References:
• 2 Timothy 3:1-9
• Libertarian Nominee: We must not 'politicize' Orlando shooting
• Five Rules for Coping with Tragedy
• Orlando Nightclub Shooting
• Orlando Shooting, What We Know and Don’t Know
• Orlando Nightclub Shooting (Terror Ties)
After learning about the horrific shooting in Orlando this morning, I knew that I would be writing a blog entry on it. I just took my time prayerfully deciding how I would address it. And, a ‘conversation’ on Facebook inspired the contents of this blog. I really do enjoy the INFJ group that I am in. Although we have a tendency to have some heated ‘conversations’ about things that we are passionate about, the majority of the time we sit down and clearly write out what we believe and why. More of a ‘discussion’ than a ‘debate,’ though both do happen. But, I digress a little…
I was saddened and upset by the attack, but not at all surprised. Over a year ago, various radical Islamist groups have pushed the idea of ‘lone wolf’ attacks. That is, someone who is either a member or just idealizes a group, finds a good ‘target,’ prepares for attacking it, and then follows through if they can. Sometimes, such a person can get training from other radical Islamist (or whatever radical group they affiliate themselves with), other times it is mostly, or even entirely, on their own. Such kinds of terrorist are much harder to discover, track, and intercept before they actually attack.
I have been in the US Army (Active Duty and the National Guard) for just over 15 years, having been a MP (Military Police) since about 2009, and having worked in corrections for over 8 years. Before I became a MP, I was trained as a Military Intelligence Analyst. Over the years, I have had a lot of training in research, analyzing patterns, enforcing laws, and working with criminals. This is all on top of my theological training. And, because of this broad training and experience, I believe that gun legislation is not the answer. It only creates more victims.
I do believe that background checks for purchasing firearms in necessary, that proper training in firearms safety and use are critical, and that allowing people to carry a firearm for their personal defense, and the defense of others, is important. For those who do not wish to own a firearm, or to carry if you do, that is your choice. I personally believe that God not only calls me not to take an innocent life, but to protect other innocent people.
As for the shooting in Florida, the man did his homework. He picked a place that, since it sold alcohol, it would be illegal to have a concealed (or openly carried) firearm. Unless there was someone there who was paid (or volunteer) security and did not drink while on duty, there would have been no one who could have immediately stopped the threat. And, since law enforcement take 5-15 minutes to respond, anyone who has done sparring, gone shooting, done 'crisis training,' etc., know that a lot can happen in 1-2 minutes, let alone 10-15 minutes.
The man chose something we in the military call a 'soft target.' Something that has a 'high pay off' and low risk. It was a ‘high payoff target’ do to the fact that it was something that he was religiously opposed to, something that those whom he idolized would quickly affirm, and there would be a lot of people who would be there. And, since it was a club, many people would be intoxicated, dancing, engaged in conversations, and totally distracted, not paying attention to what was happening around them until it was too late. And, it was a ‘soft target’ because there was no security (except for maybe unarmed bouncers), so he would be able to shoot a lot of people and leave safely, before the police arrived.
People who have an evil (sinful) heart will find a way to carry out their wicked plans. Whether it is to obtain a firearm (legally or illegally), create a homemade explosive device, commit arson, or use a table knife or baseball bat, they will find a way. Sometimes, they just have to get creative. Having worked at a Maximum Security Prison for 8+ years, I have seen some pretty creative weapons, as well as some 'standard improvised' ones (i.e. a lock in sock). Of the statistics that I looked at from the FBI (https://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/crimestats/) and the Bureau of Justice Statistics (http://www.bjs.gov/), firearms are often used to commit crimes. They are also often used in ‘justifiable homicide,’ where someone killed someone committing a felony against themselves or someone else. In fact, I noticed something interesting…. In 2014, there were 11,961 people murdered. Of that number, 8,124 were murdered by a firearm, 1,576 were murdered via a knife or other cutting instrument, 435 were murdered via a blunt object, and 660 were murdered by ‘personal weapons’ (hands, feet, fist, shoving, etc.) in the United States. Now, how many of these murders were actually gang on gang crimes, how many of them were gang related, how many were ‘crimes of passion,’ I don’t know (https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2014/crime-in-the-u.s.-2014/tables/expanded-homicide-data/expanded_homicide_data_table_9_murder_victims_by_age_by_weapon_2014.xls). But, when compared to the 2014 statistics on justifiable homicide (https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2014/crime-in-the-u.s.-2014/tables/expanded-homicide-data/expanded_homicide_data_table_14_justifiable_homicide_by_weapon_law_enforcement_2010-2014.xls), one sees that the use of a firearm in self-defense was almost 1/10 of the actual murder use. It is also interesting that, in some of the States that have the highest gun control laws, like California, Washing DC, Illinois, etc., (https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2014/crime-in-the-u.s.-2014/tables/table-20) we see that they have very high murder rates. I wonder how many few murders there would be if more people were able to use a firearm to protect themselves.
One group that I am a member of publishes stories week about people who use firearms, be it a pistol, rifle, shotgun, etc., to protect themselves and/or someone else. Many times, the simple fact that they either tell the person attempting to commit a felony, or aim the firearm at the person committing a felony, is enough to stop the crime from being committed. Many people committing crimes are not stupid. If they realize that they will get injured or killed trying to assault, rape, rob, etc., someone, they will go someplace else to commit their crime. They want an ‘easy target,’ someone who is not going to fight back. Sometimes, a person will have to use force to protect themselves or someone else. Thankfully, many times that is not always the case.
The answer is not gun legislation, I believe. The answer lies in good people being willing to stop evil people. Whether it is correcting or confronting the person, calling the police, or actively engaging a murderous person with what ever weapon one can find, doing something positive instead of hindering others from protecting themselves or others is the answer.
There is something else that we all have to keep in mind. People like Omar Mateen are called ‘lone wolf attackers.’ That is, they have little to no official ties to any particular radical/extremist group. Instead, they do most of their training, research, surveillance, etc., on their own. Because they have so little ties with radical groups, including communication, they are much harder to recognize, let alone track. Unless they get put on someone’s radar (local Law Enforcement, FBI, etc.), they will not ‘get noticed.’ That means, when they do plan on attacking, people, including local Law Enforcement, will be reacting to the threat, possibly after they start finding the injured and wounded. In such cases, having citizens there who are willing to lay their life on the line to protect others, enable them to get good training in order to protect themselves and others, and encourage them to do some in as many places as possible, give such people few targets.
