I heard a radio ad this week by Hank Williams Jr for John McCain that really troubled me. I am not, in any shape form or fashion, opposed to gun ownership but "We love our God and we love our guns" is a bizarre juxtaposition of images. It certainly caught my attention and made me wonder who in the world decided that was a good idea.
I am certain the message was geared toward gun owners who either hunt or collect but in our violence-ridden world I believe that the words are wrong. I know it has to do with an election but I am uncomfortable as a Christian with the words and in particular the linkage between God and guns. Is that really the Christian message or does it reinforce the worst stereotypes imaginable?
I believe we as Christians have a different message for the world about who we are and what our values may be. For me, this ad clearly demonstrated the reasons I dropped out of the political world in seminary. I believe we need to be more careful about our political engagements and we need to be more clear about ethics and morals and we need to be on the side of the vulnerable in our society, whether they are the unborn who have no voice but ours or those who are falling through the cracks in society in other ways. God and guns isn't the right message.
1 comment:
The question is, where does our love lie?
In this case, God and Guns are merely 2 artifacts of a Culture that is being worshiped. They are talismans of the American folk religion.
Christians should be worried, not because there is anything wrong with guns, but because there is something wrong with us.
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