NRA, M16s and Charlottesville

Those who support the ability of good citizens to be allowed to own firearms for hunting, target practice and self defense should be distressed by the images that came out of Charlottesville this Saturday. The scenes of so called "militia" from other towns, counties and states lining the streets with their military gear and weapons was NOT a statement about the right to bear arms.

Instead, it was an attempt at intimidation of the worst kind. These folks were not defending their homes or hunting for food or target shooting on a range, they were showing force. They wanted anyone and everyone to know that disagreeing with them could get you seriously injured. They signaled that they were ready to use deadly force on other human beings from a distance.

Every law abiding hunter and marks person should be declaring their distance from these folks. All NRA members should be on the phone or internet demanding a rejection from the association of this display of firearms. A quick look on the NRA blog showed no such condemnation.

Why I love the alt righters

In short, I love the alt righters because God wants me to. I also love the protesters of the alt righters for the same reason. Jesus was nailed to a cross because of jealousy and greed and hate. Proud Roman conquerors drove the nails through his flesh and blood. Yet his first words after recovering from the procedure were "Father, forgive them for they don't know what they are doing."

You and I witnessed such ignorance this weekend. Driven by pride and hate folks gathered in Charlottesville to display their power and remind the country who has it. Their display threw hatred at their enemies, which was caught like a plague. Protesters on both sides heaved their frustration and selfishness back and forth at each other, until the real end of hate was revealed by a Hitler lovin' driver who mowed people down with his automobile.

The same pride and ignorance that looked at Jesus and said, "This Jew doesn't matter, just another scum to die," surged through the man who picked up the newspaper machine and heaved it at another human being. Yet Jesus forgave these men in their sins and submitted to their cruelty, because He genuinely loved them.

I have to do the same and I have to do it as quickly and totally as Jesus did. Because you and I saw how contagious hate is. We have witnessed how pride leads to more pride that blinds us. To allow any sort of hate in me towards the alt right is dangerous for me and those around me.

We find another truth in Jesus' death as well. His consuming love for all, even those torturing him to death has power as well. We saw modern examples of this love in well known followers of Jesus, such as Mother Teresa and Martin Luther King. For the only force that can defeat hate is love.