More Than A Gun

Posted on by beautybeyondbones

My heart is shattered today at the news of the pure evil demonstrated last night in Las Vegas.

My prayers and deepest sympathies are with our hurting nation right now, and especially the victims and their loved ones.

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I’ve been hard pressed to peel myself away from the news to write this post.

The level of atrocity and horror that is belching across our television airwaves today is enough to make you want to build a bunker and not come out until the second coming.

There was one thing I was not expecting today though: and that’s what I found when I scanned social media today.

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Honestly, I have been so sickened at the response by much of the public – and much of my Facebook newsfeed.

Instead of calls for prayer and compassion for the victims of the shooting, there is outcry for gun control reform.

Instead of numbers and addresses for blood banks to donate the vital lifeline so desperately needed in Vegas right now, there are email addresses and phone numbers to “flood” our congressmen and women about gun control.

Instead of comforting bible verses or religious images, there are political cartoons, using the pain and tragedy of others to parody and promote their stance on gun violence.

Instead of sorrow, and compassion, and empathy, there’s rage and outcry and defiance.

And it is disgusting.

Now is the time when we need to be uniting, offering compassion, seeking peace and offering prayer and support.

The behavior on display today by much of the public is nothing short of a disgrace.

Almost as bad as our athletes kneeling during the national anthem.


I wonder what those athletes, protesting police brutality, would have to say to the plain clothes, off-duty police officers who stuck around and risked their lives at the concert, directing people to safety, shielding people with their bodies, and willing putting themselves in harm’s way, all for the protection of strangers.

I wonder what they would have to say to those first responders who – in ten minutes – blasted down the hotel door of a known gunman with automatic rifles and went in, coming face to face with almost a certain death, to save others.

I don’t want to get into anything political. Not today. Not ever, really. So I’m going to just let you come to your own conclusions on that.

But in response to the uproar of gun control opportunists, selfishly using this tragedy for their own political agenda, I have just two things to say.

First: shame on you. Have you no heart? Really.

Secondly:

Guns are not the problem.

There, I said it.

It’s not the guns: It’s the person pulling the trigger.

It’s mental illness.

As a survivor of anorexia – a mental illness – I will be the first to tell you, that mental illness is the absolute culprit behind the destruction. – Be it inflicted on others, or in my case, on oneself.

It doesn’t matter if the weapon is a gun, a box cutter, rented trucks, homemade bombs, anthrax, or food– the weapon does not commit the crime: the person does.

Just ask 78 pound, anorexic me. I was using food – or rather, the lack there of — as my weapon to destroy my own life.

It was the mental illness. And I had to go to inpatient treatment to literally kick the demons out of my life.

A man who would calculatedly open fire on a helpless, innocent crowd of people from a perfectly located hotel room, 32 floors up and two football fields away is mentally ill.

And as a result, there are thousands of people who are left in the carnage, both physically and mentally.

And I agree: rapid fire, automatic weapons – like machine guns – should never be in the hands of anyone, other than the members of our armed forces and law enforcement officers.

But it is a pretty naive view to think that gun laws will keep guns out of the hands of bad guys.

It’s a tough issue. And what about other weapons? What do we do about mentally unstable or brainwashed people seeking to acquire fertilizer or other ingredients to make homemade bombs, or renting a truck to drive through a crowd? What are we to do then?

What price are we willing to pay in loss of freedom and privacy to reduce threats at the hands of mentally unfit people?

How far do we go as a society? It is a messy and complicated issue.

But right now, in the wake of this ghastly episode, our focus should be on one another. On the hurting. On the healing. On the hope.

Not on furthering one’s political agenda.

I was going to close in my own prayer for this nation, but I was so moved by President Trump’s remarks today, that I’m going to let his words take us out tonight.

And regardless of your opinion on our brazen leader, I invite you to read his sincere words with an open heart.


“In times such as these, I knew we are searching for some kind of meaning in the chaos, some kind of light in the darkness. The answers do not come easy. But we can take solace knowing that even the darkest space can be brightened by a single light and even the most terrible despair can be illuminated by a single ray of hope.

