Saturday, December 15, 2012

We grieve for the families...




I am horrified and deeply saddened by the events of Friday. I can't stop thinking about and praying for those families who have lost their dear children, and for the responders who came upon an unspeakable scene in a grade school in a quiet little town in America.

I was a kid in the '50s. We played 'cops and robbers,' 'cowboys and Indians.' No, it was not a time of politically correctness. Kids took knives to school and went squirrel hunting with guns after school. People had guns in their homes, either locked away or at least out of reach of children. And children knew those guns were not to be touched by them.

 We never had the kind of violence in the '50s that we see in today's society.

What has changed?

Let me ask this question: How many violent movies have your children seen in the past year? How many violent video games have they played?

I don't know what's going to happen re. gun control, but regardless, I think that we as parents should boycott violent Hollywood movies and violent video games.

I've heard them say before that movies are merely 'reflecting' society, not influencing society. That is hogwash. Money is the bottom line. Hollywood makes movies in order to make money. Do you really think that movie makers are wringing their hands and contemplating how their violent movie may adversely affect the young people who will watch it? No. They are trying to make money.

Last night my husband and I went to see the movie 'Lincoln.' It was excellent. And the theater was filled with old people like us. There was not a teenager in sight. In fact, it is seldom that my husband and I go to see a movie because most of the movies are stupid and violent and geared toward teenagers. Take a look at the movie trailers. The most titillating minutes are usually chosen for the trailer in order to draw in a larger audience.

And please. Do not try to tell me that our children are not influenced by the kind of violence that comes out of Hollywood or by the violent video games on the market.

I'm angry. I'm angry that those children's lives were cut short. I'm angry because those poor parents will never stop grieving the loss of their children.

This post is not a defense of guns. But truly, a gun is an instrument. People are perpetrators. I'm not angry because I think people will use this incident to pass tougher gun control laws, but because at an especially vulnerable time, the American people will be fooled into thinking that guns are the problem.

P.S.

When the photo of my brothers and cousin was taken, most people in America believed that there was a God to whom they were ultimately responsible. Now a generation at least has been taught that there is no God and that we are just fine without Him. We go our merry, selfish way and kill the unborn by over a million a year. We have become a Godless, violent society.

I'm reminded of the Bible verse, 'If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked way, then will I hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.'



Photobucket

29 comments:

MadSnapper said...

i agree with every word. i was raised with guns in the house and never touched one unless daddy was with me, and the things we watched were happy and funny. we also knew that God was watching us and that He would know when we did something we should not. i feared Daddy and God and it kept me on the straight and narrow, MOST of the time

Chatty Crone said...

There are so many unanswered questions and I do wonder if we will ever know why. I agree with everything you said Judy.
sandie

Suzan said...

I have always said that the kids of today are now exposed to way to much - between the TV/movies and video games -- living, breathing life intertwines with harsh, cruel world they view and take part in with the video games, TV and movies. I can't shake it- so devastating! Will be remembered and be affected for their entire life and the life of the town. Tears, thoughts and prayers.. . .

AngieOuellette-Tower said...

Well said!! - I agree with everything that you said & I also think a huge difference from the 50's and now is that God has slowly been taken out of everything.
I too am praying for all of those poor families that are dealing with such tragedy.
Thank you for this post.
Angie
godsgrowinggarden.com

Anonymous said...

Judy
I agree with your post too.
I pray with you.

Parsley said...

I'm just sick over this. Praying...

Diane said...

You're right. Love the photo by the way.

MadSnapper said...

again, i agree 100 percent

Ruth Kelly said...

I agree there is too much violence everywhere and it tends to keep growing. I pray for those families with such a shocking loss.

Eileen H said...

Such a terrible tragedy. Why, oh why?
Those poor families and so close to Christmas. I totally agree with every word your post.

RURAL said...

We grew up with guns, and we knew how dangerous they were. No one touched them but my Dad.

I totally agree with your post, it's a scary world out there, and the violence you see on TV and in the movies is prevalent.

