We all want to know “why”. Why did a brilliant young man barge into a theater and murder people he didn’t even know? People he wasn’t even mad at?
And I know there have been some great articles expounding on this tragedy, so I don’t mean to belabor the point, but still, there are things to think about.
Someone said, “why not“? We all have the wretchedness of sin and violence seething in our blood, and were it not for the grace of God that restrains us, we could be that man.
Violence is as old as the world, with the very first sibling group demonstrating it.
But this was so random, so un-provoked. That’s what bothers us the most, isn’t it?
But few of us want to admit that first, we “teach our children”, (broadly implied), that murder is justified by our own determination. We are a people who has, after all, legalized it. “Her choice” makes it acceptable to take another human life. Her “justification” makes it alright. Or “rape” makes it alright. Or or certain level of hardship…in the end, it’s what we think that makes it right or wrong.
Then, we glorify the violence and act aghast when it becomes real.
And finally, my deepest heartache, we submit to an “education” that we KNOW teaches them there is no God, and therefore no intrinsic value or purpose to individual life; to an education devoid of the fear of the Lord and the accompanying wisdom.
It’s random–what else could it be, our lives–and there isn’t a definitive “right or wrong”. If we get to make the call, how can we really be surprised by a violence that just happens to not make sense to us?
I’m not trying to make some connection between the Aurora tragedy and these things, per se. But shouldn’t it cause us intense pause?
7 comments
Yes, it should cause us pause. Truthfully, though, I haven’t read much about it or spent much time thinking deeply about the tragedy, the flawed thinking at its root, the implications of it all, etc. You have some good points to ponder here, Kelly.
One article I did read about one of the survivors of the shooting was very heartwarming, and shows God’s loving hand and miraculous protection of a young woman from before she was even born. Get some tissues handy…you’ll need them for this one.
http://bstrait.wordpress.com/2012/07/22/a-miracle-inside-the-the-aurora-shooting-one-victims-story/
My very first thoughts were that this was a reflection on the way we raise our children! It sobers me as a parent snd makes me realize hiw much our world NEEDS us to raise our kids with God’s standards. They need to have purpose from their creator to be valuable here!
Job_11:20 But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost.
Psa_36:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David the servant of the LORD. The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.
Psa_91:8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
Psa_101:3 I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.
Pro_21:10 The soul of the wicked desireth evil: his neighbour findeth no favour in his eyes.
Hab_1:13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?
Above is a few verses reguarding wickedness and what people put before their eyes. Hollywood and others who create video games and such that encourage people to break the 10 commandments are EQUALLY as guilty of the Aurora shooting case. It is obvious that man willfully invents evil with his hands and the results are dangerously destructive on humanity. There is no such thing as a “strong” person who can avoid the consequences of sin displayed on a movie screen.
Why did you put the word rape in quotation marks?
To quote the different reasons one might give for supporting/justifying abortion; not to suggest that the rape isn’t real.
The violence that regularly appears before most people’s eyes these days, in the way of television, movies, computer, etc., is shocking. How can anyone possibly think this won’t affect them? If Hollywood truly believed that what they produce isn’t harmful or influencing folks in any way, then why is it they don’t make too many family-friendly, non-violent,and non-pornographic films? Obviously they are afraid it would influence people and be a condemnation of their own personal lifestyles.
Great post Kelly.
Victoria
If we have no regard for the blessing of life, we will have no respect in the preservation of it. Crazy people, like the shooter, are the extreme example of how little regard our society has for the blessing of life. An extreme example, but an accurate one none the less. The sad part about the questions that you raise, and the ones that the public and media are asking is this…the questions will stop in a short period and ‘normal’ day to day will continue without answering the questions. No one wants to answer the questions because it means we may have to change the way we think, do and live. That’s the sad part.