This reflection on Psalm 23 and gun violence in the United States was delivered at both N. Portland's University Park Church and SE Portland's Sunnyside Church by the Rev. Chuck Currie on July 22.
Our schools and churches and movie theaters are places we should expect to be safe. In these places we worship, we learn and we are entertained. But in recent years all these places -- along with shopping malls and restaurants and public parks -- have in moments of terror become killing fields as people with often-great mental instability who have access to weapons meant for battlefields open fire on innocent crowds causing mass deaths.
Another such incident occurred this week, of course, in Colorado at a movie theatre. We do not as of yet know the motives of the person responsible (was he mentally ill or were there political motives of some sort?). What we do know is that in many funerals the words of Psalm 23 will be read as families and friends mourn lives that should never have been lost. We share in their grief from afar and ask for them and for ourselves that the Lord guide us even through the darkest valleys. Bravely we recite the words that we "fear no evil" because God is with us but God knows our hearts and understands that there was reason for fear and terror last week in Colorado and in nearly every community across the United States as we face the reality of gun violence.
Church leaders and others have long called for stronger restrictions on guns that are designed not for hunting but for war -- like the weapons used by the Colorado shooter, one of which had been previously outlawed by the Assault Weapons Ban that was allowed to expire during the presidency of George W. Bush -- yet the editorial board of The Oregonian made it clear this weekend that any calls for new restrictions "from those with political and religious axes to grind" were not to be heard this week. Instead they called for "patience" and further reflection on the issue. And while I suspect the motive of their editorial was to prevent an inflamed and partisan debate over the issue of gun control -- a good motive -- their call for patience in a nation, state and city where gun violence has become the norm was ill-advised. We do need a debate over how to reduce gun violence and the position long advocated by the National Council of Churches -- a body to which we belong -- has been to call for measures that reduce the availability of guns for purposes other than sporting. James Holmes used an AR-15 rifle, a civilian semi-automatic version of the military M-16, which would have been illegal for him to obtain had the Assualt Weapons Ban been in place. You don't need an AR-15 rifle for duck hunting. You only use it to kill humans and the NRA and their allies have made sure that it and other weapons like it are easy to obtain, often without background checks because of a loop-hole in the much heralded Brady Law which requires such checks at gun stores but not at gun shows.
The National Council of Churches adopted a resolution in 2010 re-affirming the church's long standing view on gun control, while acknowledging that not all Christians are of the same mind of this difficult issue that has pitted concepts of personal freedom against public safety.
The resolution noted, in part:
It is difficult to imagine that the One whose own Passion models the redemptive power of non-violence would look favorably on the violence of contemporary U.S. society. Present-day violence is made far worse than it otherwise would be by the prevalence of weapons on our streets.
...(many Christians believe it) idolatry to trust in guns to make us secure, since that usually leads to mutual escalation while distracting us from the One whose love alone gives us security.
The question might seem too simplistic but our Christian faith does indeed call on us to build up the Kingdom of God, a place without violence. Can we reach for that ideal while still owning guns ourselves or supporting organizations like the NRA that argues the world will only be safer when everyone carries a weapon?
The United Methodist Church and the United Church of Church, both churches are member communions of the National Council of Churches, call for gun control -- along with much needed advances in our nation's mental health care system, programs for women fleeing domestic violence, and efforts to protect children who are so often the victims of violence. Gun control alone will not solve America's problem with violence but it can and has in the past made a substantial difference. Because of the Brady Law passed in 1994 it is estimated that more than 300 people a day with mental health problems or prior criminal records are unable to pass background checks to purchase weapons.
As the Social Principles of the United Methodist Church state: "In the name of Christ, who came so that persons might know abundant life, we call upon the church to affirm its faith through vigorous efforts to curb and eliminate gun violence."
Colorado was not the only place to experience gun violence last week. There was gun violence here in Portland at least five days last week. We face a record number of murders in our community this year, many of them related to both guns and domestic violence.
It was not that long ago that Oregon's Thurston High School became the site of one of the nation's largest school shootings. But we quickly forget these things.
