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Why Do Clergy Advocate More Gun Control Instead of More Religion?
Townhall.com ^ | February 25, 2018 | Bruce Bialosky

Posted on 02/25/2018 6:58:39 AM PST by Kaslin

In the aftermath of another school campus mass murder by a deranged individual, there were a myriad of reactions as people tried to come to grips with why this continues to happen. Many of the reactions are expected -- especially those speaking of the need for greater controls over the acquisition of guns. One reaction I don’t understand is why clergy are not calling for more religion instead of more gun control.

By now you know that (to their credit) the FBI stated they did not act on a tip received on the Parkland, Fla., murderer that could have potentially prevented the killing of 17 innocents – mostly children. Plainly said, they screwed up. But I applaud them for admitting their failure which rarely happens with government authorities.

There is a feeling that we must do something. Many who do not understand the first thing about guns or gun ownership think the only way to resolve this is to limit the ownership of long guns, which they like to characterize as “assault weapons.” This is despite the fact that long guns are a small percentage of guns used in murders. I have delineated all this in prior columns. (Please do not assume I am minimizing this loss of life in any way or form.)

I presume that is because it is easier to look at the tool of murder instead of the cause of the action by the individual. Some of you are sick of hearing how things were not like this when those of us of an older generation were growing up. A recent study by the University of Chicago showed that there was actually a greater percentage of households owning guns in the good ol’ days (their study started in 1972). It is thus not an issue of people owning guns; it is the people.

If you argue that guns were different then, soak in this fact; gun ownership in America went up 50% from 1993 through 2013. Homicides went down 50% during that time. Half of that time there was a so-called “assault weapon” ban and half not. A study by the government determined there was no benefit from the banning of certain long guns.

One thing we know was much more prevalent in the past was religious worship. Those who pooh-pooh religion because they have found enlightenment somewhere else will almost never admit that the lack of religious observance is a large part of the problem. The people who you would expect to make claims that religion is the answer are those who have chosen to devote their lives to bringing people to their faith and clergy, whatever faith that may be.

I have not done a complete study, but we have gotten to know these mass murderers pretty well. Almost none, if any, attend religious services regularly. In the aftermath of the Las Vegas mass murder, there was a prayer vigil at the National Cathedral. Rabbi Jack Moline stated, “It is not mental health, age, wealth, educational opportunity or employment; it is guns.” There is no mention there of the fact the Rabbi thought this might have been avoided if the killer was sitting in a synagogue every Friday night.

A Rabbi from my own synagogue wrote to our congregation in the aftermath of the mass murder in Parkland. He stated “And I think about how we have failed, miserably, as a society to regulate firearms sensibly. In time, most of us will move on with our lives. Most of us will sleep through the night instead of being kept up, agitated by the soul-crushing fact that our nation is a horrifying outlier in the developed world in terms of gun violence.“ Not once in his piece to our congregation did he advocate for greater religious observance. Not once did he express the need for greater commitment to religion as a guiding light for moral conduct.

But why pick on the Jews? Just about every religious denomination is guilty. There was a myriad of religious leaders after Las Vegas and Parkland calling for gun control and never mentioned the lack of religion in the killer’s life. Never beckoning them or anyone to their calling.Then the clergy wonder why there are dwindling numbers in their pews. Could it be they should focus more on saving souls than espousing their public policy remedies? Could it be if they did more soul saving we would not need those public policy remedies?

If the clergy cannot use these times to advocate for greater observance, then when would they and who would? For example, the Episcopal church has lost 30% of its membership in the U.S. since 1980. Though not a huge denomination it has been a mainstay of America from our early years. In just 35 years its membership has crumbled. The reason may be that the leaders of the church spend far too much time advocating for social issues instead of saving souls. They think if they give too much religion to their congregants they will not be perceived as in touch with the modern churchgoer. But this could be said about almost any denomination in America.

There are many factors that have caused this decay in our moral structure. The disintegration of the family structure, community involvement, and schools that don’t teach children right from wrong.

Religious leaders unwilling to advocate for their own cause instead focusing on social issues certainly tops the list. In honor of our greatest American religious leader, Billy Graham, we can bet he would be focused on saving people not public policy debate.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: banglist; faith; guns; massmurder; religion
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1 posted on 02/25/2018 6:58:40 AM PST by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

Why do clerics opt for gun control over religion?