Melania and I are praying for every American who has been hurt, wounded or lost the ones they loved so dearly in this terrible, terrible attack. We pray for the entire nation to find unity and peace, and we pray for the day when evil is banished and the innocent are safe from hatred and from fear.

May God bless the souls of the lives that are lost, may God give us the grace of healing, and may God provide the grieving families with strength to carry on. Thank you. God bless America.”

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beautybeyondbones

BBB: Because we're all recovering from something. // For speaking/business inquiries: beautybeyondbones@yahoo.com

498 thoughts on “More Than A Gun”

  4. I absolutely love this post! I am so glad that you liked one of my posts so that I had an opportunity to read some of yours! This is not an easy thing to write, not in these current times. Thats why I started my blog is to be able to share the Word of God with our generation! I am so glad to see someone else doing that as well!

    Liked by 1 person

  8. Hi BBB,

    I agree. It is the heart that God is looking at and where our issues come from. Keep on speaking the truth in love right down to the end.

    In Christ,

    Gary

    On Mon, Oct 2, 2017 at 3:59 PM BeautyBeyondBones wrote:

    > beautybeyondbones posted: “My heart is shattered today at the news of the > pure evil demonstrated last night in Las Vegas. My prayers and deepest > sympathies are with our hurting nation right now, and especially the > victims and their loved ones. I’ve been hard pressed to peel mys” >

    Like

  9. There are deeper problems, yes. The Christian faith has taken a massive hit over the years. People sadly don’t think they need God anymore, the younger generation now looks to music icons like Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, etc. for inspiration, and they are as lost as them it not more so.

    You mention a second coming, that is the only solution I can see for this world.

    All you have to do is look into nature; mother earth is not happy. If Yellowstone goes, nuclear winter. Something significant needs to happen to awaken this world out of the dream world most of them is living in.

    Keep doing what you’re doing. Inspiring and spreading the love.

    Like

  11. Thanks for your comment. I spent four years, three months and 17 days in the U. S. Marines. That speech was written by someone else for Donald to read. The man only cares for himself, unfortunately. The ones that took a knee would get a better audience if they spent their money making life a little better for those in their old communities. I’m 74 years old and still waiting for my first real, break…still waiting, though. I think, somewhere, somehow, there will be a ray of sunshine. Keeping the faith. Thanks, again.

    Liked by 1 person

  12. A really great post, thank you for speaking the truth about guns. It’s always the dolt holding the weapon. Not the weapon. I used to follow you with my old site McLawson.com. It has left this world but I’m still here! 😜

    Like

  13. You are too young to have experienced enough to be completely objective and informed in your judgments. First of all, everyone needs to set aside judgments. If there is one thing I am certain of in this life it is that there are no absolutes, no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ side if either of them is speaking for human uplifting. As far as the man in the white house, he will never be about anything other than his own persoanl agenda. He is using special interest groups to further his personal agenda of fame. That is all. I sense your sincerity but you really don’t know enough to make an educated choice. When your child is awakened in the middle of the night, forced out of bed and held at gunpoint, execution style, for some electronics and drugs that are not even in the household by a gang of cracked up thugs you might feel differently about gun control laws. No, if they had had a gun it would not have made a difference. They would have been stolen as well or worse yet, shot and killed with their own weapons. The issue is larger than one event. Personally I deleted my Facebook account because people talk too much all the way around. Talk, argue, placate, berate, belittle and cajole. Pray for Vegas? Pray for this world so riddled with apathy and derision.

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  14. Here here. Excellent sentiments. I feel the same way, although I am staunch weapon advocate, there is a time and a place. I agree whole heartedly that in the aftermath of this horrific event, I find it deplorable as well the lack of empathy of the social media. I am on FB as well. God bless you sister and. . .keep writing.

