Do Christians Love Guns? - UBM [David Eells]

I am writing this because I continue to believe that US Christians are being "driven" toward something very ugly. There is a lot of nasty rhetoric flying around that is the very opposite of Christ-like. Some in America are trying to get the Christians all riled up about not being allowed to own "assault rifles" and the like. But what is so "Christian" about owning guns anyway?

Personally, I neither love nor hate guns. I used to go hunting and I owned a .22 and a 6.5 Mauser (which kicked like a mule). But they are long gone. I also have US friends with Glocks and M-16s and things - fun to do some target shooting with - but I wouldn't want to own one. Guns to me are neither to be loved nor hated. And certainly they are nothing to do with "Christian rights" or anything of the kind.

Which is why it alarms me to see high-profile believers seemingly making it a "Christian" issue that everyone should be allowed to own semi-automatic weapons. Reminds me of the facetious remark, "Who would Jesus kill?"

We have spoken before about the dangers of mixing Christianity with "nationalism" - of wrapping the Bible in the flag - and calling it 'orthodox' Christianity. This stuff is not just dangerous - it is deadly. There have been countless wars and countless millions killed down the centuries by this very thing. Mixing "patriotism" with Christianity and using that to motivate people - to get them riled up and mad enough to go "fight" somebody or riot in the streets, or whatever. Hitler used just this kind of patriotism to get himself elected. And I see this very same anger rising amongst some Christian conservatives in America. You are being "driven" toward something - and it is very ugly.

Every Christian should know that our home is in heaven - not in any particular "nation". Our alliegance is towards GOD'S kingdom, not any kingdom on this earth. So let me very clearly spell it out.

Saluting the flag is not a "Christian" activity.
Singing the national anthem REAL LOUD is not a Christian activity.
Being armed to the teeth is not a "Christian" activity.
War-mongering is not a "Christian" activity.
"Supporting the troops" is not a particularly 'Christian' activity.
Angrily fighting for your taxes is not a "Christian" activity.
Shouting and getting 'nasty' over Politics is not a Christian activity.
Constantly bad-mouthing the president is not a Christian activity - whether you agree with him or not.
In fact, a lot of this involves behavior that is totally "anti" Christian.
And despite being a great political document, the US Constitution is not a "Christian" document, and therefore fighting and screaming and name-calling over that document is not a "Christian" activity either. True Christians do not stand or fall by the US Constitution. They stand or fall by the actual word of God. And that is the only piece of writing that they should ever get so stirred up about.

Friends - we have a great mixing of Nationalism and Religion going on. And it is getting uglier and uglier.

Now, let me ask you some honest questions here. Have you been guilty of fighting or agitating over these things in the "flesh"? I say, "REPENT". And are you guilty of slandering or bad-mouthing the president of your country in a way that is totally un-Christlike? Again I say, "REPENT!" There is no excuse for a follower of Jesus behaving that way.

We are not supposed to be in a "war" over all this stuff. We are supposed to be focused on ETERNAL things - the only things worth fighting about. So let us forget these earthly "distractions" and concentrate on the things that really matter.

As I have said before, it is time to change the channel and turn OFF the voices of the "agitators" before they get you all riled up about the next 'issue.' And it is time to go out and fight for the gospel and the souls of men - the things that can REALLY make a difference in the nation. Politics can never bring about the 'heart' change that is so desperately needed. Revival is what America truly needs! So let us fight for that - and leave the ungodly to fight for their "guns" and their "rights". We are of a different kingdom. My friends, let us not forget it.

Printer-friendly version