Forward!

What words can drive us forward, into the future, engaging the new year? I share three:

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light....

For the yoke of their burden...you have broken....

For a child has been born FOR US....

His authority shall grow continually,

 and there shall be endless peace....

He will establish and uphold it with justice

and Righteousness....

Isaiah 9:2-7 (portions)

"If we want to participate in this Advent and Christmas event,

we cannot simply sit there like spectators in a theater 

and enjoy all the family pictures. Rather, we must

join in the action that is taking place and be drawn into

this reversal of all things ourselves. 

Here we too must act on the stage, 

for here the spectator is always a person acting in the drama.

We cannot remove ourselves from the action."

Bonhoeffer

"Good news to some will almost inevitably be bad

news to others....When Jesus came...it was to proclaim

the end of things as they are and the breaking in of things

that are to be: the status quo is not to be criticized, 

it is to be destroyed."

Peter Gomes

I share these words in the context of gun violence prevention. It is easy to be despairing when engaging this cause. The list of names and places are all too familiar moments of tragedy. It is a sad commonplace: "O, no! Another one! Enough!" So hammers the litany. Nothing seems to make a difference in lessening gun violence, or so it seems. Congress is fearful of losing their seats and funding for re-election, so they share "thoughts and prayers" instead of committing to legislative action, clinging to a doctored and historically dishonest interpretation of the Second Amendment, paying fealty to the NRA leadership while being deaf to the vast NRA member majority. 

There is hope if we seize it, if we allow it to move us forward in the Spirit of the above words drawn from the deep well of faith active in love. If we act!

Facts prove, statistics support that UNIVERSAL BACKGROUND CHECKS save lives. States with UBChecks have 46% fewer women being shot to death by an intimate partner and have 48% fewer suicides. FBI data shows that in states that require UBChecks for all handgun sales, blocking criminals from buying guns or owning guns in unlicensed sales online or at gun shows, there are 48% fewer police officers killed. 

It is heartening that many polls including polls of NRA rank and file members, asking people's feelings about UBChecks, indicate a 70%-80% support for this common sense law. Why? Because most people believe it is smarter and safer to keep guns out of the hands of criminals, domestic abusers, those who should be watched due to stress, and the mentally ill. Most people believe gun safety is a public health issue that demands common sense laws. Most people realize that with UBChecks the hunter can still hunt, the home protector can still protect, the sportsman can still shoot. But the others cannot. A UBC law can be passed. It is possible. This is a way forward!

Forward action is also possible by passing a law preventing those 800,000 people on the Terrorist Watch List from purchasing guns. Since 2004, over 2000 people on the TWL have purchased guns. ISIL and Al Qaeda have told people that it is easy to buy a gun in the USA! Do it! Jihad! Allah Akbar! Martyr yourself! Men, remember you will have the pleasure of 70 virgins as your reward! 

Yet, there is hope that action will be taken to prevent this irresponsible purchasing. 

The Church is ideally placed to insist upon action. We have a Biblical witness, church statements, theological urgings from wise leaders and the blood of the many to guide and empower action. We have a bold way forward. It is time! We can do it!  Enough!

This is what Advent is about: anticipating hope and deliverance as real. This is what Christmas is about: God coming in Christ to transform the status quo, change hearts and minds from violence to peacemaking, and insist upon justice for all. In Christ we are given the way forward.

Let's do it! It is WE who bring hope to life! It is WE who are the voices, hands and legs to go FORWARD. It is WE who provide the ACTION. It is WE who DESTROY THE STATUS QUO.

It is WE who BREAK THE YOKE OF BURDEN, CREATE PEACE and ESTABLISH AND UPHOLD JUSTICE!

It is WE!

Peace!

Ron