Mass shootings-how to cope with it?

[ColoradoGal]

Evil men and seducers will wax worse and worse....Paul said very perilous times will come because of the nature and consistent evil nature of man

Is it just me or since Columbine it's become a big fad? It appears that people who do these things are frequently either driven by a desire for fame (Aurora theater shooter) or are underlying suicidal and are deciding to take people with them as a means of expressing revenge for a grudge?

It's really disheartening to see that the Columbine killers still have a cult following of admirers and that numerous shooters have researched Columbine.

 

[hornetguy]

I pray daily that God will meddle in my affairs,
and thankfully he often does.

: )

Hornetguy,
I have a little different view on sovereignty than most of my comrades in the Arminian camp, but I always appreciate your posts, and your good common sense about everything.


God Bless.

Yes, I pray the same thing... I tried to clarify my view on that in a more recent post. I certainly believe God answers our prayers... I've seen Him do it. I've heard other people's testimony, like my father, of how God protected them in dangerous situations. He had some stories of things that happened to him fighting in the Philippines in WWII that could be nothing other than God's intervention.

I could very well be completely wrong about whether God "choreographs" all happenings on earth. It wouldn't shake my faith one bit to find out I was wrong....

 

[OneFaith]

Hi,

so for the last two days I've been wondering how to cope with tragedies like the Texas shooting. It really made me think and honestly I feel it's so difficult for me not to loose trust in God.
Even though, I know he is grieving with all the people who lost somebody and is not happy about what happened. And surely, there is evil in this world and the man had his freedom to choose his actions but still, I feel, God could have done something, just a small intervention and things could be different. Is this really going to teach people something about God? Because my thinking is, people must ask "how can this happen in a church, where God is present and protects the people?"

I don't know, it's just difficult for me to deal with this. What are your thoughts? And please be honest, are you really OK with that? Are you really thinking, God is great, he had a bigger reason for letting it go that far?

God destroyed the whole world except for Noah and his family, because they were violent, homosexual, and their every thought was evil 100% of the time. But He uses rainbows to remind Himself not to destroy the whole world again. But obviously He wants to. Like us, He does not want to see mass shootings. And yes, He does put in place police, judges, etc. Too bad there wasn’t enough time in this situation, but a neighbor next to the church took action.

And that is what we need- to find a way to react faster. God gave us police, and security systems, and the authority to tweak our laws to keep up with the minds and actions of evil men. So the question is, since they have up-ed their game, how do we up our game?

Well here is one thing being discussed on the news: getting rid of banned gun areas- such as schools, churches, hospitals, etc. Because the bad guys don’t obey these laws- so it only makes the good guys defenseless against them. I agree with changing this law. But we need to be smart about it so we don’t create more problems.

The people who are allowed to carry a consealed weapon in such areas should have stricter background checks, more often, and manditory training- things like that. Machine guns, and the guns that can be made into machine guns, need to be outlawed. Can gun manufacturers put a device in them that has an alarm go off in entrance doors, without needing a medal detector? I don’t know exactly how, but we need to get smarter about this. Let the brilliant minds come up with something. We can put a man on the moon and create an iPhone, but we can’t find a way to protect our people? I don’t believe that.

Should we protect our people? Should someone in church shoot a shooter before he takes more lives? Yes! God set up police, judges, and armies because He believes in protection. Offering the other cheek is a spiritual battle, it does not mean laying down and saying “go ahead shoot me, and my children.” If this were the case, God would not have had His people go to war. He would not set up defense- which He has. If a man walks in and shoots one person, would it be better to shoot him before he continues shooting dozens more? And if you say no, what if the dozens more included you and/or your children? Innocent lives should not be taken to protect the life of an evil man. God believes in the death penalty- He iniciated it.

 

[Tommy379]

God destroyed the whole world except for Noah and his family, because they were violent, homosexual, and their every thought was evil 100% of the time. But He uses rainbows to remind Himself not to destroy the whole world again. But obviously He wants to. Like us, He does not want to see mass shootings. And yes, He does put in place police, judges, etc. Too bad there wasn’t enough time in this situation, but a neighbor next to the church took action.

And that is what we need- to find a way to react faster. God gave us police, and security systems, and the authority to tweak our laws to keep up with the minds and actions of evil men. So the question is, since they have up-ed their game, how do we up our game?

