Another day, another school shooting. This time it happened on our national day of love. Cue the Valentine’s Day massacre headlines. Go, media—do what you do best—whip us all up into a gun-control, finger-pointing frenzy.
A nutjob white supremacist claims the shooter is a member of his hate group. What do you do, press? Run with it or verify first? You run with it like you mean it.
Why verify anything anymore when a CYA headline will suffice? Especially when you can imply the awful and (in their minds) predictable “truth” that Nikolas Cruz was driven to do what he did by his white supremacy.
We didn’t hear a peep about this verified and newsworthy phrase on Cruz’s Instagram page—Allahu Akbar. Predictably they don’t want to go anywhere near that one. Must be careful (and professional) when it comes to tying a religion of peace to violence.
Journalism is dead. Left-leaning scribes and editors officially killed it nearly two years ago. Their job now is to frame the news to fit their ideological preferences—even if it means sacrificing any vestiges of integrity that survived the political pyre of the 2016 election.
Shooting off our mouths
Even before news outlets trumpeted the white supremacist nonsense, many on the left screamed their exclusivist outrage to the heavens:
“The NRA killed those kids!”
“The GOP has blood on its hands!”
“Trump revoked mental illness background checks!”
“F*** your thoughts and prayers!” (We need legislation, not God.)
Newsflash, bigmouths:
Nikolas Cruz is the murderer. Not the NRA or GOP or Trump or people who own guns. We’re all outraged and saddened by this tragedy. Claiming the moral high ground and blaming the other side of the gun control issue is reactionary, thoughtless and despicable.
Those on the right could just as foolishly blame bigmouths on the left by reminding them that it is they who want gun-free zone schools. Gun ownership proponents could say that they’re the ones who want armed security guards in schools to protect kids.
By the way, does anyone think school shooters give a rip about gun-free zone signs? They may as well read, “Shooting Gallery—OPEN.”
How to fix this
Let’s talk about assault rifles—or more accurately, about semiautomatic rifles that fire one round per trigger pull (just like handguns), but are mistakenly referred to as assault rifles.
I can see how they’d be fun to shoot, but for the life of me, I can’t think of one good reason why anyone needs one. In fact, I’d prefer our citizenry NOT match firepower with law enforcement or the National Guard.
I know … the Second Amendment, right? I accept that it was designed to protect our right to bear arms and resist government tyranny, but I’m confident our rule of law, our constitutional checks and balances and the spirit of our nation will ensure that we’ll likely never need these weapons to resist our government. Call me naive, but I just don’t see tyranny as a real possibility.
Here’s a certainty: Gun-free zoned schools do nothing to protect children. We have non gun-free zones in shopping malls and in other venues where young people gather—why not have good guys with guns to stop bad guys and crazies?
Why is it a bad idea to allow school districts to have security guards? Before you answer, consider this scenario: A shooter enters his school and starts his killing spree; security forces scramble and take him down. What’s wrong with this? It’s what we’d see happen in an airport or sports venue.
How about allowing teachers to conceal carry or to have a firearm in a locked safe in or near their desks? This could provide a second line of defense … and a deterrent.
Mental health. Maybe if we encourage school districts to employ professional mental health counselors with in-school offices, kids who are about to snap won’t. Perhaps they’d get real help and begin to hope.
Many if not most school shooters are deeply troubled and aren’t getting any help. We should also ensure students can anonymously report bullying and threats, which, in this case actually happened, but was inexplicably ignored.
The FBI’s failure to act on a vital tip they received concerning Nikolas Cruz’s desire to be a school shooter is indefensible.
Guns aren’t evil—people are
At this point, this may seem trite, but it’s still true—guns are not the problem. They don’t run down the street shooting people. They can’t hop around looking for evil people to pick them up and use them on others. But we can and should limit their accessibility.
I grew up in Texas in the ’70s and ’80s. There were no background checks to buy firearms. There weren’t any requirements to keep them locked away from kids. Yet I don’t remember ever even thinking about the potential of gun violence in my schools.