Think about it. Would you want to commit a crime or terrorist attack, in an area where there is a possible to very high likely hood of someone stopping you? Not just the possible threat of someone or a group of people trying to tackle you to keep you from hurting more people, but actually can engage you with lethal force, would you want to attack there? Or, would you rather go some place where the people might not, or will not be able to fight back?
It is my opinion that ‘stricter laws’ on firearms, gun bans, ‘high capacity bans,’ etc., are not only ineffective, but create more dangers than the protections that they give. I also believe that places that are ‘gun free zones’ only invite people to commit crimes. What we need are more people who are willing to take good training in order protect themselves and others. I would encourage those who can, to take classes in self-defense, take some shooting classes, learn from others how to have better situational awareness so that you become less of a target to those who want to commit crimes, learn about the laws in your area so that you know what you can and cannot do to protect yourself and others, take first aid/CPR courses, etc. Those of us to genuine care about others and have the training and means to defend ourselves and others have a responsibility to do so. We also have a responsibility to do so wisely. I continue to train to make myself better. What are you willing to do?
Showing posts with label murder. Show all posts
Showing posts with label murder. Show all posts
Monday, June 13, 2016
Saturday, October 17, 2015
An Amish Murder Critique
References:
- An Amish Murder
- 2 Corinthians 5:11-21 NAS
The other day, I watched a very interesting movie on Netflix called, "An Amish Murder." In a nutshell, a young lady grows up in the Amish community, a traumatic event happens in her life, and she leaves the Amish community to pursue a career in Law Enforcement. Years later, after making detective, she returns to a small town in Ohio near where she grew up as the police chief. While she is home, a series of murders take place. These murders are eerily like the ones that were committed when she was growing up.
One of the reasons why I enjoyed the movie was because it was a very good thriller. Throughout the movie, one thinks that the serial killer might be one person. Then, maybe someone else. The end is a bit of a surprise. I always enjoy movies like that because it challenges me to be observant of the facts. Most thriller movies like this one will have the clues needed to make the right connection at the end. It's just that many of them are very subtle. At least for me, it's a fun game to see if I can guess correctly. With this movie, I have to admit, I almost didn't catch on to who the real culprit was until near the end.
Having been a military analyst and currently being a MP (Military Policeman), I enjoy a good crime thriller at times. It was also good in that two of the main characters were wrestling with different traumatic events in their lives. Different but similar enough that they were able to relate and help each other. At least to me, that gave it a more interesting and human twist. How many of us have experienced major difficulties, even a traumatic event, and then the growth and healing that we experienced was then used to help someone else? I know that God has used difficulties that I've experience to be a blessing to others. There has also been times where God used lessons that I learned while not dealing with a situation well to help someone else facing a similar situation. Although it was extremely painful to deal with at the time, seeing how God has helped others always gives me a good feeling.
Something else that I really appreciated about this movie was the theme of being an ambassador between two very different cultures. As I have mentioned several other times in my blog, I have had the opportunity to interact with people from all over the world. Most of my experiences have been in Europe and Iraq. But, I have gotten to know people from many other cultures, too. There have been times when I did not represent myself well to others. We all do that. Over the years, I have made it a point to learn from my mistakes and to better understand the cultural background of others.
Because of the lessons that I have learned over the years, I am typically able to interact with those from a foreign country. This is not always easy. There are things that some cultures do on a daily basis (or don't do) that many Americans find offensive. An example that comes to my mind has to do with deodorant. I had several friends in seminary who were from Africa. Both of these men had good hygiene habits, but neither of them used deodorant. Because of this, they both had bo (body odor). In my conversations with fellow students, I found out that many of them found this annoying or even extremely aggravating. I'm not sure if any of them talked with these two individuals or not. But, they were definitely vocal about it to fellow students.
Although I wasn't happy about their bo, I did understand that in their home country, deodorant wasn't often used. So I accepted them as they were. Something interesting, though, was that I noticed that both men had a unique scent. This made for a few amusing situations when one of them approached me and I was able to correctly identify who it was without looking.
When I was working in Iraq in 2010-11, I was interacting with people from all over the world. Not just Iraqi government officials and Iraqi military personnel, but business people from Iraq and many countries all over the world. Each of them had their own cultures. I was able to do my job well because I strove to treat each person that came into my office with respect as a person and to their native culture. This enabled me to not only get my job done effectively, but it also helped to foster positive relationships between the US Army and those who did business or worked for other governments. Several people were so touched by how I did my best to respect their cultures that they asked to work with me or even gave me unique gifts from their business or embassy.
To touch on the Scripture passage from 2nd Corinthians, that is what God calls us to do to everyone around us. God calls each of us to be His representative to others in this world. The Greek word that Paul uses in Galatians 6:20 and the 2nd Corinthians passage is προσβευο (pres-byoo'-o), which means: 1. to be older, prior by birth or in age, or 2. to be an ambassador, act as an ambassador. It is used only twice in the New Testament, with both being the second definition. But, how can we do this?
An ambassador must be highly knowledgeable of two different cultures and (often times also languages). Of course, he has to fully understand his native culture and language. That is a given. But, the ambassador must also be highly knowledgeable of the culture and language of the country that he is living in. He or she must understand both extremely well so that they can effectively translate what his or her native country wants to something that the host country can understand. And, since some things that are acceptable in country may be extremely offensive in another one, he or she needs to keep this in mind as they work with their host country in understanding what their native country wants.
When we become a Christian, our new residency is now in Heaven with God, though we still live in this world. As we grow as a Christian, we need to learn as much as we can about who God is and what He expects of us and Followers of Christ. As we learn more about our adopted homeland (Heaven) God expects us to tell others of this world about Him. To do so, we have to understand the language and culture that we live in. That is often a given, having grown up in a particular state or town and, now as a Christian, teaching others about Christ. However, God often guides us to someplace new. When this happens, we have to learn about the new culture, traditions, and language. Because of regional slang being different throughout any country, there are things that one always has to learn that are unique to that area.
Each of us has become a Christian because God used someone to introduce us to Christ. God has also used many people and circumstances in our lives to teach us more about Him. Some people sought to purposely direct us towards Christ. Others sought to do evil to us, but God used the circumstances to bring about His good will. As followers of Christ, God expects us to direct others to Him. He wants us to be His ambassadors to this fallen world so that others can receive His salvation. That requires us to not only understand His Word (the Bible), but to understand those with whom we interact with, as well as seek to teach others about God. All of this requires time and effort.