It's insidious, it's wrong to think that exposure to that doesn't harden people to reality.

A very sad day for the world.

Jen

Debbie Jones said...

Hi, I am your newest follower. Amen and Amen to your post. I wholeheartedly agree with everything you wrote. The more we push God out of our society, the more desperately we need Him.
Looking forward to more of your posts!

jennyfreckles said...

It's a terrible and sad thing to happen. I have wept for those children, the ones left alive too as they will be scared and scarred. I think the reasons must be complex - but it would have been harder for the gunman to act like that if there hadn't been guns available in his house. I think probably it shows up that our societies don't have very effective ways of identifying or treating mental illness.

tlcukjourney said...

The latest psychology research does indeed show that there is a coloration between violent video games and violent behavior.
But is it going to stop any time soon? I don't know if there are answers to this. It deeply saddens me. I work in public school... it scares me.

Cherry's Prairie Primitives said...

I to am devastated by what has happened and pray for all the families.

Terri D said...

I totally agree with every word, Judy. My Joe says it all goes back to Roe vs Wade, because that is when respect for life was lost.

Praying for life lost, for grieving families and friends, and for our country.

Marianne (Mare) Baker Ball said...

excellent. So true, all of it. There are many contributing factors here, but the main one is that the human heart is devoid of seeking and loving God.

Anonymous said...

It will be no surprise if we find out that the shooter had been on prescription SSRI medication, such as Prozac, Soloft, etc. Almost ALL of the school schooting in the past 10 years involved perpetrators who were on these medications. Perhaps the discussion of banning guns should be directed to medications instead?

Leslie Anne Tarabella said...

Every single word you say is true. Video games give no real consequences. Movies are pretend. Violence is being driven into their heads, and if they are slightly troubled or spiritually empty, this equals trouble.

Turn off the TV, limit computer use, and take your kids to church!

Butterfly 8)(8 Bungalow said...

I agree with you too. We are experiencing the repercussions of : violent movies, the breakdown of the family, a more Godless society, a populace numbed by medication, and a media that calls itself "news" in order to make money sensationalizing violence.

Butterfly 8)(8 Bungalow said...

I agree with you too. We are experiencing the repercussions of : violent movies, the breakdown of the family, a more Godless society, a populace numbed by medication, and a media that calls itself "news" in order to make money sensationalizing violence.

Under Her Wings said...

Excellent post, Judy. I'm sending it to my family and to others that will listen. I read it to Buster. Oh, Father in heaven, please place in the hearts of this nation's populace the desire to see true change, real repentance, and the proper way of dealing with the horrors we experienced on Friday. And only through recognizing that belief and acceptance of God's standard of righteous is the only way to recovery will these changes come about.

Susan said...

Very well said. My mom and I were just talking about the violent tv, movies, games. Then I read your post. I totally agree with you. My husband and son are avid gun collectors. They are not killers. An evil person will do evil acts with whatever weapon they choose. I don't have an answer...all I know to do is pray. My heart is so heavy and I grieve along with these families affected by this tragedy. Most importantly I will pray for them and for The Lord to touch and soften the hearts and minds of evil people and fill their minds and hearts with love and peace.

Anonymous said...

Amen sister! You have said exactly what I feel.
Linda

J said...

no opinion, and definitely no answers...just heartache....

Smalltowngiggles said...

I, too, can't stop thinking about Friday's events. Christmas is forever ruined for a lot of families. I hope and pray, they stay strong and that they survive this.

I think you are very right. God is not important in way to many lives. I, especially agree with your P.S.
Well said.

Denise said...

Totally agree.

Audrey said...

Wonderful post Judy ... I agree with every word of it. I do not watch TV or go to the movies because of the violence. Sometime the News is too violent for me to watch. It seems we need to address the violence and the mentally disturbed.
Blessings,
Audrey Z,

debbie bailey said...

Well written, Judy. I agree 100%. Guns aren't the problem. Removing God from schools and public life is a big problem as is violence accepted as the norm. I've been praying for a long time that a revival will hit America in a big way.

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