Well here is one thing being discussed on the news: getting rid of banned gun areas- such as schools, churches, hospitals, etc. Because the bad guys don’t obey these laws- so it only makes the good guys defenseless against them. I agree with changing this law. But we need to be smart about it so we don’t create more problems.

The people who are allowed to carry a consealed weapon in such areas should have stricter background checks, more often, and manditory training- things like that. Machine guns, and the guns that can be made into machine guns, need to be outlawed. Can gun manufacturers put a device in them that has an alarm go off in entrance doors, without needing a medal detector? I don’t know exactly how, but we need to get smarter about this. Let the brilliant minds come up with something. We can put a man on the moon and create an iPhone, but we can’t find a way to protect our people? I don’t believe that.

Should we protect our people? Should someone in church shoot a shooter before he takes more lives? Yes! God set up police, judges, and armies because He believes in protection. Offering the other cheek is a spiritual battle, it does not mean laying down and saying “go ahead shoot me, and my children.” If this were the case, God would not have had His people go to war. He would not set up defense- which He has. If a man walks in and shoots one person, would it be better to shoot him before he continues shooting dozens more? And if you say no, what if the dozens more included you and/or your children? Innocent lives should not be taken to protect the life of an evil man. God believes in the death penalty- He iniciated it.

It's interesting people state that machine guns should be outlawed. Since the feds started regulating machine guns in 1934, only 3 have been used in a crime. I just googled it.

 

[hornetguy]

Churches are not considered "gun free" zones... at least in Texas.

Some churches request that no guns be brought in, others don't care.

Our church requests that nobody "open carry", but they have no problem with concealed carry.

 

[mj007]

If a church isn't gun free, it's not really a church?

Churches are not considered "gun free" zones... at least in Texas.

Some churches request that no guns be brought in, others don't care.

Our church requests that nobody "open carry", but they have no problem with concealed carry.

 

[Hellooo]

After hearing Stephen Willeford's account on the Louder With Crowder podcast, I've decided it's now time to to get my own permit and weapon. That's how I'm coping.

 

[hornetguy]

If a church isn't gun free, it's not really a church?

Was that intended to be a question, or a statement?

I was speaking only of the legalities of carrying concealed, and did not intend to address the rightness or wrongness of carrying in a church.

I've heard stories of how our predecessors during the settling of the west always had guns with them when they went to church on Sunday... even some preachers would have guns with them..

 

[LookingtoZion]

This is the age old question. Right?: Why do bad things happen to good people? Since we aren't God and don't know 100% His thoughts and purposes, it will continue to be a mystery to us. Maybe we'll understand when we get to heaven. One of God's attributes is His Incomprehensibility. I saved this quote from the book The Extraordinary Life by C. Stanley: "While we have no right to fully know God's reasons, our lack of such information is the very thing that creates our feelings of frustration, anxiety, and doubt. Consider the irony of the situation. If we, in our limited human wisdom, could comprehend God's motives and actions, that in itself would be cause to doubt Him, since His thinking would be no better than our own!

I think part of our problem as humans is that we want to label everything: that's good or that's bad. Maybe in God's eyes there are no such labels. Back to my original statement about bad things and good people. The Bible tells us there is none who does good, that we have all turned aside and become corrupt.

And we really don't know God's purposes. I read the book "A Grace Disguised" by Jerry Sittser recently. It is his story about 3 of his family members being killed in the same car accident. You should read it. He is very open and honest as he walks us through his grief, but especially all the things he's learned through it.

 

[Willie-T]

I visited a church last night. The pastor told me at least two people are always armed at his church whenever they have any kind of service. It's odd to hear that said openly, though I know of several churches that have long had CC people in their services.

 

[Lo3o3o]

I read the book "A Grace Disguised" by Jerry Sittser recently. It is his story about 3 of his family members being killed in the same car accident. You should read it. He is very open and honest as he walks us through his grief, but especially all the things he's learned through it.

Thanks for your tips and thoughts. The book, you've recommend reminds me of "The Shack", which I also highly recommend.

 

[maxwel]

Yes, I pray the same thing... I tried to clarify my view on that in a more recent post. I certainly believe God answers our prayers... I've seen Him do it. I've heard other people's testimony, like my father, of how God protected them in dangerous situations. He had some stories of things that happened to him fighting in the Philippines in WWII that could be nothing other than God's intervention.

