Gun Control & RKBA

SecularMotion

(7,981 posts) Fri Oct 30, 2015, 10:22 AM Oct 2015

‘Would Jesus Wear a Sidearm?’

Like most other conservative evangelical ministers, the Rev. Rob Schenck objects to same-sex marriage. He is also vehemently against abortion rights. But as this Op-Doc video shows, he is remarkable in that he takes his pro-life stance so far that he contests death by gun. The way he sees it, the gun violence plaguing our nation is akin to “adult abortion.”

Reducing gun violence is important to us, too. Horrified by the murders at Sandy Hook Elementary School nearly three years ago, we were equally stunned by how quickly the national conversation turned away from concern about the lives lost and devolved back to a familiar, futile shouting match over guns.

We decided to make a feature film that pursued a new way to talk about this issue. We were struck that many people of deep Christian faith, especially white evangelicals, are as militant about protecting gun rights as they are about protecting the right to life. We sought to explore what, rhetorically at least, seemed to be logical and theological contradictions in this position. Politics aside, how can a Christian be both pro-life and pro-gun?

Given the ferocity of the politics, it was challenging to find a minister who was comfortable speaking his conscience. But Mr. Schenck, who runs a ministry in Washington, D.C., called Faith and Action, explained his worry that silence from him and other Christian leaders on the topic was creating a “spiritual vacuum.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/30/opinion/would-jesus-wear-a-sidearm.html

12 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

‘Would Jesus Wear a Sidearm?’ (Original Post) SecularMotion Oct 2015 OP

Interestingly, the Bible forbids murder but not abortion. DetlefK Oct 2015 #1

murder is a legal concept gejohnston Oct 2015 #10

I don't know about Jesus, but I sure do. ileus Oct 2015 #2

Jesus was cool - and he could rise from the dead in 3 days... jmg257 Oct 2015 #3

Luke 22:35-38, NKJV Nuclear Unicorn Oct 2015 #4

There will always be work to be done of all types discntnt_irny_srcsm Oct 2015 #8

"It's interesting that only Luke records this. Luke was a physician." Nuclear Unicorn Oct 2015 #9

Interesting who extremist gun control sarisataka Oct 2015 #5

Don't forget his recent post quoting an article in "world net daily". virginia mountainman Oct 2015 #7

not to mention other less than liberal gejohnston Oct 2015 #11

Yes, a 1911 since John Moses Browning was one of the apostles DonP Oct 2015 #6

What difference does it make? beevul Oct 2015 #12

DetlefK

(16,456 posts)

1. Interestingly, the Bible forbids murder but not abortion.

Reply to SecularMotion (Original post)

Fri Oct 30, 2015, 10:41 AM

Oct 2015

IIRC murder=bad.

And abortion was pretty normal and a necessity of life back then. Condoms were hideously primitive and basically non-existent. Medical contraception was also practically non-existent. (There was a flower that could be made into a powerful medication to prevent pregnancy. The Romans harvested it to extinction...)

Every single time you had sex, there was a risk, the woman would become pregnant. People fuck, the woman gets pregnant, and 9 months later the community has a person to feed it just cannot afford to feed.

Prostitutes were pregnant all the time and regularly had abortions. Archeologists found an ancient brothel with a baby-cemetery nearby. (This was the extreme version of "late-term abortion": The skeletons were males babies only. The female babies were left alive.)

http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/says_about/abortion.html

So, it's an interesting choice of words for a pastor to talk about "adult abortion".

gejohnston

(17,502 posts)

10. murder is a legal concept

Reply to DetlefK (Reply #1)

Fri Oct 30, 2015, 12:03 PM

Oct 2015

meaning, murder is whatever the law says it is. Infanticide up to a couple months wasn't murder either. However, in Ancient Greece, killing a dolphin was murder.

ileus

(15,396 posts)

2. I don't know about Jesus, but I sure do.

Reply to SecularMotion (Original post)

Fri Oct 30, 2015, 10:43 AM

Oct 2015

He has an advantage I don't have. So I'll keep my ability to protect myself and my family...It's my moral obligation.

jmg257

(11,996 posts)

3. Jesus was cool - and he could rise from the dead in 3 days...

Reply to SecularMotion (Original post)

Fri Oct 30, 2015, 10:44 AM

Oct 2015

most of us aren't so lucky!

