December 24, 2007 04:19 AM UTC

Rich Tosches, Meet God.

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• by: kate

Perusing The Independent this weekend, I came across a column by Rich Tosches: Who fired that gun?

Interesting, to say the least.

Here is my response –

Dear Editor,

I am writing in response to Rich Tosches’s column about the well-armed security guard, Jeanne Assam, at New Life Church. Ms. Assam “prayed for the Holy Spirit to guide” her and so, apparently, God came through and she shot Matthew Murray on December 9th, saving untold numbers of lives.

Mr. Tosches wondered, “When did it become OK to say God helped you gun someone down?”

With all due respect, Mr. Tosches, you must not have been paying attention during Catechism. Or World History class.

Ms. Assam’s version of God may not seem like the familiar and reassuring deity you pray to each night, but He’s the same nonetheless.

As a self-professed “old kind of” Christian, you belong to a religion whose very foundation is built upon violence supposedly brought forth from God against those who would destroy Christianity. Centuries ago, soldiers believed their hands were guided by the Holy Spirit as well. Those very hands gripped swords that beheaded Muslims, Jews, and other heretics. In this country alone, women were burned at the stake, slavery was endured, and scientists demonized – all in the name of the Christian God.

Don’t get me wrong, Christians have come a long way, baby. But this idea that Christianity is, at its core, a peaceful religion is not true.

Peaceful religions exist. But the three most powerful and popular religions of our time – Christianity, Judaism, and Islam – have holy books that celebrate violence. The literal translation of the sixth commandment is You Shall Not Murder. In certain instances, however, killing is not only condoned by God, it’s required. And anyone with a rudimentary understanding of the Inquisition, the Crusades, and witch burning frenzies must chuckle when you proclaim that Jesus wouldn’t aim.

Perhaps he wouldn’t, but religious folks have, for centuries, killed on his behalf. And, they have been convinced, with his help and approval.

Express outrage over such expressions of faith. Yes, cringe when people imply that God wants them to kill. Point out the inconsistencies of an “all-powerful” God who would help an armed security guard instead of protecting innocent children shot down by a lunatic.

What kind of Savior would help knock other people out, indeed? These modern day questions, I’m sure, were also shouted in horror back in the 1200s. What have we learned? Such notions sound barbaric and we should, in the 21st century, be a bit more evolved than that.

Be whatever kind of Christian you want, Mr. Tosches, but don’t ignore that these violent reactions to dangerous people, both real and imagined, lie in the foundation of your faith. It’s the oldest part of Christianity there is.

***cross-posted at Out in Left Field***