I keep wondering about the link between “pro-life” and
the gun debate. Abortion has been on the front burner of American thinking for
years. Though the issue often presents itself as legal and political, I try to understand
it through a theological lens. I confess it is not easy for me to articulate my
own position because I don’t have clarity about this question: “When does human
life begin?” Some in the theological community believe that life begins at
conception. Others do not. I seek the intersection of faith and science around
that question. However, some avoid the “when does life begin” question altogether
because they frame abortion as a “women’s issue” as in a “woman’s right to
choose.”
I like that Catholic theologians are consistent on “life”
issues: against abortion, against euthanasia, against capital punishment and for
stronger gun control because guns are used to kill human life. I like their
consistency but I don’t always agree.
Still, I am trying to connect the dots between pro-life
and the gun issue in American society. We have now experienced dozens of horrific mass
shootings which have produced a staggering number of deaths and an epidemic of fear
and anxiety among our citizens, especially children, teenagers and college
students. Each year ours is a country where more than 8000 gun murders occur,
which is tragically high when compared to other similar cultures and developed
countries. Our gun murders are more than 100 times higher than the UK when
comparing per capita rates. Statistics and reason shows that our high US gun
murder rate is directly correlated to the amount of guns, the ease in which one
can purchase a gun (even killing machines such as the semi-automatic AR15) and
the lack of strong gun laws. Isn’t this
a pro-life issue?
I don’t always agree with pro-life positions. However I
respect pro-lifers because they believe theirs is a moral and spiritual issue
and that the law of the land is unjust….which is why they gather in front of state
houses and legislatures carrying signs of protest.