As your minister, I ask you not to be patient when we know from the Brady Center and crime statisitcs that roughly 100,000 people in the United States are either wounded are killed by gun violence each year.
Gun violence is contrary to the will of God, and thus we are called to do what we can to change the reality of our circumstances so that moviegoers and school children no longer have to be afraid of living in a violent world. We must join with the National Council of Churches and other people of faith, including the inter-faith community, to press our government to make this nation stronger for us all in ways that preserve individual freedoms but also protect the common good.
When Jesus suffered and died on the cross it was with the hope that humanity would one day understand that violence -- whether inflected by governments, individuals or other social institutions -- would fall to the wayside as humanity learned to live in peace. It is still an open question whether or not humanity will ever fully accept the peaceful path Jesus offered as an alternative to the injustice of his time and ours. And now we face another question: will the lives of those who died last week be lives lost in vain with no meaning or purpose to their deaths or will we as a people turn this time of horror into a moment to do good, to love justice and to walk humbly with our God?
Amen.
God, Guns And The Church -- The Darkest Valley from The Rev. Chuck Currie on Vimeo.
Follow Rev. Chuck Currie on Twitter: www.twitter.com/RevChuckCurrie
Lisa McElroy: The Supreme Court, Gun Control, and a Very Dark Night
Lloyd I. Sederer, MD: 'Random' Acts of Violence Are Not So Random
John W. Whitehead: Violence Begets Violence: Making Sense of the Dark Knight Massacre
Michael Pettinger: Sin in Aurora, Colorado
At its core, the very definition of being an American is the KNOWLEDGE that the people must ALWAYS maintain the capability to wage a revolution against the tyranny of government.
Race, religion, and political affiliation are irrelevant to this proper understanding of FREEDOM, American Style.
We must be one in knowing that the people must be able to bring force upon the ruling powers if they should get out of line. And that force must be able to be substantial.
This is the essence of the 2nd Amendment, and built within it is the obvious right of personal defense.
The 2nd Amendment is like an insurance policy:
YOU purchase as much as, as well as, the TYPE that YOU determine that YOU need. And, you use it when you need it, which you can never know.
Some people have no coverage. Some go with the statutory limits. Some have extended coverages. And Some have UMBRELLA Policies.
YOU make YOUR choice, not the Government, and certainly not your fellow citizens.
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
Incidentally, our 2nd Amendment Constitutional RIGHT is not a right about bearing arms for duck hunting. It is THE ONE AMENDMENT that has everything to do with the people being able to resist a tyrannical government WITH THEIR OWN ARMS.
Furthermore, the PEOPLE mentioned in the 2nd Amendment is NOT the State. The PEOPLE "ARE" the citizens of the United States, individually and collectively, and are the SAME people mentioned in the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th (Persons), 9th, and 10th Amendments.
Therefore, the RIGHT to Bear Arms sufficient to withstand the tyrannical government is the right of EVERY Person who chooses to exercise it.
A beaten and bruise Paul exhorted the saints to continue in the faith, saying, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God." (Acts 14:22). May we be prepared to do so also with the Armour of God and not the arms of men!
So, what was He talking about? If He wasn't telling them to buy swords and fight, what was He saying? He contrasts the relative ease and peace they have enjoyed with the trying times which were ahead. He'd been warning about such already (Luke 12:11; 21:12), and indeed, these things came to pass, as He said (Acts 5:40; 12:1-4; 21:27-26:32; etc.). Their former ministry was local, and their needs were met along the way. Now, they would go to the ends of the earth, and must prepare themselves to do so. The sword was an allegory, not literal. Difficult times were ahead. They needed to arm themselves; not with a physical weapon, but with far greater weapons; spiritual weapons. Children of God are to be armed with the ARMOR OF GOD (Eph 6:10-18) which includes THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, WHICH IS THE WORD OF GOD (Eph 6:17). Jesus has given us this admonition, ”Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. (Matthew 10:16)”
When Jesus cautioned His disciples to "beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees," they "reasoned among themselves, saying, 'It is because we have taken no bread.'" He rebuked their lack of faith and understanding, and explained that He warned them about the teaching of the religious leaders (Matthew 16:1-12). This was one of several times when Jesus' disciples failed to comprehend His teachings.
