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Guns, Games or Just a Sign of the Times?

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by righteousdude2, Dec 15, 2012.

?
  1. Gun ownership...

    1 vote(s)
    6.7%
  2. Lack of courtesy for our neighbors [the Golden Rule]...

    6 vote(s)
    40.0%
  3. Ggrowing undertone of personal anger...

    11 vote(s)
    73.3%
  4. Violent video games...

    8 vote(s)
    53.3%
  5. Violent movies, and television shows...

    8 vote(s)
    53.3%
  6. Judicial system and difficulty in getting convictions and lack of a death penalty...

    7 vote(s)
    46.7%
  7. Taking prayer and God out of the schools...

    8 vote(s)
    53.3%
  8. Preoccupation with diversity, tolerance and political correctness being taught in public schools...

    7 vote(s)
    46.7%
  9. Lack of remorse for poor decisions and bad behavior...

    10 vote(s)
    66.7%
  10. A sign of the times...

    12 vote(s)
    80.0%
Multiple votes are allowed.
  1. righteousdude2

    righteousdude2 Well-Known Member
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    I can't help but believe, while the 2nd amendment is going to be under fire [one more time in the coming weeks and months], if the incident and tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementry School was as much to blame on the increasing violence in the growing number of video games being sold to our kids?

    Video games tend to make competitive entertainment out of killing others [on the screen], and this form of amusment/recreational pastime has to be emotionally and mentally desensitizing the souls and minds of those who are caught up in playing the game's hours upon hours each day.
    The other day, we received a package from Amazon. My wife opened it and asked me why I'd order a bunch of "Angry Bird" stuffed toys? I told her I didn't, and we were able to return the package to Amazon, as we discovered it was wrongly shipped to us.

    While talking to the rep from Amazon to make arrangements to return the box, I told the women, that if I wanted to order a stuffed animal, it would be anything other than "Angry Birds!" I went on to explain to here, that in my mind, there is way too much "anger" in our world, and now the corporations that run our capitalistic society are making a profit out of being angry. She told me, that she wouldn't allow her children to have the games or toys associated with Angry Birds, after she discovered the premise of the game is to kill and destroy others to gain points.

    Maybe the political powers that be needed to include a ban on violent video games as well as guns. And, if all possible, get a hand on changing the mindset of our younger generation when it comes to the reality of what happens when real weapons are used to take out those they can no longer tolerate.

    I have to ask myself one thing...is the ownership of guns really the root of our evil doings as of late? Or could it be, that we are reaping the crops of removing God, the Ten Commandments and prayer from our schools?

    Could today's shooting and others like the one at the theater and Fort Hood, have been avoided by teaching our kids to respect the person next to them, in front of the and behind them?

    Maybe the curriculum should not be so concerned with Tolerance, Political Correctness, and Diversity Training, but rather return to teaching our children [both at home in in school] the good old "Golden Rule?" It worked for so many of us, because I know I never saw the kind of evil I've been witnessing [on a growing rate] that our society is being visited with!

    Again, I am merely thinking out loud, but I am including a brief survey and would like to know your thoughts on the above as well as what you think is wrong with America and the world. Let's try to keep this centered on faith and not politics, if we can?
     
    #1 righteousdude2, Dec 15, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 15, 2012
  2. Oldtimer

    Oldtimer New Member

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    The scriptures tell us that the love of money is the root of all evil.

    As I checked off the list of items on your survey, that was the thought that came to mind. In one way or another, the love of money, which also equals power, comes into play, as does the word entitlement.

    If you covet what your neighbor has, the Golden rule becomes nil. And, anger will grow if you can't get what you covet.

    Who gains the most from the sales of ever increasing violence based entertainment? Those who would sell their very souls to make a buck regardless of the untimate cost to themselves and others.

    Judicial system through lack of remorse choices....
    Taking God out of the picture removes the stumbling block in satan's plan of using "entitlement" to build upon growing greed for money and power. A God fearing, self-reliant, independent person doesn't doesn't live for everything he or she can take from this life. There's a huge gulf between being thankful for blessing received and "I want it and I'm entitled to get it, one way or another."

    It's OK to overlook a crime because a child grew up in poverty.
    It's OK for union thugs to use violence for more pay and benefits.
    It's OK for abortion mills to murder millions.
    It's OK for amoral sexual behavior to be the "norm" in society.
    (Don't forget the millions of dollars changing hands when sex is used to sell. Whether it's bluejeans, porn, autombiles, or you name it.)
    It's OK because I am entitled to it. Period.

    Lastly, IMO, it is a sign of the times. The Bible plainly teaches what was happening each time He brought destruction to the land. He stayed His hand until there were only a few still walking the narrow path. He almost destroyed all that He had created, when there were only 8 left. We have His promise that He WILL rain down destruction again. We just don't know when He will stop this downward spiral of mankind's love of money (and the power and entitlement that comes with it).

    It may not come about in my lifetime. However, I've seen first hand how fast the pace of this downward spiral has increased during the years I've walked on this earth.
     