It was infinitely easier for adults to buy guns, use guns, and have guns in one’s truck rack, glove box and purse and yet we had virtually no school shootings—as in rarely ever. What changed?
We changed. Our culture changed. Our expectations for our children changed. The public school system changed. Our laws changed. Our expectations of personal responsibility and accountability were lowered by nanny-state policies. Helicopter parenting became the norm.
An adversarial parent-teacher dynamic emerged. In better times, parents and teachers were on the same team and worked together for the good of society AND for the good of the child. Instead of rearing kids to become decent citizens who respect authority and help ensure the common good, we coddle and enable them to demand safe spaces and their rights to resist free speech.
The power of community
I realize that Nikolas Cruz was an outcast and was terribly ostracized. This is awful. And despite our education system’s focus on inclusion and fairness, it’s not surprising. But somehow, he thought that lashing out with deadly force was an option. If he had been born thirty years earlier, would he have thought so? Not likely.
How can I be so sure? Because he would’ve known he’d be going up against EVERYONE on the same team: teachers, parents, police officers, firefighters, students—those who worked together to make schools criminal-free zones rather than gun-free shooting galleries. They knew what we should know—guns weren’t and aren’t the problem—bad people are.
Disagree? Then kindly answer these questions:
If you think that more gun control is the answer, consider this: For decades we had little or no gun control and yet suffered a tiny fraction of the gun violence that now plagues our schools. How will more gun control address the root causes of our problem?
Okay, let’s ban “assault rifles.” I’m onboard. Now what? Won’t troubled kids like Cruz use hunting rifles or shotguns or handguns or whatever?
Root causes
Aren’t the root causes of the problem within us, within our devolving culture? What about the glorification of violence in video games, music and entertainment? How does the vilification of law enforcement factor in to the problem? How does banning prayer in schools contribute?
What happened to parents empowering educators to help discipline their children rather than insulating them from authority and consequences? My parents would’ve (and often were) embarrassed by my misbehavior at school. They didn’t blame my teachers for reporting it—they blamed me.
I’m ready to listen. I truly am.
And I’m just as outraged and fed up with the senseless slaughter as you are. Let’s solve the problem together. No more grandstanding, blame gaming, finger-pointing and moral high grounding. Kids are dying. There’s got to be something we can do to help stop the killing.
And you’re right. Doing nothing isn’t the answer. Neither is vilifying a political party with disgusting lies about its members not caring about kids. People on the left AND right care about protecting our schoolchildren. Let’s stop the sickening partisan mudslinging.
We must do something. On that, there’s no disagreement. We simply disagree on how best to do it. Let’s respect one another’s viewpoint and get to work.
Well, Pj you have posted on a subject that absolutely pushes every one of my buttons. Every time this happens it brings me to my knees. I live on a limited budget but every month I donate a very small amount to Sandy Hook Promise. They are doing wonderful things trying to educate people about mental issues and offering help and instruction to schools.
And, we do agree on one thing – I have seen no reason to allow weapons of war on our streets. I can understand an actual boots on the ground soldier never wanting to be more than arms length away from a weapon after living 24/7 under fire. It is also a fact that so many come back with mental issues that should preclude them from possessing said weapon. The only time a person has been surrounded by people aiming their guns at him/her is when a bad guy is surrounded by the police. To me it is an insult to actual heroes that people here think they need such a weapon when they can walk the streets, go anywhere they want, and go home to their families each and every night.
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School has over 3,000 students and I would imagine 100’s of staff. Exactly how many good guys would there have to be to protect those people? The shooter did his damage in 6 MINUTES. How long would the FBI or police been able to hold him for just talking about killing. In Florida anyone 18 or older can by a gun – there are no rules.
