It is critical that we can fully dissect this ‘hot potato’ from the perspective of a biblical worldview, just like we do for the many other current emotive cultural debates. The challenge with this debate is that it involves Christians on both sides of the cultural debate. This is why we must try and strip away the influence of our cultural worldviews and come together to discuss and apply the biblical worldview that we ascribe to. It is a difficult necessity.
Guns! In 2012, the firearms industry generated a $32 billion dollar impact on the economy 1. Background checks on potential gun buyers was almost 17 million in 2012, has doubled in the last decade and totals almost 160 million over the last 15 years 2. On December 23 2012, the second biggest sales day in history, 100,000 people purchased at least one firearm. The highest sales day was Black Friday 2012 3. I point this out to highlight the importance of firearms to Americans, not only philosophically but practically.
Premise 1 - As a society, America has many firearms.
Morality! According to Merriam-Webster, morality is, “beliefs about what is right behavior and what is wrong behavior” 4. Relativism has made morality inherently subjective and difficult for the average person to quantify. Even so, “According to a Gallup poll in 2004, 82 percent of Republicans and 78 percent of Democrats say that moral values in the U.S.A. are only fair or downright poor. 40 years ago, only 33 percent of Americans felt that way” 5. In 2010, “Three-quarters of Americans say the country's moral values are worsening, blaming a decline in ethical standards, poor parenting, and dishonesty by government and business leaders, Gallup reports” 6. While liberals and conservatives might not agree on the specifics of morality, they both agree there is moral decline 7.
Premise 2 - As a society, America is in moral decline.
Premise 2 - As a society, America is in moral decline.
The third premise is self-explanatory.
Premise 3 - As a society declines morally, its ability to make moral judgments diminishes.
Premise 3 - As a society declines morally, its ability to make moral judgments diminishes.
Conclusion - Therefore, America is an armed nation slowly losing its ability to make moral judgments.
The primary problem America is facing lies not in the guns but in her people’s declining morality. Theoretically, guns, or any weapon for that matter, in the hands of a morally responsible society are not a threat. In an immoral society, where people are incapable of making good moral judgments, guns can become problematic. The focused debate on guns is a distracting side argument that is keeping us from dealing with the real issue at hand, moral decline. America's biggest threat at the moment is not terrorists, financial collapse or outside religions but rather internal moral decay. The primary solution is to stop the moral decline and restore the moral integrity of the American society.
What can then be practically done to address the underlying primary problem of moral decay rather than focusing on the gun debate? Do I think buying bigger and more powerful firearms will remove moral decay? No. Do I think arming public servants and teachers will address the real problem? No. Do I think people are investing too much effort and cost into temporary solutions rather than addressing the root cause of the problem? Yes. I am not saying that any of these actions may not be warranted at some level because I am not anti-gun, but I do not believe that they are ultimately the solution to the problem. For those who believe more guns are the primary answer to moral decline, the irony is that the perceived solution could possibly led to a faster rate of moral decay as individual decision making becomes potentially dominated by fear, paranoia and a lack of trust in mankind.
I trust that you will grant me the grace to further unpack this discussion in my next installment. I will continue this argument, beginning from the perspective of a person’s ability to make moral judgments from within a society in moral decline.
Cross-posted on "The Christian Apologetics Alliance"
The primary problem America is facing lies not in the guns but in her people’s declining morality. Theoretically, guns, or any weapon for that matter, in the hands of a morally responsible society are not a threat. In an immoral society, where people are incapable of making good moral judgments, guns can become problematic. The focused debate on guns is a distracting side argument that is keeping us from dealing with the real issue at hand, moral decline. America's biggest threat at the moment is not terrorists, financial collapse or outside religions but rather internal moral decay. The primary solution is to stop the moral decline and restore the moral integrity of the American society.
What can then be practically done to address the underlying primary problem of moral decay rather than focusing on the gun debate? Do I think buying bigger and more powerful firearms will remove moral decay? No. Do I think arming public servants and teachers will address the real problem? No. Do I think people are investing too much effort and cost into temporary solutions rather than addressing the root cause of the problem? Yes. I am not saying that any of these actions may not be warranted at some level because I am not anti-gun, but I do not believe that they are ultimately the solution to the problem. For those who believe more guns are the primary answer to moral decline, the irony is that the perceived solution could possibly led to a faster rate of moral decay as individual decision making becomes potentially dominated by fear, paranoia and a lack of trust in mankind.
