|Catfish|
People do bad things. More Catfish: Religious leaders don't say what needs to be said. I've heard a lot of talk about the one we lost (the shooter). In other words, we (Christians) didn't reach out to him with the love of Christ, so somehow we're partly responsible for the evil things that others do.
I struggle to understand how that works. When I open a door for a stranger, am I showing Christ's love? Is an atheist who opens the door for a stranger showing Christ's love? Is it that simple? I don't think it is. I'm hoping this topic will encourage the oracle to post more on holiness. I think you're on to something, but I'd like to hear you flush it out a bit more.
|Gospel|
Religious leaders don't always say what needs to be said. With the country watching, we had the opportunity to explain to the world the reason for this tragedy, and the hope that comes in it. We didn't. We may have lost one in the shooter, but how many millions did we lose by not speaking the truth.
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.
~1 Peter 3:15-16
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3 comments:
Hey Cody,
Good to see you have entered the 21st Century and got yourself a blog.
Your post today is interesting. You bring up a tension that Christian communicators must wrestle with: a time exists to be pastoral and a time exists to be prophetic. Put another way, sometimes the messenger should comfort the afflicted and sometimes the messenger should afflict the comfortable. Perhaps the prophet can be pastoral. Great hope exists when we hear the words: "Our hope is in Jesus Christ."
I would be interested to know what you think the reason is for this tragedy. You seem to have an opinion on it. I could think of various reasons various people might point to: the work of Satan, violence in multi-media, economic disparity, bad luck, mental disease, etc...
Anyway, interesting post and you are on to something.
Are we responsible for the shooter doing his thing? Not in a specific way, but I would say 'yes' in a general way. Remember, Jesus said, "For as much as you have done it unto the least of these, you have done it unto me." He calls us to be responsible for each other on this planet - and when we don't care for others because we are too wrapped up in our own world, we aren't much better than anyone else. How are we to be holy if we can't set ourselves apart in caring for the down and out and taking the responsibility that needs to be taken to love someone like this young man.
Craig -
The reason for the tragedy and all tragedies is the presence of sin in the world. There's the Sunday school answer. But there's not much more than that, really. All of the things you listed above are really a result of the brokenness that entered our world when God left Adam and Eve to fend for themselves.
I know this type of language does nothing to comfort the mother of a shooting victim. It doesn't matter to her that her son's death is a result of a greater tragedy, because today's tragedy is what hurts...and I'm not able to speak to what actually does work to comfort her, because I've never been in this type of pastoral role.
But I know what I look to in situations like this. I cling to the truth that the world is not always going to be like this. I believe there will be a day when Jesus will end the violence, the economic despair, disease, and even the work of Satan. And I believe His victory will be so majestic, the pain we feel now will seem less than trivial. And not only will Jesus claim this victory for himself, but he will also share his glory with us. This is the hope of the gospel, and the comfort to me in times of trial.
Diane -
It's not our fault the shooter acted out his impulses, as much as it is not our fault that someone else didn't because we cared for them. Our responsibility is to be the bait, not to catch the fish.
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