I have seen all to often people visiting a foreign country and, either because they lacked interest in learning about another culture or arrogance that their culture was superior, they caused friction, ill will, or even caused severe problems. And, that particular person or group of people may not have suffered the consequences of their laziness or arrogance, but someone who was totally innocent of the previous event. There have been a few times during my travels that people have not wanted to be respectful towards me because of what others have done. Sometimes my actions and attitude help them change their minds towards Americans or towards Christians. But, that isn't always the case. Should we not strive to be the best representative of God to the world? Should we not live in such a way that others will want to know Christ as we have come to know Him?
- An Amish Murder
- 2 Corinthians 5:11-21 NAS
The other day, I watched a very interesting movie on Netflix called, "An Amish Murder." In a nutshell, a young lady grows up in the Amish community, a traumatic event happens in her life, and she leaves the Amish community to pursue a career in Law Enforcement. Years later, after making detective, she returns to a small town in Ohio near where she grew up as the police chief. While she is home, a series of murders take place. These murders are eerily like the ones that were committed when she was growing up.
One of the reasons why I enjoyed the movie was because it was a very good thriller. Throughout the movie, one thinks that the serial killer might be one person. Then, maybe someone else. The end is a bit of a surprise. I always enjoy movies like that because it challenges me to be observant of the facts. Most thriller movies like this one will have the clues needed to make the right connection at the end. It's just that many of them are very subtle. At least for me, it's a fun game to see if I can guess correctly. With this movie, I have to admit, I almost didn't catch on to who the real culprit was until near the end.
Having been a military analyst and currently being a MP (Military Policeman), I enjoy a good crime thriller at times. It was also good in that two of the main characters were wrestling with different traumatic events in their lives. Different but similar enough that they were able to relate and help each other. At least to me, that gave it a more interesting and human twist. How many of us have experienced major difficulties, even a traumatic event, and then the growth and healing that we experienced was then used to help someone else? I know that God has used difficulties that I've experience to be a blessing to others. There has also been times where God used lessons that I learned while not dealing with a situation well to help someone else facing a similar situation. Although it was extremely painful to deal with at the time, seeing how God has helped others always gives me a good feeling.
Something else that I really appreciated about this movie was the theme of being an ambassador between two very different cultures. As I have mentioned several other times in my blog, I have had the opportunity to interact with people from all over the world. Most of my experiences have been in Europe and Iraq. But, I have gotten to know people from many other cultures, too. There have been times when I did not represent myself well to others. We all do that. Over the years, I have made it a point to learn from my mistakes and to better understand the cultural background of others.
Because of the lessons that I have learned over the years, I am typically able to interact with those from a foreign country. This is not always easy. There are things that some cultures do on a daily basis (or don't do) that many Americans find offensive. An example that comes to my mind has to do with deodorant. I had several friends in seminary who were from Africa. Both of these men had good hygiene habits, but neither of them used deodorant. Because of this, they both had bo (body odor). In my conversations with fellow students, I found out that many of them found this annoying or even extremely aggravating. I'm not sure if any of them talked with these two individuals or not. But, they were definitely vocal about it to fellow students.
Although I wasn't happy about their bo, I did understand that in their home country, deodorant wasn't often used. So I accepted them as they were. Something interesting, though, was that I noticed that both men had a unique scent. This made for a few amusing situations when one of them approached me and I was able to correctly identify who it was without looking.
When I was working in Iraq in 2010-11, I was interacting with people from all over the world. Not just Iraqi government officials and Iraqi military personnel, but business people from Iraq and many countries all over the world. Each of them had their own cultures. I was able to do my job well because I strove to treat each person that came into my office with respect as a person and to their native culture. This enabled me to not only get my job done effectively, but it also helped to foster positive relationships between the US Army and those who did business or worked for other governments. Several people were so touched by how I did my best to respect their cultures that they asked to work with me or even gave me unique gifts from their business or embassy.
To touch on the Scripture passage from 2nd Corinthians, that is what God calls us to do to everyone around us. God calls each of us to be His representative to others in this world. The Greek word that Paul uses in Galatians 6:20 and the 2nd Corinthians passage is προσβευο (pres-byoo'-o), which means: 1. to be older, prior by birth or in age, or 2. to be an ambassador, act as an ambassador. It is used only twice in the New Testament, with both being the second definition. But, how can we do this?
An ambassador must be highly knowledgeable of two different cultures and (often times also languages). Of course, he has to fully understand his native culture and language. That is a given. But, the ambassador must also be highly knowledgeable of the culture and language of the country that he is living in. He or she must understand both extremely well so that they can effectively translate what his or her native country wants to something that the host country can understand. And, since some things that are acceptable in country may be extremely offensive in another one, he or she needs to keep this in mind as they work with their host country in understanding what their native country wants.
When we become a Christian, our new residency is now in Heaven with God, though we still live in this world. As we grow as a Christian, we need to learn as much as we can about who God is and what He expects of us and Followers of Christ. As we learn more about our adopted homeland (Heaven) God expects us to tell others of this world about Him. To do so, we have to understand the language and culture that we live in. That is often a given, having grown up in a particular state or town and, now as a Christian, teaching others about Christ. However, God often guides us to someplace new. When this happens, we have to learn about the new culture, traditions, and language. Because of regional slang being different throughout any country, there are things that one always has to learn that are unique to that area.
Each of us has become a Christian because God used someone to introduce us to Christ. God has also used many people and circumstances in our lives to teach us more about Him. Some people sought to purposely direct us towards Christ. Others sought to do evil to us, but God used the circumstances to bring about His good will. As followers of Christ, God expects us to direct others to Him. He wants us to be His ambassadors to this fallen world so that others can receive His salvation. That requires us to not only understand His Word (the Bible), but to understand those with whom we interact with, as well as seek to teach others about God. All of this requires time and effort.
I have seen all to often people visiting a foreign country and, either because they lacked interest in learning about another culture or arrogance that their culture was superior, they caused friction, ill will, or even caused severe problems. And, that particular person or group of people may not have suffered the consequences of their laziness or arrogance, but someone who was totally innocent of the previous event. There have been a few times during my travels that people have not wanted to be respectful towards me because of what others have done. Sometimes my actions and attitude help them change their minds towards Americans or towards Christians. But, that isn't always the case. Should we not strive to be the best representative of God to the world? Should we not live in such a way that others will want to know Christ as we have come to know Him?
