Prayers instead of politicizing human tragedy

Prayers for Congressman Steve Scalise.  Also lobbyist Matt Mika who, at this point, is in critical condition.

What does this shooting tell us about liberal Democrats?  Not a damn thing, that’s what.  It shows that evil and sin are apolitical.  Yes, we’ve seen an uptick in leftist assaults, attacks, riots, destruction, threats, calls for assassinations and actual assaults and attempted killings.  That’s what happens when people lose.  They go radical.  Hence why, following 2008, there were so many despicable things coming from the right.

It’s what happens.  And it’s not just right or left.  But it is our culture.  Increasingly it’s our society.  It’s what we’ve come to.  For the same day this was happening in Virginia, in San Francisco yet another person decided the best way to deal with problems was a mass killing.

Clearly, there is something going wrong.  And it’s not ‘them.’  Perhaps the best example of the choices ahead of us here, where one person calls for an end to the hate and vitriol, and one commenter jumps in to yuck it up over the thought of those types getting what they deserve for daring to disagree with our all important politics.

I choose the Jerry principle.

I pray for those who were injured.  I pray for those killed in San Francisco, their loved ones and friends and all they leave behind.  I pray for all who died violently today, whether we heard of them or not.  I’m thankful for our leaders, who came together today and perhaps learned to think on what unites us more than what divides.  Yeah, they’re playing the game tomorrow, and that’s nice.  But let’s face it, will there be any safer place in the world tomorrow than that baseball diamond?  Still, it’s a good gesture.  Certainly I’m proud of the security and capital police.

Someday, if we have the courage, we’ll try to work out what’s happening in our society, without the almost Pavlovian tendency of pointing fingers at those types over there.  A good look in the mirror might be a wise place to start.  Then for us Christians, a reminder that the Gospel is the Gospel, not the latest political party platform.  Ours is a different calling than just taking the latest political talking points and putting a Jesus spin on it.

Being peacemakers is part of the calling.  But that’s also wrapped up in reality and honesty, not simply all the truth that fits the conclusion.  Being wise as well as innocent you might say.