Blacksburg - Why?

As the news spread about the horrific tragedy at Virginia Tech. I am always amazed at the commentators. I don't know if they make this up, or some fool writes it for them. This morning I heard one commenting on why this happened. Before I tell you what he said, I want to qualify my comments.

First of all it is honorific, sad and tragic when lives are lost for no reason. There was no cause, no reason for such a violent act. Provoked or not, I can't imagine what this young man was thinking.

Second, don't compare it to war, where acts of aggression and viable threats perpetrate a forceful response from a country, not an individual.

Third, I don't know why God allows these types of tragic events to happen, but I have a couple of clues. A - He is looking at all of eternity, not just this day, this week-- or even this life time. He is aware of the value of earthly human life I am sure. B - God is sovereign and our ways are not His ways. Therefore, it is unlikely that we will understand it all in one bite. C - God loves, but He also allows us to do as we please, good or bad, right or wrong. If you read the Bible, God is not specifically going to stop the impending end of the age. Many Biblical authors tell us that there will be this type of violence and worse. Why? That is the real question. The answer, because He wants us to live and reign with Him for eternity. God gave us a choice to sin or not. He gave us the choice to follow other gods and ideologies with consequences. He was well aware of our inability to be "good", that is why He sent Jesus.

With all that said, here is what the commentator said this morning. Early reports (guesses and false conclusions often times) said that the shooter was a first year student from Shanghai, China. The comment that really made me think was this, "How do you think that he learned the violent side of American culture so quickly when guns are outlawed in China?" Are you kidding me?!?!? Murder has been around since Cain and Able. The Bible says that murder is in our hearts; a building block of our spiritual DNA. You don't need a 9mm semiautomatic pistol to commit murder! Did the use of a a gun make the body count higher? I think so. And yes, we should probably do a better job of enforcing the gun control laws that we have. I just don't think it is possible that this kid watched to many R movies. Besides, China, as a country, has a murderous track record. Tiananmen Square is only one of many examples of public execution that were televised world wide. There were also places missionaries referred to as killing fields, ones where thousands and thousands were put to death for their religious beliefs.

What can be done in the wake of this terrible crime? First of all let us pray and support the grief stricken families and friends with the love of Jesus. Send them cards, prepare them meals, listen to their pain, open our homes and hearts. Grief is one of the doors that God often uses to capture the hearts of His beloved, for He uses all things for the good, if we'll love Him.

In conclusion, maybe it is possible that this kid learned "American Style" violence from a video game or a movie in the year that he has been here. Possibly he did a copy cat crime based on the same incident at a Canadian University last Fall. Whatever the reason, let us not overlook the sin nature that is in all of us. We don't need to judge, but we need to acknowledge our need for a savior and the need for others too. If being good, moral and ethical was working, things would be getting better, don't you think? I think it is a good time to review the hypocrisy that lives in our laws, the lack of enforcement that takes place by a system burdened by millions of criminal acts each year and get ready to vote this Fall and next. And finally maybe it is time to admit to our part in the fact that God has been kicked out of schools and out of government. Somebody voted for that. Is it any wonder the way in which we have allowed behavior that was considered immoral and illegal 20 years ago to become common place in the US and abroad. We have voted for that too.