Until the 70’s the NRA welcomed common sense laws. Then a new regime took over and they came up with a new sales plan backed by gun manufacturers. One such sales pitch was “(fill in the name with a Democrat) is going to take away your guns”. It has been over 40 years of hearing that same old saw. No one was ever going to take away everyone’s guns. How would they even do that? But, it sure worked to sell guns. The U.S. has the highest gun ownership in the world by a huge margin. A minority of citizens in this country hold the majority of guns. The NRA/gun manufacturers have paid millions to the Republican Party and individual Republican congress people to stop any common sense changes. When the parents of the Sandy Hook victims went to Washington just to open a discussion they were met with the same “shit happens” shrug we are still witnessing every single time. Thoughts and prayers has become meaningless.
During Obama’s presidency every time there was a shooting out came the call that Obama was going to take away everyone’s guns and each and every time there was a run on the sale of guns. Money poured into the gun manufacturers and NRA hands. Now that they don’t have the big bogeyman some gun manufacturers are feeling the pinch.
Gun manufacturers know exactly how many guns they make. They know exactly how many people live in this country. Even if they stopped selling , gun stocks, semi or automatic weapons today there is no way we can stop these shootings because all those guns are already out there. A gun was invented to kill. I don’t want your stupid guns. I just want the carnage to stop. I want the Republicans to make an effort. Something, anything. They are always trying to cut back on mental health issues. They are always punching down blaming every bad thing on the people who have the least wealth and the least power. They have all the power now and all they can do is blame someone else.
I am furious and heartsick because it has already gone too far. And then there are those like Bill O’Reilly who call mass shootings “the price of freedom” after the Las Vegas shooting. I have never held or shot a gun but I bet I could do some damage with an AK whatever. My father is gone now so I can’t ask him why we never had a gun in the house. He grew up on a farm – so you would think they would have had one.
If you want to blame the new media – go ahead. Scream fake news every day like our President. I am sure that will save lots of lives. If this shooting had been done by an illigal immigrant or someone from a shit hole country Trump would have been twitter man on the spot. He would parade the families of the victims and use them as props for photo shoots or rallies and rant on about his ridiculous wall. The families and victims of the latest mass shooting will soon be forgotten with the next horror.
I read a speech given by the VP of the NRA at some conservative function. To me he came across as a dangerous frightening loon.
If you want to accuse me of saying these things biased punditry go ahead. These last days I have spent a lot of time praying for the strength not to hate.
C’mon, Jo—I apologized and admitted I was wrong to question whether you think as you do because of biased punditry. Why would I mistakenly do it again? Also, have you ever read anything from me about fake news? I despise the term. It’s thoughtless and cheap. I also dislike the NRA. I think they left their calling long ago. Their marketing techniques are pushy and over the top. They’re WAY too political and extremist for my tastes. But they’re not responsible for school shootings. The shooters are.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/07/world/americas/mass-shootings-us-international.html?mtrref=ritholtz.com&gwh=C53975FC3E42E2C25F1998FF767A5164&gwt=pay
Pj I apologize for those 2 sentences. While I receive an email when you have a new post I never receive notice of any responses to your post. I think it is a word press issue because it suddenly changed last year when I was posting on John’s blog too. I must have pushed a wrong button somewhere. I only see responses if I go to your blog on purpose to look. I make sure I check the box every time but obviously I did something wrong months ago.
You surprised me with those words because they were typical troll words I have seen hundreds of times. You are so much more than that.
I admit every mass shooting makes me lose my way. They probably make me a little crazier each time.
On this we will have to agree to disagree. I believe the NRA/gun manufacturers, along with a lot of help from their paid for Republicans have won. They have succeeded in flooding this country with guns. They have succeeded in flooding this country with guns bought by people who should not have guns. Guns were invented to kill. They have succeeded in convincing people that Democrats are out to take away their rights to their guns. They have succeeding in telling people that the only way to protect their families is to own a gun. Like they are magic. I haven’t checked this year, but last year at least twice a week a child got hold of a gun and shot themselves or someone else. All because an adult was careless. Having a gun in your home does not mean you are safe from tragedy. One moments inattention and a family is forever shattered. I do not think those who wrote the Amendment could foresee weapons of war on the streets.