Saturday, August 8, 2015
Walking Amongst Wolves
Please read the following:
- Matthew 7:15-23 NAS
- Matthew 10:16-23 NAS
- Acts 20:17-38 NAS
- Matthew 25:31-46 NAS
I have contemplated writing this blog entry for quite a while. Because it is something of a 'sore spot' for me, it's taken several years to be willing to even consider writing it. To some extent, it is a continuation of my blog entry “Grow Where You Are Planted”. But, it is also more than that. As I mentioned in that previous post, my job with the Nebraska Department of Corrections was one that I did not desire to have. But, since I asked God to only open the door to the employment that He wanted me to have, He honored that prayer.
All together, I have worked with the Nebraska Department of Corrections (NDCS) at least 8 years. During that time, I have interacted with many different kind of people, both staff and inmates. Since returning to working with NDCS, I have prayerfully sought to see it as a place of ministry instead of 'just a job.' And, God has answered that prayer, too. Part of it has been God opening the door to be the Religious Coordinator Assistant. Although it is a 'facilitator' kind of job instead of a 'ministry' job, like I would prefer, it is still a position that I very much enjoy working.
It is my experience that quite a few people in prison are not there because they are 'hell bent' on destroying the lives of others. Instead, they are in prison because they made a bad choice. For example, let's say someone with a good family and career was celebrating a milestone in his/her life. A promotion or raise, perhaps. And during the course of that celebration, he/she had quite a few alcoholic drinks and then decided to drive home instead of having a non-drinking friend or a taxi take him/her home. And, in the course of driving home they cross into the other lane and have a head on collision with another car, killing one or more occupants. This person did not intend to cause harm to others. However, because he/she made a bad decision to drive after drinking, he/she is not spending many years in prison for manslaughter (unintentionally killing someone else).
There are other cases where someone was in such emotional pain that he or she lashed out at a loved one and now is in prison for assault. Or, another example could be someone was without employment or under employed and stole something. Again, they made a bad choice and are now suffering the consequences. But, their hearts are not bent towards doing evil, they just made a bad choice, or series of bad choices.
Although not all people in prison have a heart bent on doing evil, quite a few are. Some of the inmates that I deal with are master manipulators. Others have little to no ability to emphasize with others. That means, if they cause emotional, spiritual, and/or physical pain to someone else, they have great difficulty feeling sorry for what they did. They also have difficulty understanding the pain they caused in the other person. Others are sadist, in that they get enjoyment out of causing pain (again physical, emotional, and/or spiritual) in others. Though this isn't the case of many in prison, there are those that I have dealt with who would be willing to cause great bodily harm or even kill staff or another inmate in order to get a temporary gain. And, committing that act would not cause them to loose any sleep at night.
It is a challenge to work with this type of person, one who is either so calloused or sadistic that causing harm to others either doesn't bother them or actually excites them. Some of them walk around in general population. Others spend long periods of time in the Special Management Unit (SMU) because of their actions. There are those who spend years in Intensive Management because of how dangerous they can be. (Intensive management cells have their own enclosed yard and shower so that they are kept more separated from others.)
It is amongst such people that I work on a daily basis. Thankfully, most days they choose not to cause problems. However, that is not always the case. I couldn't tell you how many times I have been a part of a use of force team or had to respond to an emergency. Some emergencies were medical emergencies, but quite a few of them were because of inmates fighting. Although I have not been physically injured during one of these uses of force, I know staff who have been. It is always a risk with where I work, that either I or someone else could be assaulted. Although having fecal matter or urine thrown on me is considered a form of assault, I am not including it here.
Whether I like it or not, that is the environment that God has called me to minister to. Although I would prefer to work as a Religious Coordinator (or Religious Coordinator Assistant), my primary job is custody staff. That means I am interacting with the inmates on a regular basis. In fact, I am often within easy reach or one or more inmates who may or may not have a weapon on them. It is my duty to enforce rules, which easily makes me a 'lightning rod' for an inmate's anger. That is my job and I prayerfully ask for God's help in staying safe and doing my job well.
But here is a humbling thought. My life as custody staff at a maximum security prison that we specifically built for the more dangerous and more difficult to manage inmates is nothing compared to what some people endure on a regular basis each and every day. Are you wondering who could have it worse than me? Christians who live in countries that actively persecute them for their faith have it worse.
I regularly get E-mails and Facebook posts from Christian organizations that share the stories of Christians who are persecuted for their faith. They are a daily reminder that, even on a bad day for me, it is nothing compared to what many of them go through on a daily basis. One such story was on my Facebook page this morning. It is about a former Muslim Imam who turned from Islam and embraced Christ. You can read his story here. In many Muslim countries, Christians are forced to worship behind closed doors. In these countries, if a person converts from Islam to Christianity (or any other religion), they are often arrested and harshly punished. Death by hanging or beheading is not uncommon, either. Each and every day, Christians in many nations, not just Muslim nations, face discrimination and even active persecution. Women are often sexually assaulted and forced to 'convert' to the 'national religion' and marry someone of that religion to 'seal the conversion.' Others are sexually assaulted and left to live with that shame. Any who seek to hold the attackers accountable are often lucky to even be given the opportunity to be heard. Most attackers are, unfortunately, celebrated.
One set of statistics from Open Doors are per month: 322 Christians are killed for their faith, 214 churches and Christian properties are destroyed, and 772 forms of violence are committed against Christians (such as beatings, rapes, forced marriages, arrests, etc.). (stats found here: http://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/) Think about it… These people suffer all sorts of horrific experiences because they choose to follow Christ. As a comparison, we will look at the crime rates of a city here in America. According to one web site, Chicago is rated as being one of the most dangerous places to live (having a safety measurement of 11% where 100 is most safe). According to the site's FAQ, they were using the 2013 crime statistics. The stats include 24,469 violent crimes (including assault, rape, robbery, etc.), 9.00 crimes per 1,000 residents, 415 murders, unreported number of rapes, unreported number of assaults, etc. Now, keep in mind, Chicago has a lot of gang activity, which would account for some of these violent crimes. The number of Christians, on average, that are murdered for their faith each month is about ¾ of those that were murdered in Chicago throughout 2013. And, that is only counting the number of Christians that we know who were murdered for their faith.
To help Christians (and others who might wish to know), better see which countries are worse with their persecution of Christians, Open Doors puts together a 'World Watch List'. This list rates the 50 most dangerous countries for a Christian to live in. According to the most current list, the top 5 countries for persecuting Christians are: 1. North Korea, 2. Somalia, 3. Iraq, 4. Syria, and 5. Afghanistan. Each of these countries actively persecute anyone claiming to follow Christ who is a member of that country. Any Christian who comes into the country and shares their faith may be lucky to just be sent home and banned from coming into the country ever again.
