Sojourners' president calls on Christians to oppose National Rifle Association.
by Jim Wallis
Children should bury their parents; parents should not have to bury their kids. Pastors should conduct funerals for the elderly, not for children killed by gun violence. When the proper order of things keeps getting turned around, something is wrong. The ongoing epidemic of shootings — whether in an elementary school or on city streets — shows something in our society has gone terribly amiss.
The problems are obvious, which makes the lack of action by our leaders morally unconscionable. Politicians have refused to enact common-sense gun laws that prevent dangerous people from getting weapons to kill large numbers of people, because they fear the power and influence of the National Rifle Association. When the NRA receives millions of dollars in funding from gun manufacturers, their interest is protecting profits even at the cost of innocent life.
This is not a debate about the Second Amendment. It is about the idolatry of guns — the worship of weapons of mass murder.
Tell the NRA leadership to protect our children and communities by ending their dangerous idolatry of guns.
After the killings at Sandy Hook elementary in Newtown, Conn, Wayne LaPierre, the executive vice president of the NRA, said “the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.” That statement is at the heart of the problem of gun violence in America today because it is morally mistaken, theologically dangerous, and religiously repugnant.
The world is not full of good and bad people; this is not what our scriptures teach us. We are, as human beings, capable of both good and evil. When we are isolated or angry or furious or vengeful or politically agitated or confused or lost or deranged or unhinged — and we have the ability to get and use weapons specifically designed to kill large numbers of people — our society is in great danger.
This biblical truth about human nature is why stronger protections are needed that would require background checks for everyone purchasing guns and ban military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition clips.
Tell the NRA leadership to end their dangerous idolatry of guns and support sensible gun restrictions.
This is about more than politics. The NRA’s theology is dangerous and idolatrous. It is time for people of faith, especially pastors and parents, to challenge their bad theology that threatens our children.
In faith,
Jim Wallis
President and CEO, Sojourners
About Jim Wallis
Jim Wallis, CEO of Sojourners, is a bestselling author, public theologian, speaker, and international commentator on ethics and public life. He recently served on the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships and currently serves as the chair of the Global Agenda Council on Faith for the World Economic Forum.
His forthcoming book, On God's Side: What Religion Forgets and Politics Hasn’t Learned About Serving the Common Good, is now available.
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