What can we learn from the Colorado massacre, and what can we as faith communities do to explain, respond, and prevent such tragedies?
An article from the Washington Post's On Faith section (Aurora worshipers seek solace, guidance, after movie theater shooting) describes a couple of the explanations being offered by faith communities for these tragic events.
- It is a test of faith purposely placed to cause us to reflect on how we are living our day to day lives
- God did not want this and, because of the free will we are given, He cannot stop people from making destructive choices and actions
Which of these does your faith tradition or you individually, believe is stronger in the debate of the power of a higher being versus human free will?
Two more articles from the Washington post (A tragedy we will not try to avert and Is gun control a religious issue?) offer thoughts about what faith communities can do to respond to such tragedies.
Apart from "modern life," the argument has been made that the U.S.'s secular precedent of separation of church and state has led to a loss of grounding in society, giving rise to these actions.
Is there a political or spiritual solution to these actions? Is it a manner of ministering to those who can take these terrible actions, or rather removing the tools provided by these "anti-life" policies, i.e. abortion, the death penalty, gun control?
Just as a reminder, whether you agree or disagree, we welcome your comments and questions in a respectful manner. Please no profane or offensive remarks. Try to refrain from stereotyping and remember that values and practices are not the same. Also, keep in mind that national, cultural, and political differences may not always be the same as religious differences.
We are joined by Father Avelino Gonzalez from St. Joseph Parish on Capitol Hill, to offer his perspective from a Catholic tradition. Any questions for Father Avelino can be posted up until 5:00 PM on Friday, July 27th, and his responses will will be posted the following week on Monday, July 30th! Don't miss this opportunity!
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