For my job with the Nebraska Department of Corrections, I walk amongst many dangerous people on a regular basis. Although there is a low staff to inmate ratio, there are many safety factors in place to protect us. Things like radios, armed staff in towers and roving patrols, OC spray, etc., help to keep us safe. Also, inmates will face charges (either institutionally or via the state, depending on the crime) for assaulting other inmates or staff. If they assault someone, they will loose what few freedoms that they have. That helps to make our job safer. Although we walk amongst wolves, we have layers of protection. And, when our shift is done, we get to go home. And usually, where we live is a much safer place.
For most Christians in countries like North Korea, Somalia, etc., there is no such thing as a safe place. They are in grave danger at work, they are in grave danger at home, while shopping, etc. Sometimes it is a co-worker or neighbor who assaults, harasses, or murders a Christian in one of these countries. But, it can just as easily be a family member. A bad day at work is just that, a bad day at work. For many Christians around the world, it is a day-to-day experience. Let us not forget that. Let us remember to pray for all have to live in such environments. And, let us pray that those of us in 'Christian' counties not become complacent, lest we allow it become reality where we live.
- Matthew 7:15-23 NAS
- Matthew 10:16-23 NAS
- Acts 20:17-38 NAS
- Matthew 25:31-46 NAS
I have contemplated writing this blog entry for quite a while. Because it is something of a 'sore spot' for me, it's taken several years to be willing to even consider writing it. To some extent, it is a continuation of my blog entry “Grow Where You Are Planted”. But, it is also more than that. As I mentioned in that previous post, my job with the Nebraska Department of Corrections was one that I did not desire to have. But, since I asked God to only open the door to the employment that He wanted me to have, He honored that prayer.
All together, I have worked with the Nebraska Department of Corrections (NDCS) at least 8 years. During that time, I have interacted with many different kind of people, both staff and inmates. Since returning to working with NDCS, I have prayerfully sought to see it as a place of ministry instead of 'just a job.' And, God has answered that prayer, too. Part of it has been God opening the door to be the Religious Coordinator Assistant. Although it is a 'facilitator' kind of job instead of a 'ministry' job, like I would prefer, it is still a position that I very much enjoy working.
It is my experience that quite a few people in prison are not there because they are 'hell bent' on destroying the lives of others. Instead, they are in prison because they made a bad choice. For example, let's say someone with a good family and career was celebrating a milestone in his/her life. A promotion or raise, perhaps. And during the course of that celebration, he/she had quite a few alcoholic drinks and then decided to drive home instead of having a non-drinking friend or a taxi take him/her home. And, in the course of driving home they cross into the other lane and have a head on collision with another car, killing one or more occupants. This person did not intend to cause harm to others. However, because he/she made a bad decision to drive after drinking, he/she is not spending many years in prison for manslaughter (unintentionally killing someone else).
There are other cases where someone was in such emotional pain that he or she lashed out at a loved one and now is in prison for assault. Or, another example could be someone was without employment or under employed and stole something. Again, they made a bad choice and are now suffering the consequences. But, their hearts are not bent towards doing evil, they just made a bad choice, or series of bad choices.
Although not all people in prison have a heart bent on doing evil, quite a few are. Some of the inmates that I deal with are master manipulators. Others have little to no ability to emphasize with others. That means, if they cause emotional, spiritual, and/or physical pain to someone else, they have great difficulty feeling sorry for what they did. They also have difficulty understanding the pain they caused in the other person. Others are sadist, in that they get enjoyment out of causing pain (again physical, emotional, and/or spiritual) in others. Though this isn't the case of many in prison, there are those that I have dealt with who would be willing to cause great bodily harm or even kill staff or another inmate in order to get a temporary gain. And, committing that act would not cause them to loose any sleep at night.
It is a challenge to work with this type of person, one who is either so calloused or sadistic that causing harm to others either doesn't bother them or actually excites them. Some of them walk around in general population. Others spend long periods of time in the Special Management Unit (SMU) because of their actions. There are those who spend years in Intensive Management because of how dangerous they can be. (Intensive management cells have their own enclosed yard and shower so that they are kept more separated from others.)
It is amongst such people that I work on a daily basis. Thankfully, most days they choose not to cause problems. However, that is not always the case. I couldn't tell you how many times I have been a part of a use of force team or had to respond to an emergency. Some emergencies were medical emergencies, but quite a few of them were because of inmates fighting. Although I have not been physically injured during one of these uses of force, I know staff who have been. It is always a risk with where I work, that either I or someone else could be assaulted. Although having fecal matter or urine thrown on me is considered a form of assault, I am not including it here.
Whether I like it or not, that is the environment that God has called me to minister to. Although I would prefer to work as a Religious Coordinator (or Religious Coordinator Assistant), my primary job is custody staff. That means I am interacting with the inmates on a regular basis. In fact, I am often within easy reach or one or more inmates who may or may not have a weapon on them. It is my duty to enforce rules, which easily makes me a 'lightning rod' for an inmate's anger. That is my job and I prayerfully ask for God's help in staying safe and doing my job well.
But here is a humbling thought. My life as custody staff at a maximum security prison that we specifically built for the more dangerous and more difficult to manage inmates is nothing compared to what some people endure on a regular basis each and every day. Are you wondering who could have it worse than me? Christians who live in countries that actively persecute them for their faith have it worse.
I regularly get E-mails and Facebook posts from Christian organizations that share the stories of Christians who are persecuted for their faith. They are a daily reminder that, even on a bad day for me, it is nothing compared to what many of them go through on a daily basis. One such story was on my Facebook page this morning. It is about a former Muslim Imam who turned from Islam and embraced Christ. You can read his story here. In many Muslim countries, Christians are forced to worship behind closed doors. In these countries, if a person converts from Islam to Christianity (or any other religion), they are often arrested and harshly punished. Death by hanging or beheading is not uncommon, either. Each and every day, Christians in many nations, not just Muslim nations, face discrimination and even active persecution. Women are often sexually assaulted and forced to 'convert' to the 'national religion' and marry someone of that religion to 'seal the conversion.' Others are sexually assaulted and left to live with that shame. Any who seek to hold the attackers accountable are often lucky to even be given the opportunity to be heard. Most attackers are, unfortunately, celebrated.
