I
continue to draw from the faith community to help me see the issue of gun violence through the lens of faith. I’m resisting
voices that want to see this as a political issue or the latest conflict in
America’s culture war. I have edited/adapted this from the PCUSA’s report, Gun Violence, Gospel Values.
(Jesus)
reprimanded Peter for first grabbing a weapon in his defense. “For all who live
by the sword will die by the sword” as in proverb form (Matt.26:52b). If
weapons become the basis of your social relations, they will kill you. If
preserving your guns has become more important than the safety of thousands of
other people, then weapons have become your idol, in diametric opposition to
the vision of a city that is a joy, where children and old people live out
their years, and the weeping of grief-stricken mothers is no longer heard.
Let
us be clear: this is not a call to arms but to community. There is a direct
connection… between God’s intentions, the prophets’ visions, Jesus’ teaching,
and the implications for our own actions.
The
church is not as disturbed with the legitimate possession and use of hunting
rifles, shotguns, and sport shooting guns, but we are categorically opposed to
the poor regulation and easy flow of guns that are manufactured to kill
efficiently human beings.
