Board index ‹ Terror Attacks and School Shootings

[Karate]

Thoughts on Christians during School Shootings.

In this Oregon incident, the shooter asked all Christians to stand up and identify themselves. Several kids stood up because it's a behavior that they've been trained all of their lives to do. And they were immediately killed. Do you think they did the right thing?

I'm not a Christian, but I think my daughter is. I told her that if she is ever in that situation, to sit that one out—God will certainly understand, and she doesn't owe the shooter an answer. As a parent, I'd rather that she commit a sin and have a chance to stay alive, than take a pointless stand and die.

Thoughts?

[jimwalton]

I don't think God calls us to present ourselves as martyrs. There's no particular nobility in being martyred, but we are not to fear it, either. I don't look for ways to die for my faith, nor am I eager to find such a situation. When it comes right down to it, Christians are to be willing to die, but nobody runs around yelling, "Hey, shoot me!" Also, just of the sake of understanding, dying a martyr's death is not an instant road to the highest heaven, as it is in Islam.

Should they have stood and admitted they were Christians? It's a judgment call. I wouldn't fault them for keeping their seat and keeping their mouths shut, but it was extremely courageous for them to stand. On the other hand, it's entirely possible that they didn't know they were going to get shot when he asked the question and they responded.

[Karate]

> I wouldn't fault them for keeping their seat and keeping their mouths shut, but it was extremely courageous for them to stand.

I wouldn't call it courage so much as training. They were taught all of their lives to give their lives to Jesus, no matter the cost.
Rather than think through what they were doing, they just responded the way they were trained by church and parents.

Think of it another way... if you're in a store and a guy holding a gun runs in and says, "I'm looking for Fred Smith!", and your name is Fred Smith, are
you going to eagerly step forward? Probably not.

[jimwalton]

I agree with you that Christians have been trained. We're all trained. It's what the educational system and enculturation is all about. Christianity is also about training. It's the nature of Christianity to be a learner, to value knowledge, and to learn to think in a godly way rather than an earthly way, to adopt a new value system, and a new set of priorities. Those things do take training, asking and answering questions, figuring things out, and learning something that is not a natural pursuit.

At the same time, I still think it took quite a bit of courage. If your hypothetical Fred Smith did step forward, it could be an automatic response, but it could also be daring, not knowing why the gunman was asking. I would venture a guess that you're not in a real secure position to evaluate the motives of those who stood and are now dead for it.