This is a very sad development. For a few reasons.
- Some Christians supported and fought for this bill to be passed. It wasn't handed down from the legislature: it was actively sought.
- It should go without saying that Jesus himself spoke more than once- and forcefully- about violence and his disciples. ("Those who live by the sword, die by the sword.")
- Christian churches have always been places of refuge. In times past, even criminals could flee and find shelter- if only temporarily- inside of churches. In fact, even today many churches have red doors. In some places, red doors meant that that place was a place of refuge.
- For Christians, a church is more than a building. It is a place "between the worlds" where we can encounter God in a very specific, meaningful way. For sacramental Christians, a church is the literal sanctuary of our Lord (present in the Tabernacle in the Blessed Sacrament). Church architecture reflects the reality of this sacred space.
I cannot help but think of King David when I consider the thought of weapons in churches.
David said to Solomon, "My son, I had planned to build a house to the name of the Lord my God. But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, "You have shed much blood and have waged great wars; you shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed so much blood in my sight on the earth. See, a son shall be born to you; he shall be a man of peace. I will give him peace from all his enemies on every side; for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days. He shall build a house for my name. He shall be a son to me, and I will be a father to him, and I will establish his royal throne in Israel forever."
I Chronicles 22:7-10 NRSV
(I did get a measure of enjoyment from looking up the scripture passage above, because it was the first passage I looked up in my newest Bible.)
Pax et bonum
Spot on, Thomas. Jesus would weep...
ReplyDeleteIndeed he would.
DeleteFor some in our culture -- including some who consider themselves good Christians -- love of guns and gun paraphernalia (e.g., high capacity magazines) has turned into outright idolatry. You can base your life around guns, or you can base your life on Christ's gospel. Very hard to do both at the same time.
ReplyDeleteI'm not speaking here of the elderly person who lives in a crime-ridden neighborhood and wants to have a shotgun in case someone comes through the window one night, nor the hunter who uses a gun responsibly to feed his family. Rather, I have in mind those who suggest that a gun -- or better yet, multiple guns bought in the wake of the murder of twenty kindergartners and first graders and discussions of reasonable gun control -- are the solution to every problem, the best or only way of "working things out." Those individuals have put their full trust in guns and the organization that lobbies on behalf of gun manufacturers, the group that stokes their fears in order to enact laws such as this. They want the rest of society to see an individual's right to purchase five or ten guns in a single month as the greatest of rights. Getting guns into churches helps validate their sense that they are saving America. A false god that is spoken of with love and religious fervor. How very sad, especially among Christians.
I agree entirely, Steve. Well said.
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