God and Guns

That picture to the left is from the website defeatobama2012.org.  Go figure.

I have now read (and responded to) more than one post on Facebook suggesting that guns were not the reason for the murders at an elementary school in Connecticut, but rather that it was caused by insufficient religion in the United States and in our schools.

Well, bullshit.  That's just stupid, stupid, stupid.  Three "stupids" may not even cover it.

First, it's offensive.  This is Christians once again assuming that because they believe in God, they are morally superior.  This is simply not true.  Studies have consistently shown that religious people are just as likely to commit crimes as atheists.  The assumption that people who don't believe cannot have their own moral code is ignorant and offensive.  In fact, if the reason you try to lead a good life is because you think that God wants you to, or worse, because he is watching and has a naughty-and-nice list like Santa, then something is rotten at the core of your being.  If decency isn't internal to you, with or without God, then you are worthless.

Jonestown.  Al Qaeda.  The Taliban.  September 11, 2001.  The Inquisition.  The Crusades.  Shiite versus Sunni.  Abortion clinic murders.  The KKK.  Westboro Baptist Church.  I don't know how much hatred in the world is caused by atheism, or how many murders, but I do know that religion has caused millions of deaths and much of the world's violence.  You believe in magical things without evidence because it makes you feel good to do so.  Fine.  That does not make you morally superior.

Second, guns are the problem.  No, they are not the only issue.  But mass murders are committed by people who have mental problems, and making guns available that can kill 50 people at a time is just crazy.  No one needs high-volume cartridges or automatic weapons to defend their homes, hunt, or use on a farm.  These weapons are used for recreation, and to commit mass murders.  It's time to take them away.

Third, if you are a person that posted a comment in response to the shootings in Newtown indicating that guns are not the problem, you already have the blood of those children on your hands.  Yes, that's a nasty thing to say, but screw it, I'm tired of you.  We have been through this before.  Remember Columbine?  I do.  Why didn't we do more to put reasonable limits on gun ownership after that tragedy?  Why have we in fact been moving further and further toward putting as many weapons in the hands of as many people in as many places as we can since then?  Because of people like you -- people who made it possible for the gun lobby and the lunatic politicians who support them to push for more and more guns everywhere.

You need to quit.  People are dying.  Stop being stupid.