Interfaith Leaders Condemn Gun Violence After Santa Barbara Shootings

[cbayer]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/30/interfaith-gun-violence-santa-barbara_n_5413826.html


Religion News Service | By Megan Sweas
Posted: 05/30/2014 7:26 am EDT Updated: 05/30/2014 7:59 am EDT


Megan Sweas / RNS

LOS ANGELES (RNS) An interfaith group representing 15 organizations spoke out against gun violence Thursday (May 29) in the wake of last week’s deadly shooting spree in Santa Barbara.

Religious organizations have lobbied for stricter gun control in the wake of mass shootings, and this latest effort was no exception.

“We are here this morning to stand with the multitude of groups across the United States who are advocating for sensible, common sense laws to limit the effects of gun violence,” said Steve Wiebe, co-chair of the Abrahamic Faiths Peacemaking Initiative. “Our faith traditions — Judaism, Christianity and Islam — spur us to peaceful solutions as we recognize the inherent worth of each individual life.”

Elliot Rodger killed six and injured 13 others in Santa Barbara on Friday (May 23) before dying by an apparently self-inflicted gun wound. The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office reported that deputies found three semi-automatic handguns in his car. All three were bought legally.

more at link

[stone space]

1. I think that this is something that atheits and agnostics can join together with religious people...

...of all faiths to work on.

Religious organizations have lobbied for stricter gun control in the wake of mass shootings, and this latest effort was no exception.

[cbayer]

2. Agree wholeheartedly..

[AtheistCrusader]

3. Depends on what 'stricter gun control' means.

Also, it would be nice if the existing laws had been used, instead of... not.

[stone space]

4. As an atheist, I'd like to see the repeal of the Second Commandment.

That way we can make social policy regarding the place of guns in our society on a more rational basis.

A huge problem in this country is how guns themselves seem to have become objects of worship.

[AtheistCrusader]

5. You'd also have to repeal somwhere around 43 state constitution sections.

For instance, Washington (Ratified 1889)

SECTION 24 RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS. The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself, or the state, shall not be impaired, but nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing individuals or corporations to organize, maintain or employ an armed body of men.

An enormous number of states specify for self, in addition to state security.
That bit at the end about armed bodies of men, is aimed at the Pinkertons and other corporate security entities that were employed by railroads, mines, for union busting, etc, at the time.

[stone space]

6. The Second Commandment has been given the most Fundamentalist reading available...

...by our current right wing US Supreme Court.

I'm not sure how state laws and amendments have been interpreted. I imagine that it varies by state.

In any case, it has never seemed very productive to me to approach things from a defeatist perspective.

I've found myself in disagreement with Supreme Court rulings before.

This isn't new.

[AtheistCrusader]

7. The state constitutional interpretation is plain english.

State or individual.

The federal 2nd is somewhat more vague. I agree with the court's interpretation. If that interpretation isn't acceptable, the Congress has tools to remediate.

[goldent]

8. I don't have high hopes...

I have a feeling that one of our resident Biblical scholars will find a Bible verse that can be interpreted as supporting gun rights. Using the axioms of DU Religion logic, this will unequivocally disqualify any Christians (possibly Jews too!) from supporting gun control.

[okasha]

9. You forgot Muslims.

If it's in the OT, it will also disqualify Muslims.

[stone space]

10. I don't know if you have noticed, but different Christians emphasize different Bible quotes.

As well as having different interpretations of those Biblical passages.

You are most certainly correct that one can find Christians who support Scalia's fundamentalist interpretation of the Second Commandment, just as one can find atheists who support Scalia's fundamentalist interpretation of the Second Commandment.

But Christians and atheists, as well as Jews, Muslims and others who do not support Scalia's fundamentalist interpretation of the Second Commandment can most certainly come together to support gun control.

Guns have indeed become a religion in this country, but there are folks of all beliefs who do not worship at the alter of the NRA, and who don't place guns in a godly position above life itself.

Like you, I've read of so-called Christian churches that raffle off guns, but that doesn't mean that Christians as a whole believe that morality comes from the barrel of a gun.

The OP of this thread is a case in point.

Let us as atheists join with them in declaring that morality does not come from the barrel of a gun.

[cbayer]

11. Great post and I agree with you.

I'm in New Orleans now. The gun violence rate here continues to be a very significant problem.

You can see lots of signs in people's yards that say "Thou shall not kill" and there is a very active interfaith initiative, that includes peoples of faith and the non-religious, to enact and enforce strict gun control.

While I understand that there are people within the democratic party that have an RKBA position, there is an opportunity within the party to stand together for gun control and a decrease in the violence.