Jesus or Guns: The American Dilemma

The Unholy Alliance: Faith and Firepower

Yesterday marked the first day of school for Carrboro and Chapel Hill, towns that surround UNC. Kindergartners, on their first day, found themselves huddled in classrooms under lockdown, along with the rest of the school district. This wasn’t a drill; it was an actual emergency situation, triggered by a shooting on the UNC campus—just 4 miles from my house. A faculty member lost their life, and others were injured. All because of another school shooting, another grim tally in America’s ongoing crisis.

According to a 2023 Pew Research article, 39,707 people died from gun-related injuries in the U.S. in 2019 alone. That’s more than 100 people per day. The numbers are staggering, and they’re not just statistics; they’re lives lost, families shattered, and communities broken.

The Gospel According to the NRA

Now, let’s cut through the noise and ask a question that should be a no-brainer for anyone who claims to follow the teachings of Jesus: Jesus or guns? Which one are you really worshipping? And let’s be clear, this isn’t a rhetorical question. It’s a moral litmus test for a society that often conflates faith with firepower.

The Political Pulpit: When Faith Gets Weaponized

It’s no secret that the political landscape has been infiltrated by religious rhetoric, often weaponized to defend the indefensible. Politicians quote scripture in one breath and advocate for looser gun laws in the next. The irony is as thick as the collection plate is full on a Sunday morning. And let’s not forget, these politicians often claim to be the moral compass of the nation, the defenders of “Christian values.”

Serving Two Masters: The Cognitive Dissonance of Christian Gun Lovers

So why is it that the same people who fill the pews on Sunday mornings are often the same ones filling their homes with arsenals of weapons? Why do those who sing hymns of grace and love also sing praises to the Second Amendment as if it were a lost book of the Bible?

The Cycle of Violence: A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

Let’s not forget what Jesus said in Matthew 26:52, “Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.” It’s a stark reminder that violence begets violence, and it’s a cycle we’re perpetuating with every trigger pulled. Every bullet fired in anger or fear reverberates through the collective soul of a nation that claims to be under God but acts as if it’s under siege.

And let’s not overlook John 13:35, where Jesus says, “By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another.” Where is the love when we’re more committed to our firearms than to the teachings of the Prince of Peace?