I was having dinner with some friends a couple nights ago, and the issue of guns came up. In such situations I often insist (jokingly, with tongue in cheek) that I just wish Obama would burst through our doors with a battering ram and personally confiscate all our guns so that we’d finally be safe. Once my conversation partner’s hyperventilating has subsided, we can usually have a pretty healthy discussion.
The point I made that night, which I also made on episode #49 of our podcast (click above to listen), is that we simply don’t get to be “the gun country” on the one hand and lament mass shootings on the other.
To be more clear, while those who favor serious and strict firearm regulations can genuinely grieve over schools and churches being shot up and their inhabitants killed, when hardcore NRA- and GOA-type conservatives feign mournfulness over such increasingly-common attacks, it just rings really hollow.
You can’t make an omelette without breaking a few eggs, you can’t insist on religious freedom without having to endure Jerry Falwell, and you can’t advocate for unrestricted Second Amendment rights without a few kindergartners getting blown away every month.
Like it or not, but mass shootings of innocent people is kind of what our country is becoming known for throughout the rest of the civilized world. Is our absolute and unregulated “right to bear arms” really worth it?
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Thanks for the comment, FF.
For my part, I am strongly amill in that I have no expectations for a more christianized world. A corollary of this is that I don’t think it is the role of the State to implement religion by means of legislation or the sword.
This could explain why I don’t fit in all that well with religious people. . . .
and
I’ve heard it described as a sacrifice to a god. When I first heard the analogy I thought it might be over the top. However, I’ve come around, it IS exactly like that. NRA types worship their gun culture idol by sacrificing people to it, and a lot of the times those sacrificed include children. Ultimately, you are choosing the idol over those sacrificed.
Exactly.
RIght on. I can see that.
I also don’t think that the State should implement religion by any means. I think that if the Kingdom is going to overtake the world, it will happen not by coercion (which is the threat of all legislation by the State), but through love and incarnation. Nonviolence, victory through death, power made perfect in weakness–that kind of thing.
When in doubt I usually fail libertarian. However, as a Christian, I don’t think libertarianism assumes a good anthropology. People need some level of regulation.
If people understood true socialism it would be seen as the most Christian option. But alas, we instead hearken back to Rocky IV.
I hope the next election comes down to Rand Paul vs. Bernie Sanders. I honestly just want to hear the debate.
I second that!
The beauty of our constitution is that is can be changed. We had prohibition and then it was changed back. Times have changed. I am always amazed that the mere mention of a conversation regarding guns and the second amendment is quoted as if it was burned into some tablet from up above. All the freedoms have restrictions. Why is it that the second amendment is so sacrosanct?
Agreed. It’s lame, take it out.
Is this Bill Maher? 😉
Especially when what was meant by the writers of the 2nd amendment is completely different than how it is applied today.
But who regulates the regulators? It’s an infinite regress. Plus, regulation always entails coercion. If coercing people is wrong, then it’s not a valid option, right?
I think volunteerism is the only truly Free and Egalitarian option.
Regulation is well-intended. It is just not logically sound, as far as I can see.
(If you’re interested, check out “Everything I want to Do Is Illegal” by Joel Salatin. That book changed my life. He gives countless examples in his field how regulation actually produces the opposite effect of its purported goal.)
And it’s really only the votes of 2 (marginal) Supreme Court Justices that stripped out the well regulated militia bit of the 2nd Amendment.
It wouldn’t be that interesting since both would have/have had to morally compromise themselves (and it’s not even clear that Rand Paul is the person that Ron Paul is).
I don’t make autonomous freedom an idol either.
Who regulates the regulators? That sounds like someone criticizing democracy by asking who votes for the voters.
If having rules and laws are “coercion”, then I see nothing wrong about it. Honestly you sound a little silly to me, but maybe I don’t understand your argument.
I laughed harder at this episode than I have in a long time. And although Christian insulted cats, it’s pretty cool that he thinks people should all become them =^..^=
Ever seen this cartoon? One of my favorites.
OMG
completely true. Perhaps they are actual artificial intelligence and have learned to communicate w/o sound.
But America isnt a democracy its a republic. So ummm England?