One set of statistics from Open Doors are per month: 322 Christians are killed for their faith, 214 churches and Christian properties are destroyed, and 772 forms of violence are committed against Christians (such as beatings, rapes, forced marriages, arrests, etc.). (stats found here: http://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/) Think about it… These people suffer all sorts of horrific experiences because they choose to follow Christ. As a comparison, we will look at the crime rates of a city here in America. According to one web site, Chicago is rated as being one of the most dangerous places to live (having a safety measurement of 11% where 100 is most safe). According to the site's FAQ, they were using the 2013 crime statistics. The stats include 24,469 violent crimes (including assault, rape, robbery, etc.), 9.00 crimes per 1,000 residents, 415 murders, unreported number of rapes, unreported number of assaults, etc. Now, keep in mind, Chicago has a lot of gang activity, which would account for some of these violent crimes. The number of Christians, on average, that are murdered for their faith each month is about ¾ of those that were murdered in Chicago throughout 2013. And, that is only counting the number of Christians that we know who were murdered for their faith.
To help Christians (and others who might wish to know), better see which countries are worse with their persecution of Christians, Open Doors puts together a 'World Watch List'. This list rates the 50 most dangerous countries for a Christian to live in. According to the most current list, the top 5 countries for persecuting Christians are: 1. North Korea, 2. Somalia, 3. Iraq, 4. Syria, and 5. Afghanistan. Each of these countries actively persecute anyone claiming to follow Christ who is a member of that country. Any Christian who comes into the country and shares their faith may be lucky to just be sent home and banned from coming into the country ever again.
For my job with the Nebraska Department of Corrections, I walk amongst many dangerous people on a regular basis. Although there is a low staff to inmate ratio, there are many safety factors in place to protect us. Things like radios, armed staff in towers and roving patrols, OC spray, etc., help to keep us safe. Also, inmates will face charges (either institutionally or via the state, depending on the crime) for assaulting other inmates or staff. If they assault someone, they will loose what few freedoms that they have. That helps to make our job safer. Although we walk amongst wolves, we have layers of protection. And, when our shift is done, we get to go home. And usually, where we live is a much safer place.
For most Christians in countries like North Korea, Somalia, etc., there is no such thing as a safe place. They are in grave danger at work, they are in grave danger at home, while shopping, etc. Sometimes it is a co-worker or neighbor who assaults, harasses, or murders a Christian in one of these countries. But, it can just as easily be a family member. A bad day at work is just that, a bad day at work. For many Christians around the world, it is a day-to-day experience. Let us not forget that. Let us remember to pray for all have to live in such environments. And, let us pray that those of us in 'Christian' counties not become complacent, lest we allow it become reality where we live.
Sunday, July 19, 2015
Making Churches a Gun-Free Zone: Unbiblical and Dangerous Idea
This blog entry was started over a year ago. Some time in June of 2014. At this moment, I cannot remember what specifically inspired me to write this. I am sure it had something to do with a shooting in a church or school and other places looking at passing laws to forbid the lawful carrying of a firearm inside of a church. And, it's interesting to me… I had forgotten that I had started writing this paper/blog entry until a few days ago. Recently, though, a number of events, including the shooting the shooting in a church in South Carolina and, most recently, the shooting at a Marine recruiting station, brought gun control to the forefront of my mind.
While reviewing my blog entries, I saw that I had written one on the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on December 14, 2012 (Reflections on the Connecticut Shooting). It was a terrible incident where a young man stole a car and several weapons and proceeded to kill a number of people at the Sandy Hook school. And, without wasting much time, many people on the left were immediately screaming for more gun control. They screamed for more background checks, for stricter control on guns (pistols and rifles), for the banning of 'assault rifles,' etc. Though I was sickened by the senseless killing of the children at Sandy Hook, I was deeply offended and angered by the left calling for bans, control, etc.
When our Forefathers wrote the US Constitution, the added onto it the Bill of Rights, freedoms that all law abiding citizens were to have. The 2nd Amendment states thus: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." (Found here.) Why was this written? In the 1700's we were a British Colony. The government of England decided that they could do with us as they pleased, including taxing us heavily, allowing soldiers to search peoples' homes without cause, to arrest people if they pleased, and many other abuses. We eventually rebelled against England and, after many years of armed conflict, gained our independence. The Amendments was added to our Constitution to protect every person's individual rights. Those writing the Constitution, like George Washing, Thomas Jefferson, etc., had seen what tyranny was like. Therefore, they wanted to enable future generation to have protected freedoms.
Protected freedoms of practicing one's own faith, of being able to peacefully protest for or against something, etc. But, without the ability to actively resist tyranny, even from one's own government (local, state, national, or even a foreign power), none of the other Amendments really matter. As a whole, we have many good laws on the books, both locally and nationally, to protect the innocent while prosecuting the accused law breakers. However, law enforcement officers and judges can become corrupt, a criminal can be very intelligent and hide what he does from others, or law enforcement can be delayed in responding to an incident.
From my experiences as custody staff with the Nebraska Department of Corrections, I have seen depravity at its finest. So to speak… While I believe that people can change, and I have seen God do some awesome things in the lives of inmates, I also know that it is not always the case. There are some very evil people who are incarcerated in our prison system. They are people who would be more than willing to do a person great physical harm if they felt that it would benefit them enough. Many are very good at putting on a façade towards their family, lawyers, religious volunteers, etc. But, if one has to deal with them on a day-to-day basis, away from the public eye, one will sometimes observe a very different side of them.
We have law enforcement professionals, local, county, federal, etc., for a reason. Because of our sinful nature, we are inclined to act out on our sinful and selfish natures. Whether it is something self-destructive that causes harm to others, like drinking and driving, or whether it is something directly aimed at harming others, like assault or murder. I am thankful that we have such people that are willing to put their lives on the line to protect people from those that would want to do them harm. However, they are only human, can only be in one place at one time, and have to respond to when an emergency call is made.
And, that is why I am against these 'weapon free zones.' Unless a place, like a Federal Building, has an armed security force, you are jeopardizing the lives of others within the 'gun free zone.' From the time that a person makes a phone call to 911 (or hits a silent alarm), it can easily take several minutes for the dispatcher to inform those on duty where the emergency is, let alone for the law enforcement officers to actually get on scene. Sometimes it is less than 5 minutes, but it can easily be more. Having done many training scenarios in the Army and with the Department of Corrections, a lot can happen in one or two minutes, let alone 5 to 10 minutes.
The thing that many people either don't understand, or choose to ignore, is that most of those who choose to commit many of these great atrocities do so because they have a blatant disregard for laws. Although some crimes are committed “in the heat of the moment,” many are actually planned out. In fact, many who are serial killers or plan on doing major crimes do major planning before they commit their crimes. The take their time to choose when and where to commit it, as well as how they plan on escaping. The James Holmes, who was recently convicted in the mass murder of the people in the Colorado theater, did a lot of planning before he executed his attack. He choose a movie to do his killing spree in that had lots of action and gunfire so as to mask his shootings. He planned ahead with selecting his weapons and body armor (one article is found here). All of this points to a very evil and vindictive personality, who calculated what to do and when to do it.