I trust that you will grant me the grace to further unpack this discussion in my next installment. I will continue this argument, beginning from the perspective of a person’s ability to make moral judgments from within a society in moral decline.
Cross-posted on "The Christian Apologetics Alliance"
Thanks for your post. I agree that USA is in a moral decay, especially last 50 years after the 1962-(63) break from the Biblical worldview from public education--the social metrics are astonishing. So with that, you have more crime, more interests to purchase guns, and unfortunate that increase the likely hood someone that is not morally sound has a gun--hence here we go around the vicious circle again.
ReplyDeleteI am a gun owner. I was introduced early as young boy hunting in western pa. I went to hunters safety courses, later in life in the military, and for a short stint a prison guard. My training in firearms was very important. However, what I think many people are missing, is the psychological understanding of what it means to carry your firearm in public. When you see something that is a bodily threat to you, if at all possible you try to get out of the situation. If its toward someone else though, you have a duty to your fellow citizen to help them. Carrying a gun is a serious responsibility. Discharging your gun will cost you many months in court if even done legally, and it in our current environment, possibly jail until the dust settles.
When I think of some of the mass shooters who willy nilly mow people down for seemingly no reason, I want to carry my gun every where I go. When I think of the George Zimmeran case, my gun stays in my locker--its a mind set. Personally,I feel best when the joy of the Lord overcomes my spirit and my only wepon is the love of Jesus. I know that sounds corny, but it is true.
Thanks for your honest input Robert. I love when you talk about the lack of psychological training for gun carriers. One of the big questions I have is about a persons ability to make a just, moral judgement in a pinch while holding the power to take a life. You talk about trying to remove yourself from the situation if it is at all possible. The last resort is to use the gun. This is a morally responsible thing to do.
DeleteWith a declining morality, there can be a decline in the value of life. When life is cheap, it is much easier to pull the trigger than trying to find a way out. This is where I believe morality intersects with the gun debate. I really appreciate your thoughts.
Don't you feel that it is humankind that is in moral decline and not JUST the United States. Guns are only a tool. Knives, bats, sling shots, rocks, swords and the like are tools also and in the hands of the crazy they become weapons. Don't just pick on the United States, let's look at the whole world.
ReplyDeleteNot all mankind is in moral decline if you use absolute morality as the standard. There are many places in Asia and Africa that are seeing communities transformed, usually through faith in Christ. These communities are becoming more moral. It is typically in the west we are seeing the decline as relativism takes a strangle hold.
DeleteI don't believe I am picking on the US. Of course guns are a tool but they are an efficient killing tool that can be utilised by almost anyone and take a life in a split second. If someone is heavily influenced by a cultural worldview that is in moral decline, what impact does this have on the person pulling the trigger? I am not talking about the mass shootings but the trespassing, robberies, road rage, etc that the mentally stable are involved in.
There are always exceptions and areas of exception (thank God) but I see an overall decline in the morality of people in general. All must occur for the end of time to approach and a turning away, generally speaking, of humankind from the face of God.
DeleteHi Kit, I like your reflections. Focusing on the "underlying problem of moral decay" makes sense with your argument. But isn't that how you wold begin a book on moral decay of a culture and the role of a Christian?
ReplyDeleteI read a powerful little book by pacifist Christian John Howard Yoder "What Would You Do?" about how a Christian should handle a violent intruder. What he argues for is a creative 3rd way. It is not a black and white 'kill or be killed' situation. He doesn't argue for passivity. But trusting in our creative ability to get out of dangerous situations, as hurmans, and trusting in the Spirit of God to give us those solutions, as Christians.
Yoder explains that having a gun promises no happy ending. Do you have enough time to get to your gun when the intruder enters the house? If it is under your pillow, will you be able to find your glasses to be able to aim correctly in your panic? What if the intruder is a better shot? If you shoot an miss, isn't the intruder more likely to murder your whole family? Is the gun loaded?
He has a number of great stories of people escaping such situations with creativity.
I think that we need to challenge the self-defence gun scenarios in our heads, which are so black and white, with real stories of creative ways out. It may even increase the likelihood of saving your family and the wretched soul who broke into your house.