tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418939.post355223986563007717..comments2023-09-23T04:02:58.985-04:00Comments on May Day Cafe: Thoughts on Sandy Hook and the IncarnationNerissa Nieldshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07681807422024958132noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418939.post-24913922371707281582013-01-16T14:37:10.370-05:002013-01-16T14:37:10.370-05:00Thanks, Jason. I love what you did, what you read....Thanks, Jason. I love what you did, what you read. It reminds me of this quotation by Martin Luther King Jr. The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it. In fact, violence merely increases hate. So it goes. Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that. Martin Luther King, Jr.Nerissa Nieldshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07681807422024958132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418939.post-75289025176999012042013-01-15T20:19:11.989-05:002013-01-15T20:19:11.989-05:00As a father of three, I took the tragedy more pers...As a father of three, I took the tragedy more personally that I had Sept 11. I felt angry, and I cried, and I thought about presents under trees or hidden in closets, basements, or attics that would never be opened, of parents like us who hadn't yet taken their kids to see Santa, but planned to do so that weekend.<br /><br />I had signed up to lead our young-ish adult Sunday School class the Sunday after Sandy Hook. We usually discuss one of the lectionary texts, and one of the Gospel texts for that week was the words of John the Baptist: "You brood of vipers. How can you speak good things when you are evil?" I wanted to use that text to bash the NRA and anyone else I blamed. But the night before, I changed my mind, and brought another scripture to the class, Philippians 4:5, "Let your gentleness (moderation/forbearance/humility) be known to everyone." We should and need to take short-term steps to prevent tragedies with tighter gun restriction and access to mental health care, but in the long term, I don't think we can win by fighting fire with fire. We need to change from a culture of Rambo to one of gentleness, and for me that can only start with trying to instill that in my own kids. I can't control anything else.Jasonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13642305835966923902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418939.post-69518451019834793132012-12-27T13:13:35.952-05:002012-12-27T13:13:35.952-05:00On Christmas day, 11 days after Sandy Hook I was w...On Christmas day, 11 days after Sandy Hook I was with my family in a warm, loving and safe space. As my brother handed my aunt his jacket she took it with a comment of "Wow this is really heavy." I hoped that it was his iPhone as she placed it on the pile of jackets in the bathroom but in my heart I knew it was a handgun. Sadly, I was right, 40 feet from my family throughout all Christmas dinner and opening presents there was a loaded firearm in his jacket pocket in the bathroom. My question is who brings a gun to Christmas? Sadly the answer is the same person who never leaves home without it. I've asked him before "What are you so afraid of?" His answer is always the same, "Nothing." He believes he is the person who would be able to stop something like Sandy Hook or the Colorado movie theater. I believe he has no idea of what the outcome of something like that would be. It is people like him with delusions of saving people with a gun that scare me most. redfaeriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18084871730894582020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418939.post-883623085854794742012-12-27T13:13:17.800-05:002012-12-27T13:13:17.800-05:00On Christmas day, 11 days after Sandy Hook I was w...On Christmas day, 11 days after Sandy Hook I was with my family in a warm, loving and safe space. As my brother handed my aunt his jacket she took it with a comment of "Wow this is really heavy." I hoped that it was his iPhone as she placed it on the pile of jackets in the bathroom but in my heart I knew it was a handgun. Sadly, I was right, 40 feet from my family throughout all Christmas dinner and opening presents there was a loaded firearm in his jacket pocket in the bathroom. My question is who brings a gun to Christmas? Sadly the answer is the same person who never leaves home without it. I've asked him before "What are you so afraid of?" His answer is always the same, "Nothing." He believes he is the person who would be able to stop something like Sandy Hook or the Colorado movie theater. I believe he has no idea of what the outcome of something like that would be. It is people like him with delusions of saving people with a gun that scare me most. redfaeriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18084871730894582020noreply@blogger.com