Guns and God

 

It seems to me that Guns and God go so well together because they're ultimately about exacting judgment on people.

To my mind, this is supported by the human figures on practice targets and by Bible passages about darkness and damnation preached in Last Judgment churches.

John 16:8 -- "And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment."

I believe many of those who wrap the flag around pistols and prayers are not doing so to protect high-minded Lockean notions about individual rights.

I think for them it's more about freedom to end someone who steps out of line, conflating the divine's judgment and humans' rights to execute the same when / if crossed.

We will not end gun violence, I don't think, until we dismantle the scaffolding that props up gun ownership as God-given.

That is to say, as long as folks believe God sanctions what the Constitution guarantees.