Those of us in the military have two terms for targets, 'hard' and 'soft.' A hard target would be one that is fortified with various layers of defense. Although a maximum security prison is built more to keep inmates in, though keeping people who would want to break them out is an important aspect of their security, would be an excellent example of a 'hardened target.' Because of the layers of defense, it would be very difficult to get into a maximum security prison. It would also be just as difficult, if not even more so, to try and break out. Many banks and military bases are built with layers of defenses that overlap each other. These layers of defense keep unauthorized people out and those who are charged with protecting the facility safe.
On a personal level, a 'hard target' for common criminal include a number of different things. A few might be observant neighbors that watch out for each other, one or more dogs that can alert the occupants to something that isn't right, solid doors and well made locks, windows that are secured, landscaping that prevent people from hiding near doors or windows, etc. Each of these things would make it more difficult for a criminal to enter the premises and commit their crime. Except for those who are choosing to commit a violent home invasion, most criminals want to sneak in, commit their crime, and then escape without the occupants and/or police knowing that they were there.
A 'soft target' is one that either does not have any defenses or its defenses are marginal or can be easily be overcome through brute force, intimidation, or the like. A grade school without any armed security personnel and is a 'declared gun free zone' is an excellent example of a 'soft target.' If the sole purpose of an attack is to create as many casualties as possible, as quickly as possible, and with little or no risk to the person committing the crime, the school would be a prime target. Think about it… Each classroom probably has 20-40 kids with 1-4 teachers. After a couple of occupied rooms, such a criminal would have easily injured or killed a large number of people in less than 5 minutes, and is on the way out. Especially if none of the school staff were allowed to carry a firearm to protect themselves or the teachers that they were charge to care for and to teach.
As a Christian, I believe that God calls me to care for those around me. Whether it's my immediate family, friends and neighbors, the inmates that I watch over, or those in a foreign country that I am their guest of. God calls me to seek out His justice and to share His love with those around me. From my Presbyterian heritage, one of the things that has helped me in my faith journey is the Book of Confession. It is a collection of writings from various theologians over the centuries to help explain what Scripture says. One of those writings is the Larger Catechism. It is a very in depth explanation of what we Christians believe. One of the things that it covers in detail is the Ten Commandments. The 6th Commandment is “Thou shall not kill.” The thing is, the Hebrew word, ratsach(found here) means to murder. It infers premeditated, planned killing of innocent life. From 7.244 through 7.246, the Larger Catechism explains what this means. In a nutshell, not only am I to avoid causing harm or death to those who do not deserve it (the innocent), but I am also to protect them from others wanting to cause harm or death. It is not just a 'good idea,' it is a biblical mandate (7.246 especially)! (They are questions 134-136 in the Larger Catechism.)
I sincerely believe that if we were to remove the 'gun free zones' so that those who choose to carry in order to protect themselves and others, will greatly reduce crime. As I stated before, most criminals want to go someplace to commit a crime where there is low risk and high rewards. When a place declares itself a 'gun free zone,' they attract criminals. Criminals know that law abiding citizens believe in following the laws. Therefore, if they will either not carry their weapon into the 'gun free' establishment or avoid going it at all. That means the criminal has a much lower risk for committing their crime.
I also believe that if good, quality training were made more available for those who choose to carry, that would also help make our society safer. Every situation will be different, and no training, no matter how good, can cover all possible scenarios. However, any kind of good training that helps a person, during times of high stress, be able to negotiate criminals from the innocent, quickly determine if it is safe to engage a target, how to aim effectively in difficult situations, etc., is better than nothing.
In short, I believe it is a biblical mandate to serve and protect others. Because of my background in the military and corrections, I have a lot more training than others. I wish that those who also seek to take care of others, including using deadly force if it is absolutely necessary, should have access to good, quality training. Not only is it a biblical mandate, but I believe that our Forefathers protected our rights to defend ourselves via the 2nd Amendment. Any time innocent people are injured or killed, we should be angered about it. However, taking away the rights of the individual (in this case, their right to be armed) is not the answer. Creating more 'gun free zones' will only encourage more attacks. Taking away people's rights to protect themselves will create more victims. This is the thing that criminals want. Not just your 'average criminals,' though. Because of the rise of radical Islam, the more 'gun free zones' and the more anti-2nd Amendment laws you create, the victims you create. Such people, espeically terrorists, love 'soft targets.' If you believe that you are called to serve and protect, or especially to serve via creating laws, should you not enable people to protect themselves instead of creating more and more victims who cannot protect themselves from armed assailants?
While reviewing my blog entries, I saw that I had written one on the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on December 14, 2012 (Reflections on the Connecticut Shooting). It was a terrible incident where a young man stole a car and several weapons and proceeded to kill a number of people at the Sandy Hook school. And, without wasting much time, many people on the left were immediately screaming for more gun control. They screamed for more background checks, for stricter control on guns (pistols and rifles), for the banning of 'assault rifles,' etc. Though I was sickened by the senseless killing of the children at Sandy Hook, I was deeply offended and angered by the left calling for bans, control, etc.
When our Forefathers wrote the US Constitution, the added onto it the Bill of Rights, freedoms that all law abiding citizens were to have. The 2nd Amendment states thus: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." (Found here.) Why was this written? In the 1700's we were a British Colony. The government of England decided that they could do with us as they pleased, including taxing us heavily, allowing soldiers to search peoples' homes without cause, to arrest people if they pleased, and many other abuses. We eventually rebelled against England and, after many years of armed conflict, gained our independence. The Amendments was added to our Constitution to protect every person's individual rights. Those writing the Constitution, like George Washing, Thomas Jefferson, etc., had seen what tyranny was like. Therefore, they wanted to enable future generation to have protected freedoms.
Protected freedoms of practicing one's own faith, of being able to peacefully protest for or against something, etc. But, without the ability to actively resist tyranny, even from one's own government (local, state, national, or even a foreign power), none of the other Amendments really matter. As a whole, we have many good laws on the books, both locally and nationally, to protect the innocent while prosecuting the accused law breakers. However, law enforcement officers and judges can become corrupt, a criminal can be very intelligent and hide what he does from others, or law enforcement can be delayed in responding to an incident.
