Random Rant

I had an interesting conversation today. I was babysitting for some friends who have 4 boys. The oldest is 10, and he and I often have interesting conversations about all sorts of things. Today, he wanted to watch the Hunger Games (he's seen it already, I haven't). I said no. He demanded to know why. I said no. Why. Because. Why. "Because what's cool or funny or OK, about kids killing kids?" "But it's fake!" "What about Sandy Hook? Was that OK?" "No, but..." But what? According to the media, Adam Lanza was a mentally unstable 20 year old, with a violent video game obsession and access to guns. Interestingly, after he killed 26 people, guns came under attack, but no-one seems to have noticed the video games. This becomes more and more and more bothersome to me. I picked up a book in Bookman's last summer called Stop Teaching Our Kids To Kill. I only skimmed it, so I am not recommending it yet. The author's point is that violent media is actually training children to kill well. It makes sense. So we put the Hunger Games into the hands of a 10 year old. His school had a Hunger Games Jeopardy (your tax payer dollars, folks). And then we get surprised and upset when someone acts out what they absorbed as children. Doug Phillips calls that principle the cutification of evil. According to the media, all of those guns Adam Lanza used were legal. So what's the response? "More gun laws for a safer America!" Huh? Did I miss something? Am I suggesting we ban violent video games? No! I am suggesting that we should be honest about the issue. Are guns the problem? No. Will more gun laws make America safer? Well, last I checked criminals who use guns the wrong way are willing to get guns the wrong way. Is it possible that the problem is that generations of Americans have grown up on violent movies, horror movies, vampire movies, zombie movies, violent video games, murder mysteries, CSI, Law and Order, and any other crime/violent form of media you choose to mention? Familiarity breeds contempt. We, as a society, have developed a contempt for death, blood, and the value of life. But just for one moment, let's set the US to the side. Let's pretend that passing gun laws will minimize, if not eliminate, the risk associated with guns. Let's just create a hypothetical world where bad guys can't get guns. Let's call that place China. What on earth could a Chinese man possibly use to kill school children? Oh, I know! A knife! Better yet, it's nearly as effective as Adam Lanza's guns AND he did it the SAME DAY. Yes, I'm serious. Look it up. So what's the problem? Guns? No. Knives? No. Laws? No. Me. And You. And the next guy. Sin nature. Laws can't change that, only God can change that. But our responsibility is to take gratuitous violence seriously. And we don't. Our responsibility is to take anger, bitterness, and hatred seriously, in our own lives. And we don't. We like to make it someone else's problem. It's the government's problem, it's an education problem, it's this that or the other. No. It starts in the heart and it's fed by what we allow into our minds. Perhaps Hunger Games shouldn't be in the hands of children. I'll stop there, because this topic is a hot button for me and don't think y'all want to read a mile long rant :) Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:8 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. Psalm 1:1,2