    Jim L

    Like

  15. I read this post the other day and have been chewing on it in my head before commenting. While I don’t share your views, you certainly have every right to express them and I think you’ve done so very well. You have also been very kind in your responses to comments.
    It concerns me when violence happens and people’s minds turn quickly to mental illness. It is an unfortunate myth that people with mental illness are more likely to be violent, and this sounds more like the cold, calculated actions of a psychopath than the frantic desperation of someone trapped in their illness.
    As for compassion and healing, I only hope that concrete steps aimed at prevention can be an important part of this. Any barriers that can be placed between a violent person and the kind of weapon whose only purpose is to kill as many people as quickly as possible are the least we can do for those who have suffered so terribly.

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    1. Thanks so much for this thought response. I really appreciate hearing your perspectives thoughts. Yes I will join you in that – those massively destructive weapons have no business being in civilians’ hands. Thanks for your kind words and for joining the dialogue. Hugs and love xox

      Like

  17. Since the U.S. abandoned the mentally ill, back in 1981, prisons have filled that role, inadequately. Today, a mentally ill person’s first government contact is the police; their first mental health facility, jail. Homeless, veterans, and prisoners bear the brunt of this tragedy.

    Like

  20. Thank you for liking my new post. So very thankful it led me to your posts. Look forward to getting to know you better through your writing.
    I totally agree with you on this gun thing. I’m glad you included the other inanimate objects that cannot kill without human assistance.

    Like

  21. I hear you. However my first suggestion is when this stuff happens? Stay off social media. It doesn’t help. My other suggestion coming from a country that doesn’t have guns as you you them? Yes, you are right that guns don’t kill people people kill people. It’s just that not enough is being done to solve the mental health problem and limiting guns limits the ability to maim, kill and injure so many in such a short period of time. At least your mental illness in whatever form you used only hurt yourself and your immediate family. I hope you are now on your way to recovery and America can do the same. There is no quick fix, but good words always help more than hurt. Cheers,H

    Like

  23. Lovely, heartwarming and thoughtful post.
    You nailed it with gun control.
    The trouble with Colin K., and so many others is that they are misinformed. That includes many involved with BLM, antiFa, etc.
    I was like that when in my late teens and my twenties. If what I heard sounded good I would protest, without really knowing the true facts. I guess that’s what the Bible means by “will tickle your ears”.
    May God bless you in all your endeavors.

    Like

  24. Thanks for liking my post. I was interested in your strong feelings and the way you expressed them.

    I think you make quite a jump though – people you say are using the incident to promote gun control might just feel anger and despair at the deaths and want to promote what they see as a solution!

    Over here in England there is gun control. You can do your own research online about the percentage of deaths by shooting. But this BBC report compares the UK with the USA. It’s just not so easy to do these crazy things without a gun!!

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-34996604

    Like

  26. So glad that you won your battles.
    I hope you are helping others win their battles
    The world is in need of the saviour who saved you
    Just as they are in need of the saviour who saved me
    I pray for the grace to represent Him properly
    that men may see, not dead works or rotten fruit
    but that men may experience the risen Christ in Jesus name, amen

    Like

  27. Wonderfully articulated! I think we may be cut from the same cloth! 🙂 As for the NFL players “kneeling” or “taking a knee”, I’m choosing to call it what I believe it is: “Refusing to stand during our national anthem.” There are better targets for protests than our national anthem. It seems you and I would agree on that. 🙂 As for the shooters having mental health problems, I would have agreed until about a month ago when I was persuaded by Fareed Zakaria to view it as purely evil and not a mental health issue. If the stats he quoted about mental health are correct, then evil is the only choice left. BTW, while I like Fareed I rarely see him because I don’t choose to watch his “fake news” channel. I only saw him this time because I was in a hotel in Berlin, Germany and had no other news options. 😦 Excellent post! Keep up the great work! 🙂

    Like

  28. Excellent. Thank you. You are right. It is not the guns that are a problem – it’s the evil in human hearts who belong to only one god – themselves – and don’t believe they need to answer the cause of righteousness with the Creator of the universe.

    Like

    1. thank you so much Heather! aww, i’m so happy to hear that! thank you for the follow! sending big hugs to you friend xo

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