Tag Archives: school shootings

Going a Little Fargo Than Before

In the last 48 hours, there have been two school shootings.  The first was thwarted by a retired police officer on campus who immediately took out the shooter.  This heroic story from Dixon, Illinois was buried by most newspapers and omitted by the majority of cable news outlets on Thursday.  Meanwhile, today’s massacre at Santa Fe High School in Texas has left ten dead.  If recent campus shootings with fatalities tend to dominate national news, then expect this coverage in Texas to go a little further than the Parkland, Florida frenzy from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High.

The Lord tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence, Psalm 11:5.

Twenty two years ago, the film Fargo debuted in theaters.  At the beginning of this movie, there is a disclaimer stating this is based upon a true story, changing the names to protect the victims and survivors.  However, a recent article entitled Fargo: True Story or Work of Fiction calls into question the brutal nature of these crimes and murders.  In 2014, FX created a television series based upon Fargo starring Billy Bob Thornton, Martin Freeman, Allison Tolman and Colin Hanks.  Just from my initial observations, the violence in this series devalues life and as well promoting individuals to seek revenge.

But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed, Isaiah 53:5.

Instead of solely blaming guns on these recent school shootings, perhaps its time to expand the suspect list to include movies, music and video games that exhibit violence.  Several of these tragic events are premeditated, inspired by years of bullying.  Others are demonically influenced after evil thoughts are sown and conceived into human minds.  According to recent investigations into murders by MS 13 gang members, Satanic worship is also to blame.  I don’t have all the answers to these growing number of school shootings, but I pray that the media doesn’t use survivors as pawns to repeal the second amendment.  May God’s angels surround the families and parents who will go asleep tonight without their children.

by Jay Mankus

 

 

Suppressed Anger

If you slow down enough to take a look around, suppressed anger lingers deep inside the human heart.  The tension within the bullied builds until a spirit of revenge is born.  Once this seed is implanted inside of  troubled minds, the stage is set for the next school shooting.

During my sophomore year of high school, I was introduced to another form of suppressed anger.  A friend from my cross country team began to punch me in the arm every team I saw him in school.  This scenario repeated itself for 6 months until I took the time to find out why.  Carl, who became my best friend, hit me to express his frustration as he helplessly watched his mother slowly die of cancer.

Today, some of the cruelest people you encounter often possess a secret that motivates their behavior.  Just watch the Breakfast Club, paying close attention to John Bender’s character played by Judd Nelson.  Whether its a bad family life, negative influences or low self-esteem, each plays a factor in determining which person you will meet.  May a clear understanding of Galatians 5:19-22 allow you to discern suppressed anger from those who are simply evil.

by Jay Mankus

 

 

Situational Ethics

When you stop for a moment and take a look at what’s really going on in the world around us, its head scratching.  Students killing or sleeping with teachers?  The glorification of abortion, giving woman who are pregnant the legal right to destroy human life?    Lying as a religious practice to deceive curious minds about to realize the truth?  Copy cat school shootings, seeking 15 minutes of fame?  Nudity on public television and in prime time?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFQpynbfpr8

The only logical explanation for these bizarre acts is a growing phenomena, known as situational ethics.  Instead of maintaining a set of moral absolutes, where there is a clear distinction between right and wrong, situations are now giving individuals other rational choices.  Thus, in the heat of the moment or deep within the context of your trial, good excuses for sin can be made.  Dictionary’s refer to situational ethics as a system that evaluates acts in the context of their circumstances rather than by a set of moral standards.

This concept is nothing new as Jesus indirectly mentions it during a famous sermon found in Matthew 5:21-26.  Referencing the 6th commandment, the Lord chooses the word murder, not kill.  Thus, in war, killing is acceptable since the situation dictates a kill or be killed mentality.  When war breaks out between nations, right and wrong is turned upside down.  How then can someone know what is right or what can individuals rely on for a moral compass?

In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis devotes an entire chapter entitled Some Objections.  Lewis talks about the Law of Human Nature which states “human beings have a curious idea that they ought to behave in a certain manner guided by their conscience, but despite these inclinations to do the right thing, they do not follow this law, breaking it through deviating behavior.  Beside war, the herd instinct, self-preservation  and motherly love steers people to take drastic measures based upon the extant of the storm or situation.

Today, these factors have blinded innocent hearts, naive minds and desperate souls from looking beyond the here and now.  With tomorrow hard to reach for many, ethics don’t seem that important as surviving today is the goal.  In John 18:33-38, a governor called Pilate called for a private meeting with Jesus.  In his heart, Pilate knew Jesus was innocent.  In fact, his own wife had a dream telling her to warn her husband about Jesus.  Although the clear response was in view, the situation urged Pilate’s own sinful nature to do the wrong thing.

Life is like years of trial and error.  I’ve spent 44 years getting it wrong day after day.  Yeah, the easy thing to do is blame the situation or the hand you’ve been dealt by God.  However, the temple within you expects more, 1 Corinthians 6:12-20.  May the God above your situation take you to a better place this Christmas season.  Reach out to the One who can so you the way, John 14:6.

by Jay Mankus