No good guy with a gun would have helped during the massacre in Las Vegas. At that shooting at that small school in California unarmed staff saved a hundred students.
So I can give another reason that Trump’s “wall” is unnecessary. We will still be on the same side with the weapons of mass destruction and people willing to use them. Also, every paper I have read said the wall will not stop the drugs. Hire more people, use more equipment. We do not need to be the only country with a wall.
I admire people who are marksmen. That is a gift, like your gift of writing. I admire everyone with a talent.
Do you think they will start spending more money on mental health issues? Do you think they will even allow research on the causes of all these mass shootings? That has never been allowed.
Do you think they will startt spending money on research on why the U.S. has the highest percentage rate of maternal death in the whole developed world? Texas has the percentage rate by itself. Then add the other 49.
We have just dug such a deep hole for this country that our children’s, children’s, children will still be paying for it. If we get into a war, we will be a 3rd world country. Where would the money come from?
We all want to be safe so we keep throwing more money at the Defense Department. They are the only department that has never completed an audit. In 2016 there was an article that said the DOD had “lost track” of 7 Trilllion dollars over 2 decades. The money never seems to trickle down to the soldiers. We chew up our heroes and spit them out. One lost hero is one too many.
I actually live on a strict budget. You always pay your bills first. You don’t party first and then wonder how to keep the lights on. I do think that all the money spent on politics and politicians is a sin. Politicians spend a good part of their time seeking donations and not doing their job. Why does anyone need more money than they can spend in 10 lifetimes?
Sorry, but I am just so sick at heart right now.
No worries. I figured that may have happened. I try not to write like a troll. I’m sure JP would say that I don’t try hard enough. Although anyone who consistently disagrees with him is dismissed as one. Thanks for your kind words.
I’m not going to defend the NRA and don’t know for sure that they’re paying off anyone. Same goes for gun makers. Could it be that both groups simply believe in the Second Amendment and the freedom to defend themselves and their families and are worried about future government tyranny so strongly that they do what they do because they think they’re doing the right thing? Kind of like how many progressives who think more government control and less liberty is the way to equality and happiness?
Adults who have guns in the house are criminally negligent, if they don’t keep them locked in a gun safe and away from children. On that I think we can agree, right? What if the good guy with the gun was in the hallway outside the Vegas shooter’s room? He could’ve distracted him by opening up on the door and possibly saved lives. It’s hard to continue shooting into a crowd when you’re worried about your back.
I don’t know whether states and school districts will spend more money on mental health. I do wonder if societally, we’ve reached a point of no return with the breakdown of the family, morality, community values and common decency. I can’t help but think that all we can do now is what the Israelis do: Mandatory military service, law enforcement and military on every corner and armed guards in schools. It truly saddens me that it seems to have come to this.
I couldn’t help but smile when I read your words about a fiscal audit for the military ;-). When I was in the Navy, one of our jokes was about the fifty dollar ashtrays. Sadly, all government agencies waste a ton of money. They have to “spend” lots of money to get lots of money. The VA is the same way. Our unsustainable fiscal house is a whole ‘nother issue. I think you’re right about our descendants paying the price.
Don’t be sick at heart, Jo. Jesus loves you and tells us, “Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me.” And, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Thank you for accepting my apology. How funny – ashtrays. In my day it was $1000 toilets. I actually worked in Receiving at the Tracy Defense Depot during Vietnam. I don’t remember processing toilets – maybe they were stored at a different depot. What I do remember is that the boys I grew up with and loved like brothers came back forever broken in some way. That is if they came back alive. My husband was drafted but by the luck of the draw served his time in Germany.
God knows what is in my heart. He knows my struggles. I think I grow weaker as I age and sometimes let man’s inhumanity towards man overwhelm me at times. I am at my best when I am filled with joy.
