Church Leaders Call for Tighter Gun Control after College Shootings
Monday's tragic college shooting in Virginia, US, has prompted calls from church leaders in the US and the wider international community for tighter control on firearms in the US.
by Maria Mackay
Posted: Wednesday, April 18, 2007, 9:48 (BST)
Church leaders in the US and the wider international community have called for tighter gun control following Monday's tragic mass killing at Virginia Tech University in the US.
The General Secretary of the National Council of Churches in the US, the Rev Bob Edgar, has called for "meaningful" legislation to put a stop to gun violence in the US.
"Faith leaders have spoken up continually about the epidemic of gun violence in our country," Edgar said. "Despite repeated calls from faith and community leaders to Congress and presidents nothing ever seems to get done to stem the tide."
Edgar, himself a former Member of Congress, criticised political leaders in the US for failing to give gun violence enough attention.
"How many more will have to die before we say enough is enough? How many more senseless deaths will have to be counted before we enact meaningful firearms control in this country?
"How many more of our pastors, rabbis and imams will have to preside over caskets of innocent victims of gun violence because a nation refused to stop the proliferation of these small weapons of mass destruction?" said Edgar, who called for an end to the manufacture and "easy distribution" of firearms in the US.
The General Secretary of the World Council of Churches, the Rev Dr Samuel Kobia, expressed his "deep sorrow" over "this new horror of random violence" at Virginia Tech.
Dr Samuel Kobia criticised the "widespread availability of deadly weapons" highlighted by the fatal college shooting and called for "firm and appropriate controls" on the globalised trade in small arms.
The "pro-gun position adopted by the US administration" has been "one of the major obstacles" to progress towards that goal, he said.
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Added: Friday, May 16, 2008, 12:33 (BST)
It is heartening to read the comments of the real people. We seem to "get it", while some who have "risen" through the bureaucracies of many large denominations are drifting away, from scripture and common sense and the Constitution of the great Christian nation - America. They owe their current ability to sit safely in their church offices and delude themselves to the very Second Amendment they seek to undermine.
Jesus was a hard-working, physically strong Jewish carpenter. He whipped a crowd of men out of the temple, single-handedly. We have too many pictures in too many churches of him sitting around with animals and babies, looking vulnerable and wimpy. Jesus was a tough guy, protective and compassionate, too, but ultimately one who was only taken prisoner without a fight because it was to fulfill the scripture and His mission here.
Swords were the assault weapon of the day, and He advised the disciples to sell other goods to be sure they were able to defend themselves. As our territories and defenseless members of our civilization are threatened by resurging populations of bears, wolves, coyotes, mountain lions, numbed outlaws hyper on meth, local street gangs, international gangs, and criminally insane rapists and murderers, I'm not convinced that my Lord and Savior expects me or my pastor to not stand between such evil and the victims... with my bare hands or a sword or a "well-regulated" weapon.
May God bless America and help us remember that we can't spread the message of Christ from an untimely grave.
Bruce of Ohio, Marietta
Added: Sunday, March 30, 2008, 23:27 (BST)
For those who want to ban guns and believe we should just call the police for protection, check out this link first: http://hematite.com/dragon/policeprot.html
Gordon Olivar, Bensalem, Pennsylvania
Added: Sunday, April 29, 2007, 3:38 (BST)
It should be noted that without the firearms our revolutionary war forefathers insisted upon all these leaders would probably be Anglican! Even Jesus instructed his desciples when they went into the world "Let those who have no sword sell their cloak and buy one. (Luke 22:35-38, NIV) In context with the rest of the Gospel, I take that to mean two things, Weapons are not of themselves evil, and self defense is an acceptable option. Guns only serve to equalize the physically weak and the strong.
George Scott , Wellborn, Florida
Added: Thursday, April 19, 2007, 22:42 (BST)
I dissagree. You can have the tightest gun control policies, and it will not stop this kind of thing from happening. What happened at VT was a horrible tragedy, but it just reinforces the need to loosen, not tighted gun ownership. Had the professors been armed, or law abiding concealed weapon owners had their weapons, then the chances are good that this man would not have been able to kill so many.
We like to think that police are there to protect us, but ultimately, they are not. We are the first line of defense, and it is up to us to defend ourselves when threatened. If we allow everyone to have a gun, then what happens is instead of the crazies being the only gun toters, and everyone else sitting ducks, then we now have good law abiding people (trained and certified in gun use, btw) who are able to fight back. Currently, the only ones with guns are police and the criminals. The police are never there when you need them, and the bad guys are always where the police arent.
I say arm everyone who is not a felon and lets take this country back from the criminals. We like to look at guns and say they are the problem, but they are not. The problem is society. We all have a part to blame in what this man did, and we all have a part in why he and others like him, do what they do.
Bill, Dallas TX
Added: Thursday, April 19, 2007, 2:17 (BST)
These church leaders should put thier faith in the Lord Jesus rather than politicians and government. Laws will not stop persons with evil spirits or demon possesion. In my mind the Msr. Edgars and Kobia are not even credible as supposed Christian spokesman, Perhaps all us Christians are to blame. For if we had evangilized the young man who committed these murders he may not have commited them. As Christians we are not called to be involved in government but to spread the word of the Lord and spread His love.
Steve Page, Clinton, Tn USA
Added: Wednesday, April 18, 2007, 19:06 (BST)
Sickening.. They should know better that we have enough laws to hamper those law abiding citizens that want to protect themselves against things like this. Just think if others on campus were able to carry. Would this many people have died if others could protect themselves and carry? Remember if we make firearms illegal then only the criminals or illegals will have them.
Jason, Central Mass., USA
Added: Wednesday, April 18, 2007, 17:13 (BST)
First of all, guns do not kill people, people with guns kill people. If there is gun control for the people that can legally obtain them then the only people with guns will be the maniacs and criminals.
Second of all, (as an American) it is my second ammendment right to bear arms and if we start altering our constitution our country is in huge trouble!
TaLisa Miller, West Columbia, SC
Added: Wednesday, April 18, 2007, 17:05 (BST)
Gun control laws only effect law biding citizens. We can pass all of the laws we want and it won't do any good against the people that don't care about laws. It also makes it much harder on those of us that legally own guns or carry concealed weapons.
Heather Mc Intosh, Cumming, GA, USA
Added: Wednesday, April 18, 2007, 16:58 (BST)
Whiile I understand where this side of the issue is coming from, it is nigh impossible to ward off every random violence committed by guns. The gunman was given the gun because the person who sold the gun said he seemed like a good kid, and he was legal and old enough to own a gun. What he did to break the law was the fact that he brought a weapon on a college campus.
No matter what, if the people who really want to commit random violence, they will find a way. They will not be deterred by laws. There will always be a toll of deaths and it is foolish to think that we can actually prevent deaths by stricting the laws on gun control. If a suggestion was made to not allow college students or persons over 21 a handgun, then I do not believe that. There are many people who use handguns for recreation and limiting that to college students is harmful.
All we can do is have a better response procedure because the e-mail system had failed them. That is the one thing we need to focus on, because random violence will only coninue, undeterred by laws. To have better response is to save more lives.
Rini, Venice, FL, USA
