Time to stand
Posted on Tuesday, December 18th 2012 at 04:13 pm
This terrible tragedy in Connecticut has sparked a debate. Most of the debate centers on gun violence. I think it is reasonable to examine our gun laws in relationship to the 2nd amendment. Obviously our founders couldn't have imagined the violent acts we have witnessed from Columbine to Connecticut. The 2nd amendment was (is) intended to ensure that we are not defenseless against criminals or enemies foreign or domestic. I think where we can find common ground is that those that are mentally ill or felons should not be able to buy or possess guns.
But, I think we need to move beyond that and go deeper. Someone that would take a gun and kill others indiscriminately would also do other violent acts without a gun. This speaks to their mental (and spiritual) condition. Pavlov demonstrated that you can condition a dog (or a person) to get a prescribed response. Combat video games are used to condition our troops for battle. Since I was a kid we have seen steady moral erosion in the entertainment industry (movies, TV, music and video games). Sex and gratuitous violence dominates the entertainment industry often with no clear distinction between good and evil. The Lone Ranger has given way to Kill Bill.
Family also plays a role. We no longer have Ozzie and Harriet, many kids are growing up in single parent homes or their parents are otherwise absorbed and distracted. Kids that don't have supervision and good role models are more likely to go off the rail.
The entertainment industry and the condition of the family are symptoms of the real problem; our spiritual condition. People talk about praying and God a lot in our country. At the Grammy's it seems like everyone thanks God. But, do we know Him? When you ask people about what the Bible teaches about God and His standard they get squishy. Sex before marriage is now normal, living together as common as test driving a car, where once we wondered what the definition of "is" is, now we wonder what the definition of marriage is. We abort babies for convenience, our relationship experts are celebrities, and we learn our moral values from the Kardashians. Is it any wonder we are in trouble? Jesus said to Pontius Pilate "everyone on the side of truth listens to me", Pilate replied "what is truth?" That seems to be the question of the day. The old axiom has never ringed truer "if you don't stand for something you will fall for anything". We are falling; it is time to take a stand for the truth.
Comments:
I so agree..we need places for people who are mentally ill but that won’t protect because evil will grow if we do not change our hearts, repent and come back to God…you said do we really know him..you are right..would we take a billet for Jesus? Kathy thomas
By Kathy Thomas on 12/19/2012
Not to mention everyone seems to be ok with having babies without a marriage commitment.
Hey maybe you should write a newspaper colum rather than a blog!!
By Renee Williams on 12/19/2012
Interesting blog Doug! And you got me thinking!!!
My thoughts are that tragedy has always been in our Country and every Country. Today we hear about it, back then, they didn’t. What concerns me a bit is how we measure who is a mental ill person and who is not. What is that standard? This is a bit scary to me if we leave this up to the ‘experts’ on mental health. How many people are on drugs today? Who gives people these drugs? Who monitors those taking these drugs? Jane’s Addictions front man once wrote in a song, “The biggest gang I know is called the government.” I think that when it comes down to who’s pushing the drugs, it’s the workers of the medical community (i.e. doctors, psychologist, etc…). I have been in my share of mental institutions on visits and everyone is on drugs. I recommend Toxic Psychology by Dr. Peter Breggin to see a movement that is trying to really help people. But this is the problem isn’t it. Who says someone is mentally not healthy, and then what do they do if you are diagnosed with this ‘condition?’ Drugs have become a way to manage people, (Brave New World anyone) yet the drugs are destroying the person’s brain! Mmmmmm, Maybe the drugs also contribute to the brain not being able to function correctly. The leaders of these “professions” need to look at there foundations. Maybe, just maybe they are completely wrong in what they have thought all along. Maybe there paradigm has not worked. But then University Psych departments would have to admit that there is a better way. Doctors would no longer push pills, institutions would no longer be the crack house, and maybe I have land in Siberia I can sell you. A world that rejects God, will go any other way it can to avoid the obvious. We shall see!!!
By Beau J Ouellette on 12/19/2012