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Tragedy & Death: Understanding Mass Murders
Paul J. Bucknell
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Understanding Tragedies | Answers for Tragedgy | Finding Peace in Tragic Times | Explanation and Warning of Judgment | Mass murders | Big Learning Curve
Introduction: When tragic circumstances occur such as the recent horrific killing of 20 elementary school children, we are forced to ask a lot of serious questions. This brief article helps us understand why such an event can happen.
Unspeakable!
“Unspeakable!” This was an appropriate title for our local newspaper to describe the mass killing of little children on December 14th, 2012, but why do we pardon abortion from such denunciations?
How is the murder of infants any different from the tragic maiming and killing of elementary children? The spirit of death pervades our land because we permit murder for our personal conveniences.
Someone has suggested that we need to more deeply examine the motivation behind such mass murderers. The ‘why’ is not the key issue (though valuable in knowing). More important, however, is the reason a person would consider such an act when feeling desperate or angry.
Examining Our Worldview
An examination of one’s worldview is critical.
When people no longer have a fundamental respect for the life of a person (as the Bible teaches us), then people will include such tragic acts as options. This tragedy is a natural outcome of secularistic materialism–a living person has no more meaning than a dead person.
The modern mentality rejects a biblical framework that leads to death. The more this mentality inflicts our people, the more tragic our world will become. Jesus wisely stated, “So, you will know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:20).(1)
Jesus came to bring life. He not only creates life but preserves it. Man was created in God’s image and therefore should be especially protected and valued. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10).
More on secularism from BFF!
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[1] People are getting an overdose of humanism/secularism without seeing its ... With its absence of morals and duty of relationship secularism allows man to live ...
Finding the Peace of God: Most people just dream of peace. They have never experienced it. Anxiety, stress and fear are their companions.
Notes:
(1) I understand that some people will object by stating that Christians sometimes do evil things. Again, the issue is the same. By committing such acts, a person, whether he states he is a Christian or not, is revealing what he really believes deep down. A person’s preferential religion does not often betray his real beliefs anymore. Examine a person’s choices. “By this we know that we have come to know God, if we keep His commandments” (1 John 2:3).
Feel free to send your own unanswered questions.
What does God think about tragedies?
What does God think about natural disasters?
Is it wrong to want judgment upon these people?
Is there a better way? Can we pray for them?
Doesn't man just disappear after death?
What happens after death?
How can I find peace in such terrible times?
What scripture passages can we read? What prayers can be said?
Why does God allow such things to happen?
How does a loving God allow such things as tragedies?
Other Relevant TopicsCrossing from anxious thoughts to peace
What are the 7 steps to seek forgiveness?
How does one deal with spirit of revenge?
How did David personally deal with an horrible evil event?
A new basic discipleship series has a free booklet explaining how we should biblically think of natural and unnatural disasters.
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Scriptures typically quoted from the New American Standard Bible unless noted:
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