Nuclear Unicorn

(19,497 posts)

4. Luke 22:35-38, NKJV

Reply to SecularMotion (Original post)

Fri Oct 30, 2015, 10:45 AM

Oct 2015

"And He said to them, "When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?"

So they said, "Nothing."

Then He said to them, "But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one. For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me: 'And He was numbered with the transgressors.' For the things concerning Me have an end."

So they said, "Lord, look, here are two swords."

And He said to them, "It is enough."

Jesus was speaking metaphorically but when they approached him with literal swords he did not tell them to disarm but that the 2 swords among their numbers was enough.

I think it means there is spiritual work to be done but their are real world concerns to attend to.

discntnt_irny_srcsm

(18,578 posts)

8. There will always be work to be done of all types

Reply to Nuclear Unicorn (Reply #4)

Fri Oct 30, 2015, 11:55 AM

Oct 2015

It takes 2 to make a fight but by himself 1 man is separated from murder by 2 steps, choosing a weapon and choosing a victim.

A tyrant becomes a tyrant by oppressing the people.
A tyrant becomes known as a tyrant when the people revolt and live to tell about it.

It's interesting that only Luke records this. Luke was a physician.

Nuclear Unicorn

(19,497 posts)

9. "It's interesting that only Luke records this. Luke was a physician."

Reply to discntnt_irny_srcsm (Reply #8)

Fri Oct 30, 2015, 12:01 PM

Oct 2015

A man given to practical considerations.

sarisataka

(21,002 posts)

5. Interesting who extremist gun control

Reply to SecularMotion (Original post)

Fri Oct 30, 2015, 11:03 AM

Oct 2015

proponents will line up with...

-An anti-gay, anti-choice conservative evangelical minister
-the billionaire who invented stop-and-frisk and likes to get Dems voted out of office
-Monsanto's GMO spokesperson
-various celebs known for having armed bodyguards
-Kim Kardashian

apparently promoting Democratic policies or at least practicing what you preach is optional

virginia mountainman

(5,046 posts)

7. Don't forget his recent post quoting an article in "world net daily".

Reply to sarisataka (Reply #5)

Fri Oct 30, 2015, 11:49 AM

Oct 2015

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1172178816

And his recent post pointing out that Trump is favorable to gun rights..

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1172179218

Makes you really wonder about him..

gejohnston

(17,502 posts)

11. not to mention other less than liberal

Reply to sarisataka (Reply #5)

Fri Oct 30, 2015, 12:12 PM

Oct 2015

issues with said billionaire.
https://www.rt.com/usa/230707-guns-minority-bloomberg-newyork/
http://countercurrentnews.com/2015/02/racist-former-nyc-mayor-bloomberg-says-black-people-shouldnt-be-allowed-to-own-guns/#
http://www.theroot.com/articles/politics/2013/08/is_bloomberg_racist_sexist_or_clueless.html

It seems that he has something with another obnoxious NYC billionaire that seems to be in the news a lot.
http://gawker.com/5979679/id-do-her-a-brief-history-of-michael-bloombergs-public-sexism

DonP

(6,185 posts)

6. Yes, a 1911 since John Moses Browning was one of the apostles

Reply to SecularMotion (Original post)

Fri Oct 30, 2015, 11:10 AM

Oct 2015

His Gospels were accidentally left out of the Bible during the reformation.

beevul

(12,194 posts)

12. What difference does it make?

Reply to SecularMotion (Original post)

Fri Oct 30, 2015, 02:04 PM

Oct 2015

Surely you can tie guns into another more important topic?

Folks on both sides of the spectrum seem to think fantasy football is important, for example.

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