Peace Pj
We live in a fallen world. That is fact. We have evidence on a daily basis. That is something we will absolutely agree. There are other things we will disagree on. After another shooting where pictures are shown, names are given, brief bios written, we are in a search for answers. We grieve. We look to our leaders for a response. We hear “now is not the time to politicize the issue”. If not now, when?
When will we hold leaders accountable? PJ you want to blame Hollywood, the breakdown of the family, the left, the “removal of God” from public conversation. Those may be factors but what about the guns. As a society, we have fallen in love with them. They were bought in record numbers during Mr. Obama’s term in office. How many does one man need?
I am not a gun owner. I have shoot them before, but I have no desire to have one in my house. I have a brother, brother in law, nephews, and friends who hunt and own guns for protection. I am glad they are free to own and use them. As a liberal, I don’t want to ban gun ownership. I want responsible gun ownership. I do believe a gun license and registration would be a good thing. I want enforcement of existing laws. I want prosecution of gun dealers who break the laws. I want it difficult to have 17 people killed and more wounded in a 6 minute period. It sounds like maybe banning the AK is something you could get on board with. Maybe?
Those of us who are believers DO grieve, we DO long for justice, we DO long for mercy, we DO long for hope, we DO long for comfort. We find it in Jesus. We live HERE though. While we wait for Christ to return and make all things new. We live in a fallen world. We are fallen people. We can’t let that be the end of the story though. We are fallen but WE have been redeemed. LIBERALS and CONSERVATIVES, BLACKS and WHITES, GAYS and Straights, Transgenered, Bi, Gun Owners and non-gun owners are redeemed in Christ if they have accepted his sacrifice.
Liberals are not your enemy, nor our conservatives mine. We may disagree on the role of government in our lives. We may disagree in how we believe our leaders should respond to a crisis such as what happened in Florida.We must live in the light. We must be willing to challenge leaders on BOTH sides who ignore the needs of the populace.
How do you do that? Would you run for office? Are you involved in your local community? Have you talked to your local school board about providing security or helping at a local school? How do we show a boy like Nikolas Cruz that there is a better way? How do we prevent another kid from having a life that moves him to this fate?
Questions for us all to think about.
Hi, Steve
Thanks for your words. To answer your questions: I am involved in my community. I would not run for office. I live in California—talking to my school board about providing security is liable to get me arrested ;-). I think parents must do a much better job of parenting and partnering with teachers and school officials to train their children in the way they should go, not in the way they think they want to go. We can’t prevent these tragedies from happening; that moral ship has sailed. But we can reduce their frequency and limit their death toll.
A few questions for you:
Do you believe that being redeemed by God through Christ’s sacrificial death requires acceptance of his sacrifice AND repentance of sins? I think you do. And by repentance, I mean a heart change and a turning away from one’s former sins and sinful lifestyle?
Personally, I can point to the exact day my heart was changed and my eyes were opened. The sinful lifestyle I lived quite naturally was no longer natural or desired. I can’t say that I haven’t strayed, but I can say that straying in sin is absolutely no fun, and getting back on the path can be joyful and freeing all over again.
I’m talking about the repentance and forgiveness that all believers experience when they see their need for a savior, repent of their sins and are no longer mastered and controlled by sin—as Romans describes.
You asked me one time if I think homosexuality is sin. I thought deeply about it and wrote a long draft of a reply, but didn’t send it. I know I owe you a straight, truthful answer. I can quote verses, but I’m confident that you know them, so I’ll offer this instead:
Every time Jesus spoke about marriage in scripture, he spoke of men and women. He never once addressed same-sex marriage. If he’s God in the flesh and knows all, past, present and future, and knew full well that you and I and our nation and world would face the question of same-sex marriage, why wouldn’t he save us all the angst and trouble and put the issue to rest 2,000 plus years ago?
