A little over two weeks ago, our nation was horrified by
another mass shooting - this time in Las Vegas, Nevada. According to news
reports, it was the deadliest in our nation’s history. To date, the authorities
have not been able to determine the shooter’s motive. At the risk of this being
considered “old news,” I have waited post about the Las Vegas incident out of
respect for the dead, the wounded, and their families.
There has been a lot of speculation and theorizing about
the shooter’s motive. Commentators have wondered about the shooters mental
state. They have mentioned his father’s
criminal behavior. Some have wondered about his relationship with his girlfriend,
or about his compulsive gambling. There was some speculation that he may have
been influenced by terrorist propaganda.
The wisdom of the world tells us that people in modern,
urban, industrialized, mass societies tend to develop a loss of connection
between themselves and society. They feel alone in the world, and lose their
sense of kinship with other people, (Erickson). Humanist psychologists think that
people are basically good, and that when they do things that are wrong it is
not normal (Rogers). Behavioral psychologists say that all behavior is learned
(Thorndike, Skinner). They think that people begin life as a blank slate,
capable of both good and evil. A Behaviorist might say that the shooter was improperly
socialized, or that he became maladapted to society due to some trauma in his
life. Certainly, Freudians are correct when they postulate that behavior
usually has more than one cause.
There is a lot of wisdom to be found in worldly
explanations. We have come a long way in our understanding of why people do
what they do. However, I would like to provide another explanation for your
consideration; the one that is found in God’s word.
The Holy Bible tells us that humankind has a heart
problem (Heb. 4:18). In our hearts, in our
innermost being, there boils a cauldron of evil (Gen. 6:5, Rom. 1:21-31).
The Bible teaches us that Satan is going about the earth
like a roaring lion seeking those he may devour (1Pet. 5:8). Jesus said that the Devil was a liar and a
murderer from the beginning, and that those who follow his ways are like him
(John 8:39-47).
The Bible says that in the days of Noah people became
exceedingly violent, and that God was grieved because he had created them (Gen.
6:5,6,&11). Jesus said that at the time of His return, things would be like they
were in the days of Noah (Matt. 24:37).
Our society feeds off violent sports and entertainment, and we give our
children violent video games to play with. People are killed every day, all
around the world, because they disagree with Islam. Therefore, we should not be surprised, or
wonder why, when horrible things happen like the massacre in Las Vegas.