  3. Monster

    Monster New Member

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    At the risk of coming across as smug (not my intention) the pollster missed the most obvious poll option. The human heart. Romans 3 speaks best for what I'm thinking, specifically verses 10-18


    I think it's easy to point at all manner of reasons or likely possibilities (guns, games, anger, etc.) that inspire the evil that human-kind commits and all or none may be an elemental culprit. The one constant however is humanity. History demonstrates sadly too, that it's humanity with and without God. I wish it were otherwise.
     
  4. Mexdeaf

    Mexdeaf New Member

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    As I said on another thread- We don't have a gun problem, we have a "lack of respect for life" problem.

    And that lack of respect for life stems from forsaking the Source of life, The Source of all that has value. Once we forsake Him, all life has lost value and meaning.

    Perhaps this tragedy will help some see that.
     
  5. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
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    Funny that you talk about Angry Birds because there is a mom at our church who refuses to let her kids play angry birds (even though it's not realistic at all and just a game) because "The angry birds should forgive the pigs and not be angry anymore." That's what she said to me in front of her kids - who were kicking each other, completely destroying something at the church so that I had to step in - right in front of their mother - and who were ignoring anything mom said. "Boys, please stop kicking each other," she said and then kept talking to me about how bad these video games like Angry Birds are as her boys continued to pummel each other, disregarding mom's instruction and mom did nothing else to stop them. It's not the angry birds - it's the lack of discipline.

    I DO think that the very violent, graphic video games have had a part in this but Angry Birds is no worse than Space Invaders we played as a kid. But the Mortal Combat kind of game? Yeah, you're killing people and seeing blood in a very graphic way. I don't think that helpful at all.

    I think a big part is mental illness being mismanaged, sin in the world and the media being able to post this information so fast compared to the past. Evil has always been around but we see it more today because of the media.

    As for guns, if the teachers were allowed to be armed, or there were armed security guards, the number would not have been 27.
     
  6. blackbird

    blackbird Active Member

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    Cain became the first mass murderer----and he was centuries ahead of the most violent video game that any man could dream up

    What is needed is not more gun control-----you take every gun away from every person(good and evil)----including the world's militaries and policemen---and what you'll see happening is a sharp increase in killings by such weapons as archery---and knives---and just plain out fists----no--we do not need gun control---we need MIND control!!! A control of SELF!!!

    My sister is a elementary school Principal----and she has a armed East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Deputy on duty at her school during business hours!!
     
  7. preachinjesus

    preachinjesus Well-Known Member
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    It should be abundantly clear that our society has a deep seated sin problem that ultimately won't go away without substantial spiritual warfare.
     
  8. righteousdude2

    righteousdude2 Well-Known Member
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    UR Not Smug....

    ...when I put up a survey I am merely throwing out ideas, and hopefully, like you did, others will add to the list. Thanks! :thumbs:
     
  9. Gina B

    Gina B Active Member

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    A sign of the times.

    A number of choices on your poll list things that are more significant to Americans, but shocking violence (that which is towards the innocent and seems to lack motivation apart from evil) is not only happening in our nation.

    http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/1...ttack-outside-chinese-school/?test=latestnews

    It irks me to constantly hear about guns being the main issue.

    Take them away, and there are many other ways to cause harm.

    Gas chambers. Lock people in a room and set the place on fire. Attack with swords. Attack with knives. Biological attacks could wipe out whole segments of the population. Home made bombs.

    There's no way around evil except good, and people just aren't good.
     
  10. Monster

    Monster New Member

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    Oops! Yeah, I meant to add that I'd choose every option you listed, if given the chance...glad you didn't take offense to my clumsy post.
     
  11. Monster

    Monster New Member

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    I'm in total agreement with this. If only it were as simple as eliminating a single "physical" non-human factor.
     
  12. go2church

    go2church Active Member
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    A sign of all the times that have been and will ever be
     
  13. abcgrad94

    abcgrad94 Active Member

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    As stated before, we have a sin problem. The answers to the given poll here are really just symptoms of the sin problem that keeps growing over the whole world.

    Even if we tried to "fix" the symptoms mentioned, by putting prayer in schools, banning violent games, etc. we will not remove the ROOT of those problems. The root is sin, and it's here to stay until Christ himself removes it.

    What we're seeing displayed in society is a sign of the times, as that sin has taken root and has been watered, fertilized, grown, and reproduced until it consumes everything in its path.
     
  14. righteousdude2

    righteousdude2 Well-Known Member
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    Oh, But You Could Have...

    ...chosen as many as you wanted to choose as it was a free for all, shotgun survey. Next time after yuou check one box, check another. If the previous box stays checked, you have hit the jackpot brother, and you can pick as many as you like. I love to use the option of more than one choice.

    And you didn't offend. I appreciated your comments and suggestion. That is what we old timers called: Brainstorming!
     
    #14 righteousdude2, Dec 16, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 16, 2012
  15. glazer1972

    glazer1972 Member

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    Man and his depravity is the main cause.
     
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