Bam … You’re Dead
Fellow Christians or those who just stopped by, please pray for this little angel boy, his family and all other victims of the Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting.
I must tell you that I am mad, and I am tired of playing nice. I have not posted on my blog in nearly a year and it has taken yet another tragedy to bring me back out here. The title of this blog post, “Bam … You’re Dead,” I know, is harsh.
The world, however, is harsh, and it is time we address reality.
Former posts
I posted on this blog in April 2018 with a post titled “The Root.”
Apparently not many have read it, because all evening and morning and in the upcoming Democratic presidential debates, we will hear over and over about gun control. Talking about gun control is a nice way for people to make themselves feel better and think they are doing something about gun violence.
But let me get something straight: This post is not about defending guns and is not in defense of people who kill. I own two guns, am trained in the use of a pistol and possess a concealed carry permit. I never liked guns, nor did I ever want to even touch a gun, but when my niece and her two small daughters were in the vicinity of a shooter in the Arrowhead Mall parking lot, I made sure I became at least somewhat prepared for a mentally ill person firing off a gun.
And here we are again today
Which brings me to this post today regarding the mental state of unhinged people with guns. Or like “The Root” post spoke about, unhinged people with guns, knives and car bombs. As some say, there is more than one way to skin a cat. There is also more than one way to create complete chaos. Guns are an easy way to take out frustration, but truck bombs are not very hard for a person intent on creating mass death.
Let’s talk about the root of this violence problem once again. Jesus Christ died in violence. He died to save us, and we have free will. But just what has our free will created? Our free will has created a world of inequity, both monetarily and socially. We have super-rich billionaires living in luxury and then we have the super poor, living in homeless camps across America. We have the super “beautiful” and then we have the super awkward. And then we wonder why we have people shooting up the world.
There is so much wrong with our society. When is the last time each or any of you gave any money to the homeless? Oh yeah, because you don’t want your money going to them buying drugs or alcohol. Why? Because you are so much better? Maybe you are just more blessed financially and emotionally.
Why do teenagers and young adults care more about “influencers” otherwise known as YouTube and Instagram “stars” than teachers or their supervisors at work? Is it because the only attributes that seem to matter anymore are physical beauty and monetary or social success?
And we wonder why people are shooting up the world. People are distressed over failures, disappointments and rejection. None of us are helping victims of violence by being part of the creation of people who no longer have the will to do right.
Are you surprised? I am not
I am not surprised, even a little bit, at what has come of our society. I have asked the Lord a thousand times why He keeps me in a perpetual state of struggle. The answer finally dawned on me this morning: So that I GET IT. My experiences have given me an understanding of why people do the things they do and by GETTING IT, I am forced to use my gift of being outspoken and undeterred by my critics to CALL IT OUT!
Most people who don’t experience poverty, disaster or physical unattractiveness normally don’t get it. They don’t understand how these things create anxiety and depression and that anxiety and depression leads to violent acts, not just onto to others but to themselves as well. Here is a link showing mass shootings since 2012 and the number of suicides by guns in 2012.
Has anyone here ever considered that your gifts from Father God were not given to you because you are better or more worthy than the next guy? Have you considered that your gifts were given so that you can help others?
This post will surely not win me any popularity votes, but writing is my gift and my requirement to share, even if the message is not feel-good. I am not talented like other Christian writers, who can quote scripture and bring other’s peace. I tell you what is happening in the world, now, in the 21st Century, and how others are hurting. Everyone wants victory. Why are we not helping everyone achieve this goal?
We were all born with special gifts but using those gifts for the purpose of helping the Lord bring peace to this earth is rarely used, as we hold on to our gifts as if we earned them through our own doing and they belong to us only. Taking advantage of our gifts, we use them in the wrong ways, and we don’t like using our gifts if we are not going to get something from them. We don’t like putting ourselves out there and risk not being liked because it is not what society says is cool and acceptable. We are self-centered and where is that getting us? Bam … You’re Dead. That is where it is getting us.
So, next time
So, the next time you wonder why a mentally ill person shoots up a garlic festival, ask yourself when was the last time you gave money to someone living on the street or the last time you “liked” a post of an “influencer” and later turned around and called someone ugly or the last time you refused to show empathy for someone who screwed up.
I am not a fan of Hillary Clinton but when she said, “It takes a village to raise a child,” she was right. We ARE the village and we are not raising our children. We are letting people fall through the cracks because we are too busy holding on to our blessings and not caring about those who need caring the most.
I will leave you with my favorite scripture.
Numbers 6:24-26 New King James Version (NKJV)
“The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.”
