Tragedy and Gun Control
If you have been watching the news, you no doubt have heard about the senseless tragedy in Newton Connecticut. 20 first graders and 6 staff members lost their lives and many more are traumatized by the event. Newton Connecticut will never be the same after this horrible ordeal. Since the tragedy has taken place, people have asked many questions, where is God? What kind of God would let this to happen to kids? Why don't we have stricter gun control? Emotions are running high about this situation, at least until the next news cycle. I have a differing opinion about some of this and that might have been why I did not immediately post anything about it, but I would like to offer my opinion on some of the questions asked.
Where is God? What kind of God would allow this to happen to kids.
God is still on the throne, He is still in control. He was there in every person that has helped and will help these kids get past this horrible tragedy. God did not cause this to happen to kids, and He grieves with us. If you want to be angry at God for this incident, go right ahead, God will honor your anger, and understand. God is big enough to take you being angry at Him. 2nd Corinthians 1:7 tells us that God is here to console those who suffer and if you want to scream, cry, whatever, God will still be there to wipe away your tears. As to why, simply put some people are evil. I have thought in the darkest parts of my mind when someone goes on a rampage like they did in CT, and then kills themselves why could they not just start with themselves? But that kind of thinking is not very pastoral so I try to keep it under wraps. There is evil in the world just as their is good in the world and we cannot blame everything that happens on God. Some people are just evil.
Why don't we have stricter gun control?
There are some who believe that if gun laws were stricter, these kinds of tragedies would not happen. I disagree.Whenever there is a tragedy and someone begins to talk about gun control I think of Paul, my "best friend" in High School currently doing time for the murder of another one of my friends. Paul always had guns, it didn't matter what laws were in place he found a way to buy them and found a way to get rid of them, or sell them to others. In my experience, stiffer gun control laws did not stop someone like Paul from getting a gun, it only makes it harder for someone like me, a law abiding citizen looking to protect my family. Someone like Paul looking to rob my house or do my family harm, would have the upper hand because they will break in my house prepared, and all I will be armed with is a cooling off period. I am not a gangster per se, but I grew up with quite a few, and they never had a shortage of guns on them, there was no discussion of cooling off periods, permits, concealed handgun licenses, none of that. Whenever they wanted a gun, they got a gun and that was all there was to it. Gun laws will make some people feel better when it is all said and done, but it won't get rid of evil people wanting to do others harm.
I don't know if arming teachers would have prevented this tragedy or not, at first I thought it would but now that seems to be as much of a knee-jerk reaction as the stricter gun laws. I have no idea what it would take to prevent a tragedy like this from happening again. I can only look to God for guidance.