From my experiences as custody staff with the Nebraska Department of Corrections, I have seen depravity at its finest. So to speak… While I believe that people can change, and I have seen God do some awesome things in the lives of inmates, I also know that it is not always the case. There are some very evil people who are incarcerated in our prison system. They are people who would be more than willing to do a person great physical harm if they felt that it would benefit them enough. Many are very good at putting on a façade towards their family, lawyers, religious volunteers, etc. But, if one has to deal with them on a day-to-day basis, away from the public eye, one will sometimes observe a very different side of them.
We have law enforcement professionals, local, county, federal, etc., for a reason. Because of our sinful nature, we are inclined to act out on our sinful and selfish natures. Whether it is something self-destructive that causes harm to others, like drinking and driving, or whether it is something directly aimed at harming others, like assault or murder. I am thankful that we have such people that are willing to put their lives on the line to protect people from those that would want to do them harm. However, they are only human, can only be in one place at one time, and have to respond to when an emergency call is made.
And, that is why I am against these 'weapon free zones.' Unless a place, like a Federal Building, has an armed security force, you are jeopardizing the lives of others within the 'gun free zone.' From the time that a person makes a phone call to 911 (or hits a silent alarm), it can easily take several minutes for the dispatcher to inform those on duty where the emergency is, let alone for the law enforcement officers to actually get on scene. Sometimes it is less than 5 minutes, but it can easily be more. Having done many training scenarios in the Army and with the Department of Corrections, a lot can happen in one or two minutes, let alone 5 to 10 minutes.
The thing that many people either don't understand, or choose to ignore, is that most of those who choose to commit many of these great atrocities do so because they have a blatant disregard for laws. Although some crimes are committed “in the heat of the moment,” many are actually planned out. In fact, many who are serial killers or plan on doing major crimes do major planning before they commit their crimes. The take their time to choose when and where to commit it, as well as how they plan on escaping. The James Holmes, who was recently convicted in the mass murder of the people in the Colorado theater, did a lot of planning before he executed his attack. He choose a movie to do his killing spree in that had lots of action and gunfire so as to mask his shootings. He planned ahead with selecting his weapons and body armor (one article is found here). All of this points to a very evil and vindictive personality, who calculated what to do and when to do it.
Those of us in the military have two terms for targets, 'hard' and 'soft.' A hard target would be one that is fortified with various layers of defense. Although a maximum security prison is built more to keep inmates in, though keeping people who would want to break them out is an important aspect of their security, would be an excellent example of a 'hardened target.' Because of the layers of defense, it would be very difficult to get into a maximum security prison. It would also be just as difficult, if not even more so, to try and break out. Many banks and military bases are built with layers of defenses that overlap each other. These layers of defense keep unauthorized people out and those who are charged with protecting the facility safe.
On a personal level, a 'hard target' for common criminal include a number of different things. A few might be observant neighbors that watch out for each other, one or more dogs that can alert the occupants to something that isn't right, solid doors and well made locks, windows that are secured, landscaping that prevent people from hiding near doors or windows, etc. Each of these things would make it more difficult for a criminal to enter the premises and commit their crime. Except for those who are choosing to commit a violent home invasion, most criminals want to sneak in, commit their crime, and then escape without the occupants and/or police knowing that they were there.
A 'soft target' is one that either does not have any defenses or its defenses are marginal or can be easily be overcome through brute force, intimidation, or the like. A grade school without any armed security personnel and is a 'declared gun free zone' is an excellent example of a 'soft target.' If the sole purpose of an attack is to create as many casualties as possible, as quickly as possible, and with little or no risk to the person committing the crime, the school would be a prime target. Think about it… Each classroom probably has 20-40 kids with 1-4 teachers. After a couple of occupied rooms, such a criminal would have easily injured or killed a large number of people in less than 5 minutes, and is on the way out. Especially if none of the school staff were allowed to carry a firearm to protect themselves or the teachers that they were charge to care for and to teach.
As a Christian, I believe that God calls me to care for those around me. Whether it's my immediate family, friends and neighbors, the inmates that I watch over, or those in a foreign country that I am their guest of. God calls me to seek out His justice and to share His love with those around me. From my Presbyterian heritage, one of the things that has helped me in my faith journey is the Book of Confession. It is a collection of writings from various theologians over the centuries to help explain what Scripture says. One of those writings is the Larger Catechism. It is a very in depth explanation of what we Christians believe. One of the things that it covers in detail is the Ten Commandments. The 6th Commandment is “Thou shall not kill.” The thing is, the Hebrew word, ratsach(found here) means to murder. It infers premeditated, planned killing of innocent life. From 7.244 through 7.246, the Larger Catechism explains what this means. In a nutshell, not only am I to avoid causing harm or death to those who do not deserve it (the innocent), but I am also to protect them from others wanting to cause harm or death. It is not just a 'good idea,' it is a biblical mandate (7.246 especially)! (They are questions 134-136 in the Larger Catechism.)
I sincerely believe that if we were to remove the 'gun free zones' so that those who choose to carry in order to protect themselves and others, will greatly reduce crime. As I stated before, most criminals want to go someplace to commit a crime where there is low risk and high rewards. When a place declares itself a 'gun free zone,' they attract criminals. Criminals know that law abiding citizens believe in following the laws. Therefore, if they will either not carry their weapon into the 'gun free' establishment or avoid going it at all. That means the criminal has a much lower risk for committing their crime.
I also believe that if good, quality training were made more available for those who choose to carry, that would also help make our society safer. Every situation will be different, and no training, no matter how good, can cover all possible scenarios. However, any kind of good training that helps a person, during times of high stress, be able to negotiate criminals from the innocent, quickly determine if it is safe to engage a target, how to aim effectively in difficult situations, etc., is better than nothing.
In short, I believe it is a biblical mandate to serve and protect others. Because of my background in the military and corrections, I have a lot more training than others. I wish that those who also seek to take care of others, including using deadly force if it is absolutely necessary, should have access to good, quality training. Not only is it a biblical mandate, but I believe that our Forefathers protected our rights to defend ourselves via the 2nd Amendment. Any time innocent people are injured or killed, we should be angered about it. However, taking away the rights of the individual (in this case, their right to be armed) is not the answer. Creating more 'gun free zones' will only encourage more attacks. Taking away people's rights to protect themselves will create more victims. This is the thing that criminals want. Not just your 'average criminals,' though. Because of the rise of radical Islam, the more 'gun free zones' and the more anti-2nd Amendment laws you create, the victims you create. Such people, espeically terrorists, love 'soft targets.' If you believe that you are called to serve and protect, or especially to serve via creating laws, should you not enable people to protect themselves instead of creating more and more victims who cannot protect themselves from armed assailants?
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