In Luke 22:35-38, we come upon another such occasion. Jesus' disciples did not understand what He was revealing to them. His words, "It is enough," is not a confirmation that two swords would be sufficient, but rather a dismissal of the subject, for it was time to go. Though they did not understand yet, they would in time. It would be interesting to know the timing of our text and that which is recorded on the same evening in John's gospel:I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will tell you things to come. (John 16:12-13)
Jesus says to the disciples to buy swords, but when they show him two, Jesus says the two are enough. The first direction, the literal one, is inadequate for two reasons. First, the obvious question is: two swords are enough for what? Are they enough for a physical fight to resist arrest? This is hardly the case because during Jesus’ arrest a disciple (Peter according to John 18:10) took out his sword and cut off the ear of the servant (Malchus according to John 18:10) of the high priest. Jesus sternly tells Peter to put away his sword, "No more of this!" and then he heals the servant, restoring his ear (Luke 22:49-51). Resisting arrest cannot be the purpose of the two swords.
Second, were the two swords enough for an armed rebellion to resist the authorities and to impose the new Jesus movement in a political and military way? Jesus denounces this purpose in Luke 22:52, as the authorities are in the process of arresting him: "Am I leading a rebellion that you have come with swords and clubs?" The answer is no, as he is seized and led away (v. 54).
So the physical interpretation of Luke22:36 (the two swords were intended to be used) will not work in the larger context.
Violent actions comes in two flavors. Aggressive and defensive. In all fights someone is the aggressor. Sometimes more than one person is an aggressor. Everyone else is a defender. Defensive violence is acceptable.
Weapons can be offensive or defensive in nature. They also can be equally applicable to both. For example. A sniper rifle can hit a completely unaware target through a telescope. The person being shot doesn't know where you are or what you are doing. They are *no threat to you*. Ergo, a sniper rifle is an inherently offensive weapon in civilian life. In war it can be used defensively to defend a position from an advancing army, but in civilian life there is nothing it can do defensively that another gun couldn't also do.
On the other hand, a shotgun isn't a good offensive weapon because it is very large and awkward to carry around, only has a capacity for one or two shells at a time, has a long reload time, and makes a lot of noise attracting attention. But it is very effective and popular for home defense.
In order to make any progress on regulating guns we need a more nuanced perspective were we distinguish between defensive and offensive arms and concentrate on banning the offensive ones.
"Gun violence is contrary to the will of God"---The right of self preservation against those that would harm us isn't?
"has been to call for measures that reduce the availability of guns for purposes other than sporting"---Until the definition of "sporting" is changed to fit someone's agenda.
"You don't need an AR-15 rifle for duck hunting."--1) The 2nd Amendment isn't about duck hunting. 2) It's a good thing it's called the "Bill of Rights," not the "Bill of Needs."
Stay free America!
Make an 11th commandment stating "Thou shall not purchase an AR-15"
The entertainment value of these "Right Reverends" is priceless !!
I refuse to call you minister because the Church of Christ is a terrorist group not a church.
The beliefs of the Church of Christ are as un-Christian as that of Mormons, Moonies and other cult groups.
You should not be allowed to blog on the religion page.
The comic book page maybe.
One of the insane beliefs of the Church of Christ is that there should be no musical instruments to accompany songs. This is based on their belief that if it was not a part of the original tabernacle when Israelites were wondering around the wilderness, it should not be in a modern church.
Yet, they have electric lights, heat, air-conditioning, etc. Yet, they fail to see the total hypocrisy of their beliefs.
Furthermore, instruments such as the piano and organ had not yet been invented. Additionally, they would have been to big and heavy to tote around for 40 years.
Lastly, there is a book in the Bible entitled Psalms. A psalm is defined as a song with musical accompaniment.
I have stated this 1,264,835 times: Why do those that espouse the Bible the most, understand the least ????