I submit to you that he did just that and in the most Godlike way possible—he didn’t even give it the time of day. He spoke of men and women in marriage because that’s how he designed it. If men and women are created in God’s image, it’s partly because together men and women bear God’s perfect and complete image by their complimentary “otherness.”
And this complimentary otherness is beautifully illustrated by marriage between a man and a woman as they reflect God’s image together. There can be no full and complete reflection between two men or two women just as there can be no marriage covenant between either same-sex pseudo-coupling. Both fail to fully reflect God’s image and run counter to his design for oneness.
Another example is scripture’s bride of Christ and marriage supper of the Lamb metaphors. Why does God use the bride and groom comparison? I think it’s because he designed our relationships with each other and with him in marriage terms between men and women, church bride and groom.
Can we agree that each time homosexuality is mentioned in scripture, it’s condemned? If you don’t agree with the Old Testament’s treatment of it, the NT epistles treat it the same way. Why? I believe it’s repugnant to God because it runs counter to his design. I think the enemy uses it to give God the middle finger, so to speak, by corrupting his image bearers and defying his design for oneness and in an attempt to distort the marriage metaphor of the bride of Christ.
I don’t know you, but I respect your honesty. I realize that what I’ve written has likely angered and outraged you, but you asked me an honest question, and I gave you an honest answer. I think you expected this from me, and I think you know it’s the truth. I hope you find what you’re looking for—because if you do, you’ll experience true peace and unfettered joy.
Patrick-I apologize for the lateness of my reply to you. Work has had be traveling for the last 6 weeks or so. I wanted to be thoughtful in my response.
First, I will respond to your last comment first. Nothing you have said has angered or outraged me. I understand it. I understand that we will see the world differently. We should be okay with that. I think I want to challenge you and you me. Scripture tells us that “iron sharpens iron”. So are the tit for tat we have. You make me think and that’s a good thing in the world we live in.
Let’s now talk about the elephant in the room. Yes, I identify as gay. I have had homosexual sex. I have not been nor am I in a long term homosexual relationship. I have dated but not more than a few times. Currently, I am chaste. So for many within the evangelical community I am okay. I am living my life by scripture.
I accepted Jesus Christ as my Personal Savior on June 11, 1985. I was 18 years old. I did it at the side of my bed. My life was changed. I wasn’t a bad kid. I was the kind one, the teacher’s pet, the one who cared about the elderly and those left behind.
I am adopted. I don’t know my natural parents. I was placed in foster care at the age of 2 and was adopted out at the age of 4. I grew up in a home with two parents and 4 siblings, so 7 of us. Then 1979 happened, domestic violence, divorce, brokenness, family shattered. Yes, I was right at the age of 12. My dad remarried quickly, there was a 6th child by December 1981. I worked for my father during my teen and college years. There was never brokenness. Was I horrified about what he did to my mother? Yes. Do I hold him responsible for that? Yes. Does hiding behind his faith aggravate me at times? Yes. Having said that I have compartmentalized that. We talk daily at this point.
Does Christ condemn me? I don’t believe so. Does he condemn my friends who are in gay marriages with children? No. I have watched gay friends fight for the right to parent, whether it is their biological kids, or their desire to foster or adopt. I have watched these people raise kids that will change the world. Their kids are aware of struggle. They are aware that you have to fight for the right thing.
Watching gay couples with their kids is amazing lesson of God’s grace. Most often families come together through the grafting of adoption. You and I are brothers because we have been grafted through adoption. That happened because we have accepted the sacrifice Christ made for us. As I watch my friends with their kids, I see devotion. I see love. I see hope. I see grace. I see passion. I see vulnerability. I see tension because they live in a society where people are fickle. Where laws that can protect can be changed to harm. You may disagree with homosexuality from a Biblical perspective and you may condemn my friends because of their gay marriage and the kids they are raising, but I really would challenge you to meet them. Find a gay couple meet them where they are. Look at how they are raising their kids. See that it isn’t different than your siblings do for your niece/nephew.
