. Some people are so hungry for something, they'll do anything.
[easy-tweet tweet="Gun-related violence will shrink when we, as a society, stop fixating on it." via="no" usehashtags="no"]
The point is this: What you think and talk about you escalate and it leads to action. If we talk about gun control, gun violence will continue to climb. If we stop talking about it, gun violence will shrink.
How Should a Christian View Gun Control?
A Christian should first know that gun control is not the issue; it is only a by-product of a much deeper problem. Christians should focus on the bigger issue, which is lack of love and belonging. People are lonely. They feel isolated which leads to very dangerous places, especially mentally. Violence will never stop unless Christians step into their calling to love and include all people.I've spent a great deal of time researching what mass shooters have in common. I was able to narrow it down to one primary thing: Isolation. Isolation leads to a place of loneliness and lack of self-worth or value. How sad is that? Many mass shooters feel that they don't belong anywhere. And, as a result, are mentally screaming for any feeling at all.
Related Post: How to Stop School Shootings by Valuing People
When in isolation, our thoughts tend to take control. Whether you believe in a spiritual realm or not, it's there, and it is powerful. Outside of God's salvation, each of us are monsters at our core. We are capable of more evil than we could ever fathom. Isolation often magnifies what's inside. If you're living for God, it's often love and joy that magnifies when you are alone. When you're not saved, it's often evil that magnifies. The world's fix for this is medication, but, as we are noticing more than ever, it doesn't fix the problem. (That's another post for another time.)Most people that are in a place of isolation do not become mass shooters. It's the same with people who feel extreme loneliness or who are lacking self-worth. There is a far more common trend. More common than mass shooters are suicides. This is also a very sad thing. Suicide is also something we are seeing more of in America.
If Christians would step up, this wouldn't be happening.
As Christians, our primary call is to include and accept all people. Not only in our hearts but also into our communities and lives. It is our job to love all people, just as Jesus has loved us. Christians, we are failing in this right now.
Related Post: It’s Time to Change Your Heart About What’s Happening in the World
The root of the problem we currently face is a spiritual problem, not a gun problem. It's a problem that we have the solution to.
How Can Christians Help Solve Gun Violence?
There are 3 ways Christians can help solve gun control. That would seriously make a huge difference and turn this whole thing around.
- Act like a Christian, not like the world.
- Be intentional about where we get involved.
- Start loving and including all people.
But first, as Christians, we need to understand that we are part of the problem. Things will only get worse as the American people step further and further from our roots. Consider this quote, "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people." - John Adams to Massachusetts Militia, 11 October 1798The United States of America was founded on Christian principles. We were a fair and moral people. Our nation only "works" if we remain within guidelines of this foundation.We are living in a post-Christian nation. Because of this, violence will always be on the rise no matter what controls we put into place. Bad guys will always get guns, just like they always get drugs. But even if they cannot get guns, they will use bats, knives, homemade bombs, or something else. The possibilities for murder and violence are endless.But, if Christians step up, we can change things!
3 Ways Christians Can Help Solve Gun Violence:
#1. Start acting like a Christian not like the world.I'm very disappointed in the majority of "Christians." Most "Christians" are no different than anyone else. God has called us to be a light to the world. Leading people to Jesus is our calling! Christians are ultimately called to love. Most of us are not living this way right now.#2. Christians need to change where they choose to be involved.As a country, we're addicted to murder. When a mass shooting happens, Christians, like everyone else, become glued to the TV. We talk about it at work, school and on social media. We're nonstop checking for updates. This is a serious problem! If Christians would stop allowing this type of news to consume them, we'd see less of it reported. As a result, gun violence would also begin to drop. Get informed, then turn it off. Then start praying instead of consuming. The news reports mass shootings because it brings in high ratings. If Christians would stop adding to these ratings, the media would report it less.#3. Start loving and including all people in our communities.As Christians, it is time for us to step it up. It's time for us to stop having our "holy huddles." It's time to include people of all backgrounds and beliefs into our lives, churches, and groups. When Jesus walked the earth, He said there are two greatest commandments. Love God and love people. It's time for us to start spreading love to those in our area of influence. Let your light shine!
Related Post: The Lost Art of Loving Your Neighbor
Gun control is not the answer. As Christians, debating it, fighting for it, or against it is a waste of time. The most important thing we can do is start loving people in a way we never have before.