Evil not Tragedy

definitions from
dictionary.com

I, like many others, have been deeply saddened about the recent events in Newtown, Connecticut.  Twenty young children shot dead.  Six staff members shot dead.  Parent(s) shot dead.  Suicide. And as bad as this event was/is, it annoys me to hear it being referred to as a "tragedy". 

Tragedy implies an accidental event.  Something mournful, a calamity, something unplanned.  Yes this was/is a somber event.  This event came to a tragic conclusion.  But make no mistake:  this event (and others like it) was and is EVIL.

 

2 Timothy 3 (NIV)

3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. ² People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, ⁴ treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— ⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

 

Evil, not because it was the killing of children (although that in itself is a horrible kind of evil).  Evil because it is wicked - and wickedness that caused it. 

There have been assertions that this mass killing in Newtown could have been avoided by having stricter gun controls.  Or better safety in schools.  Or many other ideas.  However, until humans have respect for other human beings and respect for life, nothing will prevent such evil. 

We live in an increasingly selfish world.  "What I think and I want is what I will get.  If I don't like something, I can do whatever I want in order to let my thoughts be made known."  Yes there might be implications for my choice of rage (legal or judicial implications), however "I have rights".  (Lots of talk about rights but not much talk about responsibility.)

On the one hand we hear all about peace and goodwill to one another.  Especially at this time of year.  And then in the next aisle from us in the store we hear someone going over the top because a certain toy that was advertised in the store flyer is no longer available.  People honk their horns because someone isn't going as fast as they'd like them to.  People make rude gestures to others who are in their way.  They huff and puff because they don't get their own way.  Adults act like unruly children.   Young people are rude to the elderly.  Middle-age people look down on the elderly.  Bullying in schools.  Bullying on the internet.  Bullying in the workplace.  Meanness in magazines.  Meanness in comedy. The sentiment "If I don't like you, I will show you, I can do whatever I want" is everywhere, if not in direct words, in attitude. 

We can blame these things on mental health issues, and there is sometimes an element of truth to that also, however in past history, people had mental issues, poverty, and difficult family situations etc. yet these rampages were not the norm -- in fact, they were unheard of.  In other areas of the world, even now, these rampages are not the norm.  Even though mental issues are and were part of life, and guns were a part of life, people respected others, and lived more respectful lives.  They recognized other people's property and respected that it didn't belong to them, to do with it what they felt like.  Yes there were the rebels.  Those who didn't care.  But there was a standard of expection in society, based on the God's Word.

 

People respected other peoples' children and even looked out for them.  Some still do (think the teachers at the Newtown school), but there is this mentality all around that "I will get what I need for me and mine and who cares about others anymore."  How sad.

We live in a society that glorifies violence and then works to protect those affected by violence.  Movies, television, and video games often depict the fight between evil and good - and often senseless killings are shown, over and over.  We are desensitized to the killings.  Our society even "decorates" homes with human hangings, tombstones and whatever else on Halloween each year.  (Halloween revenue is second only to Christmas in our society! $6 BILLION US in 2009.)

We cannot change people.  We can wish and wish for peace and happiness, but until hearts are changed, hearts become loving towards others, truly changed - and only changed by God - there will never be true love in this world.  Oh some will be loving.  Some will be caring.  But evil will reign. 

Sadly nothing will bring back these children (or the many others who have been senselessly killed in similar evil).  Nothing will bring back the child-like innocence in those who survived the killings but will live with the implications of living through such a nightmare.

 2 Chronicles 7:14

¹⁴ if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
 

Lord, turn our hearts to you.
Heal our land.