Another Sunday, another lunatic shooting up a church.

OK, it's not that common an occurrence... but nevertheless awful for those affected, particularly the family of the man who died.

I can't help but think that the derogation of religion by influential people in the realms of media and entertainment has contributed to this. You never used to see this sort of thing happening, but given the disdain and disparagement shown towards those of a religious bent (Christians, specifically — mysticism and Eastern religions are "cool," and few dare to speak ill of Islam) it is unsurprising to me that a few folks with loose screws might be convinced that a church is the appropriate target for their hatred.

7/28 update: it looks like his motives were either that he hated Christians or that he hated liberals. There's stronger evidence — a letter he wrote — for the latter.

However, I am not at all sure, contra Professor Reynolds, how that "makes more sense."

Not to knock those in the midst of their tragedy, but I have a question: in what meaningful sense is this place a church?

If, when I was a kid, our church youth had put on a production of "Annie" on a Sunday morning, my parents would both have had strokes on the spot — and we would have been looking for a new church before the paramedics arrived.

I guess Bible stories in Sunday School are pretty passé these days, at least among Universalist Unitarians, when Broadway show tunes are available to study.

Posted by Russ at 04:02 PM, July 27, 2008 in News