Deconstructing More Evangelical Gun Myths

We’ve been talking about guns and how they may or may not be responsible for mass shootings. In Christians, when in God’s name are we going to end gun violence?, I called on pro-gun evangelicals to step out of the mindset that requires them to toe the conservative party line equally on every issue (you can be conservative and not support loose gun laws) and addressed the idea that citizens with guns can protect us from a rogue government. In Guns don’t kill – sin kills?, I deconstructed the argument that says gun violence is just part and parcel of a fallen world.

It seems that evangelicals have many more excuses to bear arms (I’ve been making a list). One of the most pervasive is the idea that guns are a necessary part of a free society. Let’s think about that for a moment.

gun control — “Police Line / Police Tape” by Tony Webster is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

“Free society” = guns?

What makes a society “free”? Judging from the standard conservative/evangelical position, free society is defined by individuals being able to own as many guns as they want, as big as they want and with as much ammo as they want.

By the same token, a free society apparently does not require one to take the health of others into consideration, because individuals’ behavior should not be controlled by the government.

(Apparently, at least in some states, a free society does not include bodily autonomy.)

It’s disconcerting to learn that 44% of Republicans believe mass shootings are “something we have to accept as part of a free society” (85% of Dems and 73% of Independents believe that “if we really tried,” we could prevent mass shootings).

Are that many of my fellow Americans really ho-hum about mass shootings? I hope and pray that the apathetic folks are not Christians…but I fear they are (I know many such Christians, as I spent most of my life in that camp). I’m sad to say that I rarely hear grief after a mass shooting – only defense of gun ownership.

If our definition of a free society requires acceptance of mass shootings, maybe we need to rethink our definition.

What is Christian freedom?

Let’s start with a few guiding Scripture passages about freedom and how to walk it out.

Galatians 5:13-14 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

I Cor. 10:23-24 “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.

This is not rocket science. Our freedom is not for the purpose of doing whatever we want, but for seeking the good of others, for loving our neighbor. It is possible to twist these words into a theology that defends bringing assault rifles to block parties (“I want my neighbors to know I have their backs”).

But statistically, your neighbor probably wants more gun control, not more guns; wants more background checks; wants a ban on the sale of assault rifles; and does not own (or want to own) a gun.

So the question becomes, “are you willing to relinquish some of your freedom for the sake of your neighbor…” and just for extra measure, I’ll add, “as Jesus commands?”

(NOTE: I know, I know, Jesus told his disciples to buy weapons. But the most pervasive teachings in his ministry were not about self-defense, but about love and good works.)

Rethinking “free”

Based on the above, a free society – to a Christ follower – may be best described as a community in which we (Christians) do not demand the liberty to do what we want, but one in which we allow limits to be placed on ourselves for the greater good – knowing we live for Christ, not ourselves.

Imagine what is possible when we live to love our neighbors and seek what is best for them (and they seek what is best for us).

That is real, Christlike love.

This is something that evangelical and conservative Christians should be able to get behind, since we don’t want the government to “hand out” wealth. But are we willing to give up what we believe we’re entitled to – the freedom to have abundant weapons and ammo – in order to make our neighbors safer? (If you’re not sure gun control makes us safer, please read this.)

There will always be bad people

Of course, the bad guys are not interested in a loving community. They won’t give up their weapons and their violence. But the data tells us that “good guys with guns” don’t have much impact on those bad guys.

That is to say, if sin is the problem, shooting the sinners is not an effective deterrent.

Here’s some data on more effective deterrents:

Mass shooting deaths went down significantly between 1994 and 2004, when the US had an assault weapon ban. Assault weapons result in six times more people being shot than single-shot weapons.
States that restrict high-capacity magazines have half the rate of mass shootings of states without such restrictions.
Combine a prohibition on both assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and mass shooting deaths are 70% less likely.
Background checks do exist, but are not comprehensive: in 29 states, people who would be prohibited from buying a gun (criminals, domestic abusers, etc.) can avoid a background check by shopping at the right places.
Extreme Risk laws (also known as Red Flag laws) can also save lives, especially by preventing gun suicide.
Domestic abusers with a gun are five times more likely to kill their (usually) female victims than those without a gun.

So yes, there will always be bad people, but they don’t have to be armed. Bans, extensive background checks, and Extreme Risk laws will lower the number of bad people with guns.

We will never hit zero guns, but the fewer guns we have, the fewer innocent people will die. It’s that simple.

If reducing the number of innocents dying a horrible death is not enough incentive to give up guns, what is?

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FEATURED IMAGE: “Police Line / Police Tape” by Tony Webster is licensed under CC BY 2.0.