Another School Shooting Means
Another Round of the Blame Game
The latest school shooting, this time in Texas, means the Gun Control crowd trots out its tired media blitz to hammer away at the American Constitution’s Second Amendment. The opposing group bangs out its same ole message of “more government control” to prevent unstable people from obtaining guns! There are two issues never discussed. First, both sides insist that more government control is the answer to gun violence. Second, the true underlying cause is never discussed; the failure of psychological scientism and man’s underlying sin condition. The first is ignored while the second is denied. Thus, the increasing violence will continue regardless of which path “wins” the discussion.
The issue of weapons {only civilians uses the term, guns} in the hands of citizens is a relatively new concept in history. Rulers historically kept weapons out of the hands of citizens to prevent uprisings that would threaten the government. Thus, weapons were concentrated in the hands of the loyal military and even then this supposedly loyal body would rise up to establish a “new” ruler; rarely did the form of government change. America ensconced the provision of citizen weapon ownership in its establishing document, the Constitution’s Second Amendment. It was believed that the distribution of the weapons of war would slow the rise of central government control over its citizens. While this was a revolutionary concept, it was a flawed concept. The federal government continued to grow until it became the behemoth it is today. Weapons in the hands of citizens is probably the last bastion of the old Republic concept of limited government still in existence. Its days are numbered; once repealed, the goal of complete national socialism will be realized. What began with Alexander Hamilton, practiced by Abraham Lincoln and furthered by nearly every president in the 20th-21st centuries was nothing less than the concentration of power in the central state government at the expense of its citizens. Welcome to the revival of the ancient empires.
Since both Republicans and Democrats favor the concentration of power in the central government the only issue actually being debated is the means to achieve this goal. The Democrats favor direct confiscation of weapons and repeal of the Second Amendment. To say that this will result in bloody confrontations is probably an understatement. The disruption to American society would be felt at nearly every level and the resulting open wound would never really heal. How do we know this? The wound from Lincoln’s War never really healed. We still deal with its aftermath even today under the guise of racism. The Republicans favor a more indirect approach. They would strengthen, harden, whatever term you like to use, vulnerable institutions such as schools. This would demand the growth of both the police powers at every level and the military at the borders along with various federal agencies who also have policing powers. As the power of these policing agencies grew the more restrictive would be the regulations regarding the carrying and use of weapons until the burden became to onerous. Most citizens would give up their weapons except for some casual shooting and hunting. The goal would be the same: power concentrated in the hands of the few over the many. Yet, this still begs the real issue? The discussing of weapons hides the true issue just as the discussion of slavery hid the true issue behind Lincoln’s War.
Since the beginning of the 20th century the public school movement became saturated with humanistic psychological scientism masquerading as the “science” of the mind. John Dewey, Father of Modern Education, legitimized the use of psychology to train the minds of American youth. Over time this pragmatic philosophy infiltrated not only education but also sociology, nursing and even medicine in the form of psychiatry. Though it operates under the guise of science {measurability and repeatability} it actually is outside of science; thus, it is a scientism. The mind, spirit or soul of a person is outside the realm of science. It cannot be measured empirically and thus lay beyond the ken of science. The pietistic Protestants of the Second Great Awakening used public education, and the force of government, to promote Protestantism. The uprising of psychology pushed against this strict morality until it finally threw off its shackles in the mid 20th century. Thus, the force of government began to turn away from a Christendom morality toward a Gnostic philosophical approach that, not surprisingly, supported the rise of the Progressive Central State. One of the impediments to a central state was a rebellious citizenry, especially among the male offspring. Enter the marriage of scientism, pharmaceuticals and government force.
America has built its hopes on
Scientism, Drugs and Death
Drugs were introduced to “control” the mentally ill, or at least make them more controllable. Their usage has spread beyond psychiatrists until nearly every doctor today prescribes these drugs nearly from cradle to grave. America has seen the rise of these drugs and with their usage has come the false philosophy of “increased self esteem”, or me first. After nearly forty years of teaching the “me first” philosophy and the decreasing of inhibitions via the use of antidepressant/antipsychotic medications people are surprised that children are gunning down children! The more this occurs the greater the cry for more restraint, more drugs, more police powers, and less self-protection. The demand for more control is neither unexpected nor surprising. Government always promises more protection if only it had more control though it always fails to deliver what it promises.
What is the real cause of this violence? Psychology and psychiatry {drugs} only seem to mask but never the issue. Well, the answer is the nature of all people: sin. Everyone is born with a sin nature; i.e., lost and separated from God (Ps 51:5). The sinner lives in fear of meeting God, hides from God and is unable to restrain his sinful impulses which always result in violence whether it is simple anger or violent death (Mt 5:21-22; Ro 5:1-2). Anger resulted in the first recorded death by Cain, the would-be Messiah (Ge 4:1-17). It is no coincidence that Cain built the first urban centers, established the first government and inaugurated the first police/military force to keep the order until the known world of that day was engulfed in such violence that God brought the cataclysm {Flood} to begin anew. Sin always reveals itself via covetousness supported by anger because it cannot easily obtain that which it so desperately desires (Ja 4:1-4). However, the result is a barely controlled society. What we experience today is the general unmasking of sin. Rather than recoil at the exposure of sin and seek salvation; society {government} supports the sin, uses the scientism of psychology to mask sin and the power of the state to control the sinners. This is doomed to failure because the more sinners are controlled the more they rebel; its inherent in the sin nature. The more they rebel, the more violent they become as the shackles of pietistic morality are thrown off. The only effective answer is the Gospel, a changed nature (2Co 5:17).
Christians must be aware that equating weapon ownership with “freedom” and godliness is not only illogical but against Jesus’ teachings (Mt 26:52). Jesus’ kingdom is not of this world and using the methodologies of this world will not usher in His kingdom; He will not bless such a course of action (Jo 18:36-37). Supporting the weapon’s issue pits the Christian against Christ and for the world which should never occur! The Gospel message must be carried into the world with the understanding that the world will hate us just as it hated and killed Christ. Yet, in the end those whom God has called will be saved (Ro 9:14-16) and we will be with Him throughout eternity (Ro 9:19-21). I am saddened over the loss of all who die in their sin for whatever reason. I am deeply grieved that all cultures have rejected the Gospel and have chosen to achieve their ends by violence. Currently, this is the era of Lucifer and will continue to grow worse until Christ returns. We can only stand as little beacons of light heralding the gospel as the world rages against that message and its messengers (Mt 5:11-12, 14-16). As Jeremiah cried for his people even as they imprisoned him, so should we cry for lost humanity even as they stumble toward their own destruction (Je 14:17-18). The Father will save those whom He will save when out faithfulness to the Gospel. Amen.