Because they have wrecked their brand through the perversion of those in authority. They can’t appeal through their original mission, and have to use cheap secular topics instead.

BTW, I’m not religious, and I usually don’t post on religion threads to minimize offense to true believers... but this wasn’t posted to “Religion.”


2 posted on 02/25/2018 7:01:40 AM PST by Pearls Before Swine
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To: Kaslin

Because many churches have gone over to the Dark Side. I have had to quit two Methodist churches for political leanings by the preacher. The National Council of Churches is totally Left. IIRC, they were sending money to the Castro Regime for years.


3 posted on 02/25/2018 7:02:21 AM PST by originalbuckeye ('In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act'- George Orwell.)
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To: Kaslin

My Baptist pastor doesn’t. He believes in CCW.


4 posted on 02/25/2018 7:03:10 AM PST by Mr Rogers (Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools)
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To: Kaslin

“None so blind as those who cannot see.”


5 posted on 02/25/2018 7:04:33 AM PST by onedoug
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To: Kaslin

Fake clergy.


6 posted on 02/25/2018 7:04:42 AM PST by \/\/ayne (I regret that I have but one subscription cancellation notice to give to my local newspaper.)
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To: \/\/ayne

Clergy who dont believe in their own mission. Men without chests.


7 posted on 02/25/2018 7:06:57 AM PST by CharlesOConnell (CharlesOConnell)
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To: Kaslin

Maybe because its easier to arm teachers than it is to give them Bibles for their classrooms?


8 posted on 02/25/2018 7:07:13 AM PST by silverleaf (A man who kneels for the national anthem doesn't stand for much of anything)
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To: Kaslin

Because they’ve become “fundamentally transformed.” Instead of spreading the teachings of Jesus Christ, they’re now Social Justice Warriors. Whenever I hear the term “social justice,” I run for the exits.


9 posted on 02/25/2018 7:12:18 AM PST by Salvey
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To: Kaslin
One reaction I don’t understand is why clergy are not calling for more religion instead of more gun control.

Because they know their religion doesn't work.

10 posted on 02/25/2018 7:12:21 AM PST by Poison Pill
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To: Kaslin

Rabbi Jack Moline stated, “It is not mental health, age, wealth, educational opportunity or employment; it is guns.”

In your case rabbi it IS mental health and the guns you didn’t have in WW2 Europe. Schmuck.


11 posted on 02/25/2018 7:13:03 AM PST by Bonemaker (invictus maneo)
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To: Kaslin

Because many of them are liberals who have shipwrecked their faith. They are a huge part of the problem.


12 posted on 02/25/2018 7:14:12 AM PST by DarthVader ("The biggeest misconception on Free Republic is that the Deep State is invulnerable")
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To: Kaslin

Religious leaders have failed.... they have become captives of the secular culture instead of pushing for a religious, faith-based society.

When God is absent from our lives, man can’t fix what makes the human heart go astray.

Go figure.


13 posted on 02/25/2018 7:15:27 AM PST by goldstategop ((In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Forever))
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To: Kaslin

Gun control implies faith in government.


14 posted on 02/25/2018 7:15:55 AM PST by depressed in 06 (60 in '18.)
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To: Kaslin

PCUSA has been a goner for decades.


15 posted on 02/25/2018 7:16:05 AM PST by Bonemaker (invictus maneo)
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To: originalbuckeye

And in their point of view, _______ is evil.


16 posted on 02/25/2018 7:17:13 AM PST by Morpheus2009
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To: Kaslin

Because most of them are communist atheists who do not believe in God as we know him and consider dictators their new Gods?


17 posted on 02/25/2018 7:20:02 AM PST by FlingWingFlyer (#NotARussianBot)
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To: Kaslin

Same reason pedophiles can so easily exist in the “church”. It ain’t a church of God, it’s a cult.


18 posted on 02/25/2018 7:23:31 AM PST by CodeToad (Dr. Spock was an idiot!)
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To: Kaslin

Our church is instituting a CCW policy. Trained teachers and pastors will be packing heat.


19 posted on 02/25/2018 7:25:25 AM PST by P-Marlowe (Freep mail me if you want to be on my Fingerstyle Acoustic Guitar Ping list.)
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To: Mr Rogers

I am look for a new church and will find out the logical beliefs of the pastor before joining.

Are Baptists typically conservative?


20 posted on 02/25/2018 7:26:35 AM PST by CottonBall (Thank you, Julian!)
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