Here is where my identity lies. I am a son of God. I am a son, brother, uncle, great uncle, friend, grace-giver, employee, gay man. That’s who I am. That’s who I am called to be. I want to be authentic. I NEED to be authentic. There is no other way to live.
I know your response was not directed to me but I would like to share my thoughts. I respect you and your faith. I admire all who live their faith as long as they do not purposely inflict harm on others in the name of their faith. Many wars have been waged in the name of God.
I know you to be a good and decent man blessed with, I am sure, many wondrous talents besides your writing. I believe you live your faith and that is an honest and respectful compliment. I am blessed to have conversations with you and that you listen to my voice even about things we disagree on.
I believe we are commanded to love our neighbors as ourself which is reflected in the 10 commandments. Adultery and stealing are mentioned in 2 commandments which begs the question why? Wives are mentioned but nothing is said about marriage or husbands.
Back when John’s blog was more freewheeling I saw many what I called dueling Bible verses. I believe the Bible is a wondrous book because it actually agrees with science about the order of how this earth was created. First the dark and then the light and so on. The words are different, but to be so close is again, wondrous. It is also a book written by men.
I have never seen any evidence to disprove that those who say they live by the words of the Bible actually pick and choose what they live by while accusing others of doing so. I see things in black/white, right/wrong and I have trouble seeing nuances. No one I know sees women as unclean during their menses. I have never heard of anyone marrying their sister in law to impregnate her if his brother should die. Just a couple of examples. No one wants to stone or kill an adulterer except for sometimes the one who was cheated on. Throughout the years adultery has been met with a wink and a nod.
Many faiths believe they hold the only key to God’s kingdom. Now either they are all wrong or only one is right. That is where faith comes in. I do not believe there is only one key. I believe God is so much more than that. I believe he gave us free will to find our own way to his kingdom by following his commands. I do not believe God has his finger in every pie. Why would he bless us with free will?
Attraction is a part of that free will. We are all different in the type of person we are attracted to. You have a very beautiful wife that you are attracted to for many reasons that are all personal to you and you alone. You do not feel that same attraction to every woman you have met. We choose our own friends to love, people who we respect or people we do not respect.
There are some that are asexual. They are attracted to neither a man or a woman. I do not believe they are evil. Some are attracted to children. The Bible gives us no age for marriage. That is a man made law. They wanted to populate the earth so puberty was the gauge I guess. We know that girls can reach puberty as young as 8 or as old as 16 or older. I feel that two loving adults harm no one and have been blessed to feel that love. I have no right to deny them the same rights I have or believe they are lesser. They are my neighbors.
If we all felt the same exact way and worshipped the same exact way, and dressed the same way and believed the same exact way that would be a cult. A cult obliterates free will.
Peace Pj
Hi, Jo
I assume that you wrote what you wrote above in response to my answer to Steve’s question about whether I think homosexuality is sin.
I think the whole issue hinges on the answer to these questions: Does God make gay people that way or are they born with predispositions to homosexuality as a result of the Fall? I’ve known and/or been friends with maybe ten gay people, and most, if not all, either told me or likely had experienced distant or abusive relationships with their fathers.
For gay men, I think there’s a really strong connection between a lack of love from fathers and a search for love in other men. In other words, a fundamental need for fatherly love in all of us went unmet in these guys, and the result was their seeking it in the form of same-sex lovers.
Have you heard of Dennis Jernigan? He’s a Christian musician and former gay man (no, he doesn’t believe God made him gay; he believes his fallen nature and predispositions caused him to struggle with same-sex attraction). He also believes that God set him free from these temptations.
Here’s a link to his blog where he explains part of his journey from gay man to heterosexual married father: https://www.dennisjernigan.com/needhelp/1257-no-one-is-born-gay
Do you think God is a God of design? Do you think he has standards for us? If he wanted us to be fruitful and multiply, how could we do so in same-sex love relationships?
I appreciate your words and questions. I don’t really know what to say, but I’m glad we’re having this conversation.