Anecdotaly, the majority of people in my life who own guns are Christian. Overwhelmingly. In many cases they are also my most vocally Christian acquaintances. Now yes, i do realize i live in a primarily Christian country and for the sake of logic i also want to acknowledge that this in no way means the inverse is true - that most Christians own guns. Far from it.
My utter confusion stems from my understanding of Christ. I cannot imagine the Jesus i was raised on in an Irish Catholic family, ever owning a gun. (Yes i know there were no guns back then but you get the point wise-ass) Nor can i fathom Him condoning gun ownership. The guy who turned the other cheek? The guy who preached love thy neighbor? Come to think of it, He also said to give up all possessions, and as far as i can tell a gun is a possession. Or let us go all Old Testament - is not a commandment Moses hiked down the mount with "Tho shalt not kill"?
i know plenty of Christians who use birth control (although this was never mentioned in the Bible, more of a Papal decision) and there are countless religious decrees that most followers do not abide by but i kinda feel like this is a pretty big one. i mean, it is supposedly carved into stone.
Also, JC wasn't into the whole "self defense" thing. Remember that being crucified thing? Not only did He not fight back, not only did his Father not fight back, but He commanded his disciples and follows not to draw their swords or interfere in any way. As far as pacifists go He even makes Gandhi kind of look like he half-assed it.
Shouldn't the Christian churches of our country be calling out for an end to all the violence in our country and calling for gun control? How can one wear the symbol of the Prince of Peace around their neck and yet posses an instrument who's only purpose is to kill? How can one sing (praying twice after all) "let there be peace on Earth and let it begin with me" on Sunday then walk around town all open carry? It may just be the St Francis in me but i'm going to call bullshit on this one.
i acknowledge that religion is not necessarily meant to be taken literally. These are guidelines to living in our crazy world. But when liberties are taken every day from the pulpit about interpretations of what people think Jesus would do, i am pretty sure that the gun issue is truly a black and white assumption here.
Isn't the pursuit of spirituality supposed to raise us all up? Make us better people? Help in the quest for inner peace? Tightening your grip on guns (or the idea of guns) is tightening your grip on history, stubbornly holding onto personal comforts. Embrace the future with a hope of optimism. Welcome a chance at a more peaceful existence. How could any other step seem more Christ-like?