I could very well be completely wrong about whether God "choreographs" all happenings on earth. It wouldn't shake my faith one bit to find out I was wrong....

I'm totally with you on that one.

 

[LookingtoZion]

I heard something on the radio today and thought of this thread. Joni E. Tada (who has been a paraplegic for 50 years) said, "God allows what He hates to accomplish what He loves."

 

[kaylagrl]

Hi,

so for the last two days I've been wondering how to cope with tragedies like the Texas shooting. It really made me think and honestly I feel it's so difficult for me not to loose trust in God.
Even though, I know he is grieving with all the people who lost somebody and is not happy about what happened. And surely, there is evil in this world and the man had his freedom to choose his actions but still, I feel, God could have done something, just a small intervention and things could be different. Is this really going to teach people something about God? Because my thinking is, people must ask "how can this happen in a church, where God is present and protects the people?"

I don't know, it's just difficult for me to deal with this. What are your thoughts? And please be honest, are you really OK with that? Are you really thinking, God is great, he had a bigger reason for letting it go that far?

I think as Christians we are too attached to this world. We are like the grass,here one moment then gone. We do not know how long we have. We are so blessed in this country that people usually live long and full lives.That is not so around the world.

My sister has made two mission trips to Africa and she said they see death very differently there. They see it as a home going,just a part of life. I think we do not understand that this is our temporary home. We're not promised a certain amount of years,nor an easy life. The Bible says "take up your cross and follow me". We're here to spread the Good News until He calls us home.

 

[jb]

Mass shootings-how to cope with it?

The US government needs to have the backbone to change the ridiculously lax US gun laws!

Simples!

 

[hornetguy]

The US government needs to have the backbone to change the ridiculously lax US gun laws!

Simples!

Spoken like a true SUBJECT! Get big government to take care of you, womb to tomb.

Please sir, may I have some more???

Fortunately, for us... the CITIZENS of the US, we have something called a "Constitution", that spells out just what the government can do, and what it CANNOT do.

We take our status as free citizens pretty seriously over here. We haven't quite gotten to the point of knowing how to, and expecting to HAVE to, pucker up and kiss the bare backside of our government.

 

[zeroturbulence]

There are mass shootings, plane crashes, earthquakes, terrorist attacks, tsunamis, killer viruses like ebola, etc...

"All these are the beginning of birth pains. Then they will hand you over to be persecuted and killed, and you will be hated by all nations on account of My name. At that time many will fall away and will betray and hate one another,…"

(Matthew 24:8-10)

Those last two sentences seem to be coming true right now..

 

[mj007]

But these doomsday thoughts have always been around, maybe it's just a kind of pessimism, or something similar.

Nothing compares to things such as The Black Death, even the 2 world wars put together.

Saying that, The Black Death is a rising threat.

HOWEVER...

No doubt they will find a way to fix it. "But the news says autobiotics are running out, put two and two together, this is it."

No doubt they will fix that too.

You are either optimistic or pessimistic about life really.

There are mass shootings, plane crashes, earthquakes, terrorist attacks, tsunamis, killer viruses like ebola, etc...

"All these are the beginning of birth pains. Then they will hand you over to be persecuted and killed, and you will be hated by all nations on account of My name. At that time many will fall away and will betray and hate one another,…"

(Matthew 24:8-10)

Those last two sentences seem to be coming true right now..

 

[mstone]

So you will loose your trust in God when things don't happen as you expect them to happen?
Who is to say bad things cannot happen in a church?
Bad things happen where there are humans.
It is important to remember we all capable to do bad regardless what we believe in.

 

[jb]

Spoken like a true SUBJECT! Get big government to take care of you, womb to tomb.

Please sir, may I have some more???

Fortunately, for us... the CITIZENS of the US, we have something called a "Constitution", that spells out just what the government can do, and what it CANNOT do.

We take our status as free citizens pretty seriously over here. We haven't quite gotten to the point of knowing how to, and expecting to HAVE to, pucker up and kiss the bare backside of our government.

Unfortunately your constitution doesn't stop psychopaths from buying large amounts of semi-automatic weapons (converting them to fully automatic), and then going into a hotel room and shooting dead dozens of innocent people!

Stricter gun laws made by your government would go some way to stop gun shops being so quick to sell their products to just any unbalanced wacko!