Things I Think
1. In the rush to co-opt the deaths of innocent people for political advantage, facts are hard to come by.
I will offer one.
Whether you are a Republican or a Democrat, a gun control advocate or opponent, we all want to find ways to stop the shootings.
No one is unaffected by these tragedies, none are callous in the face of the losses.
None of us have the answers… the answers will only come if all of us stop trying to “win” and start trying to live, act, and think, as members of one community.
2. I think if communities always treated each other the way we do in the aftermath of a tragedy, there would be less tragedies in the first place…
3. There is no single law that could be passed in a free society that would have prevented the shootings. It will take more than legislature passed to prove that we’re trying to make a difference to actually find solutions.
4. In the providence of God I’m teaching through the Beatitudes now…last night was on “blessed are those who mourn”. “Blessed” mourning isn’t just about the loss of loved ones, it’s about mourning the state of our individual souls and the culture we live in. Perhaps if we replaced our cultural addiction to anger with true mourning we would be able to find some real resolutions to our problems…
5. In case you missed it…the ECFA has terminated the membership of Gospel For Asia. Membership in this organization was often offered as proof of their accountability. Now, it appears they have been accountable to no one.
6. The Apostle Peter said that we are to be a peculiar people in relation to the world. I believe what makes us peculiar is that we are to model sacrificial love and the kingdom that is here, but not in it’s fullness. How peculiar are you?
7. It’s been said before and bears repeating. The biggest lie that Satan has sold is that he does not exist.
8. The besetting sin of the evil one was narcissism. Remember that before you snap the next selfie…
9. How peculiar would it be to pray for those who hate us and wish us harm? Maybe that would be a good place to start…
10. Our local community college has just been evacuated…God help us all to make this stop.
#7 is exactly right, especially in light of what happened here in Roseburg.
Scott,
Both campuses of Rogue Community College have just been evacuated…hell is having a field day.
Michael, so sad to hear that.
Thank you. So true about community compassion. If only…..
The Beatitudes are indeed, so HEAVY and rather nothing like much of contemporary Christian church culture. If I had to tear out one part of the Scriptures to be the only piece I could keep, the ‘blessed ares’….would be my choice. A life time contemplation.
Oh no! What is happening at RCC? Praying right now.
Bomb threats, both campuses.
I don’t know everything she might have said since but I was very appreciative of the Democrat Oregon governor specifically saying now is not the time for politics in the immediate aftermath of the shooting. May that be a model for future politicians.
Given the exact opposite declaration of Mr. bully pulpit.
the bomb threats make one think… if it were possible to eliminate all access to guns from our civilian population, would these delusional (by whatever cause) shooters just crawl back in their abyss of misery or … would they look for another means, such as bombs to vent their anger?
Sadly enough one of the very few times I felt like a part of America as an American and not a demographic of one side or the other was right after 9/11.
We stood shoulder to shoulder, held hands, cried, comforted and prayed together.
We just had a young man die from a hit and run, and the community has banded together and raised funds for the grieving family.
Why does tragedy bring out the best in man?
God help us to be more Christlike 365 not just when it hits close to home,
Still praying for your community and this nation.
Number 9 is the most difficult one to do.Its much easier to hate someone back.
if we are a “peculiar” people won’t people think that we are Mormons? 🙂
but seriously, in this day of a psychological explanation for every human gesture, we are more apt to be labeled as having a psychological need or quirk that makes us forgiving, forbearing, unselfish etc.
focus on Christ and the peculiarity will come “naturally,” however
It is unfortunate that ‘peculiar’ in our culture connotes ‘weird’ or ‘strange.’ I like ‘atypical’ or ‘unexpected,’ even ‘counter-culture.’ Peculiar requires different for good reason.
The New York Times reports that four high school students in the small California town of Tuolumne, about 120 miles east of San Francisco, have been arrested, but not yet charged, for planning an attack on their school, Summerville High School.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/05/us/4-students-arrested-in-northern-california-suspected-of-plotting-killings-in-high-school.html
According to the Times, three of the four were overheard discussing this plot, and a fourth conspirator was later identified.
Their goal, according to Toulumne sheriff James Mele, was “to shoot and kill as many people as possible at the campus”; they had not however been able yet to obtain the weapons they wanted to carry out the attack.
From NBC News’ version of the story:
“Detectives located evidence verifying a plot to shoot staff and students at Summerville High School,” Mele said. “The suspects’ plan was very detailed in nature and included names of would-be victims, locations and the methods in which the plan was to be carried out.”
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/four-california-students-arrested-high-school-shooting-plot-n438316
If I never took a selfie I’d have a photo album filled with 10,000 pictures of Calice, 2,000 of Rob, and 3 of me.
Seriously, I just don’t get the obsession people have with selfies. Really. I don’t.
Last year a guy robbed a bank and almost got away with it.He did a selfie with the stolen money and put it on his Instagram page.He was arrested soon afterward.
Why didn’t Obama address the 111 people who died over the last 2 weekends in Chicago?
Because his buddy Rahm Emmanuel is major.