Friday, July 17, 2015

On the Recent Chattanooga Shootings

The following is my response to the shooting in Chattanooga that killed four Marines.





What happened yesterday was a terrible, terrible thing. Four human lives were taken from this world by a madman. Four lights snuffed out.

I don't know all of the particulars of what happened, only that four Marines were shot and killed and one police officer wounded. I know that this happened at a Navy/Marine recruiting station - a gun free zone. I know the suspected shooter is supposedly Muslim and his father supposedly on a terror watch list.

I also know that right now is not the time to politicize the situation. Now is not the time - while the families are grieving - to push for more gun control. Now is not the time - while the families are wounded - to push to end gun free zoned. Now is not the time - while these families were separated from loved ones - to be causing an even greater divide.

Now is the time to pray. Pray for the lives of those four Marines lost; pray that the Lord have mercy on their souls and their family's. Pray for the shooter, that he might realize the wrong he has done and repent of his actions.

Prayer should be our default action after any event, horrific or good.

After the shootings in Charleston we should have been praying, not debating a flag. I am guilty of this as well.

In this country, after every tragedy we always make it about politics - who is right and who is wrong - and instead we should be praying.

I'm not saying that actions shouldn't be taken against wrongdoers. I am saying that there is a season for everything, and now should be a season of prayer for the victims and their families.

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