I’m the “bad cop” of this site when it comes to political issues. We really want to focus on the spiritual, but I really don’t want to become “too heavenly minded to be any earthly good.” So here’s a brief and practical commentary.
Under the motto of not letting “a good crisis go to waste” our politicians are babbling on about how their laws can save us. Calling it “common sense” and the like. I don’t know about you, but it seems to me that common sense is something they are lacking.
1. Omar Mateen was openly and notoriously violent. Yet being a Muslim was not fired the way a Christian with a Southern accent would have been because of some of those “common sense” anti-discrimination laws and the environment of prosecutory fear they create.
2. Omar Mateen traveled to Saudi Arabia twice and was investigated by the FBI for terrorist connections deemed “casual.” That being said, when was it, last week that we were hearing lament from our politicians that want to ban 4 year-olds from flying because they visit a website?
3. Omar Mateen worked for the Department of Homeland Security and had security clearance! He was in security and would have had “justification” for firearms the same way that the Secret Service would. (You know, those armed guys that follow around the politicians who decry firearms!)
4. Omar Mateen entered a bar with a firearm, which is not legal in Florida. In other words, he broke Florida’s firearm laws when he committed this atrocity. If you put your hope in “gun free zone” laws, let this be a lesson to you.
There are several other items worth mentioning but for the sake of brevity let me just point out two things that can be taken from this.
First, the law abiding citizens that were unarmed in that bar were not only not protected by the law, but they were put at greater risk because of it. If just one patron had a .38 in their possession this could have ended quickly. Another gun-free-zone attracts another murderous lunatic looking for the path of least resistance and greatest casualty. NRA is right again, and progressives are stuck trying to rewrite too-recent history.
Second, and why I dare to talk about this on this site, is that the war between Islam and homosexuality is a prime example of the spiritual dynamic known as “a kingdom divided against itself.” Godless people put their faith into other things, idols if you will. Idols like “gun laws” or demonic ideologies. When these people meet each other bad things happen.
As Christians we are not called to be the wrath of God. A while back Ryan pointed this out in his article: “Anathema.” A real God doesn’t need our help when it comes to judgement, wrath, and even ostracization. That is the exact opposite of the tenants of Islam because they represent the opposite of The Living God. It is patently unlike Jesus to kill.
What is not unlike Jesus is to pray for those who persecute you. So please don’t hesitate to pray for those victims. Shamelessly pray that God’s peace, grace, and mercy be on them:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” – Matthew 5:43-45
Dear believer, if you are anything but devastated by the murder of so many young unbelievers please repent now. If you are tempted to turn cold to the war between them, consider John chapter 8. If you are older, you may remember what you were like in your twenties, if you are younger and already living for Jesus please don’t doubt John 8. Jesus weeps for the lost, and we do too. If there is hate in you, you aren’t right with God.
I realize that many church attenders are fascinated with Sodom and Gomorrah. Yet consider carefully how Lot’s wife looked back. Many have claimed that she looked back because she was attached to that town. What if she looked back in disgust or hatred? Whatever her reason, would her outcome have been any different?
Ironically or not, the real meaning of the rainbow was established in Genesis 9, and it is not diversity or gay rights. What it really means is that God doesn’t want to see anyone perish as He makes very plain in verses 5-6:
“And from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being.
“Whoever sheds human blood,
by humans shall their blood be shed;
for in the image of God
has God made mankind.”
Even if you know for sure why Lot’s wife looked back, it’s hard to disagree that God values all people and we should too. Pray Christians, pray for these people, especially those left behind to lament. Cry with them, I bet that’s what Jesus would do. I bet that’s what He’s doing now.
I love what I just read in a tweet: if one man and his actions are not representative of all Muslims, why do they try and make him representative of all gun owners?
I’m afraid the reason is quite clear. They want us to ignore common-sense and engage in their fictional narrative so they can get more votes and get more power. Nothing is new under the sun.
I apologize for the delay of your post, for some mysterious reason the system thought your post was spam. Probably because it made so much sense? I’m working on an article now about how we are being brainwashed by media spin and skew. Even just real-time knowledge of crimes committed thousands of miles away is unnatural for our perceptions.
If, as Obama insists, the actions of the Orlando man, the two men in Garland Texas and the man and woman in San Bernadino are not representative of the Muslim faith why does he insist they are the actions of gun owners?