“Blessed are the Peace Makers, for they shall be called children of God.”

So imagine coming home from work and hearing your kid has just been shot down at his or her local elementary school just before Christmas by a twenty year old man.  What a Christmas gift!  It's the kind of gift that keeps on giving year after year at Christmas time when our world should be focused on the birth of our savior Jesus.  For my friends around the world, yesterday December 13, 2012 Adam Lanza killed his mother at their home before driving her car to Sandy Hook Elementary School and -- armed with at least two handguns -- carried out a massacre that left 20 children dead, officials said. A third weapon, a .223-caliber rifle, was found in the car, and more guns were recovered during the investigation. 

Why is America's younger generations filled with such rage and violence?  Could it be the increased violence in video games?  The killing and violence seen on TV, YouTube, and other social media outlets?  Is this how our culture has taught our kids to resolve their problems?  The thing that bothers me here is, other kids standing by laughing as a victim is bullied, beaten or shot.  Or how about this, our various communities pretending they care but really don't until it hits their city.

The church envisioned by Jesus should reflect his values and not the military mindset embedded in American culture.  Here are some thoughts that we should reflect on:

— Are we working together as the people of God to free our nation from militarization, so evident in our society and in its economy?

— Are we seeking to understand the causes of war and violence and to work for the development of the attitudes and institutions of peace?

— As a follower of Jesus Christ are we recognizing and correcting the causes of violence within our communities, and working toward overcoming separations and restoring wholeness?

— As Christians are we committed to increase the understanding and use of nonviolent approaches for the resolution of conflicts?

Personally we need to ask ourselves....

Do I live in the power of that Life and Spirit that takes away the occasion of all wars?

How do I maintain Christian's testimony that military training and all participation in war and its preparation are inconsistent with the teaching and the spirit of Christ? Or am I teaching my family, friends, and community that the increased militarization of our culture is something to be valued? 

Do I work for the establishment of alternative ways of settling disputes? Am I aware that to build a world community requires that we all face our differences honestly, openly, and in trust?

Do I treat conflict as an opportunity for growth, and address it with careful attention? Do I seek to recognize and respect the Divine in those with whom I have a basic disagreement? Do I look for ways to reaffirm in action and attitude my love for the one with whom I am in conflict?

Most American Christians think that the 2nd amendment to our constitution is an important right to keep.  The second amendment says:  "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."  Notice that the purpose to bear arms was linked to the security of a free state not school shootings.  I hear more "Churches" standing on the side of "honoring" war than teaching non-violence.  Anyone ever read, Isaiah 2:4 "He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore."  When is the last time you heard the church teaching how to do this?

Why is it that most Western nations like Australia, New Zealand, Europe haven't had these problems?  Why is it that their nations are free from "personal" gun collections like automatic weapons and are just as free as we are as Americans?  Violence among pupils, attacks on teachers or staff members, insolence, theft, and damage or destruction to school premises: school violence is one of the most visible forms of violence towards children. However, public awareness and intolerance of school violence has greatly increased over the last ten years, and most European governments have added school violence to their political agendas. After the integrated project ‘'Responses to violence in everyday life in a democratic society'' (2002-2004), in 2005 the council of Europe launched an action program, ‘'Children and violence'' whose main objective is to help with the identification and implementation of consistent prevention policies. Do we do this n our country? No we continue to support loose gun laws in the name of freedom and we witness shootings like Sandy Hook.

"A range of factors have been shown to be related to school violence, including among others drug use, having learning difficulties, family problems, poor impulse control, as well as feeling rejected at school." 

Drug use, learning difficulties, family problems and poor impulse control are among the recognised factors associated with school violence. Feelings of rejection at school and poor relationships with teachers have also been shown to enhance the risk of violence within schools. 

"In addressing school violence, interventions generally aim to prevent the occurrence of violence and the carriage of weapons, as well as efficient responses to weapons-based violence when it occurs. 
  
"Ideally, this leads to safe school communities and behavioural change in those who perpetrate violence or pose a threat to the school community." 

Should the Body of Christ be involved and active in our communities to address these issues... I would think so. However, we tend to insulate ourselves into our church buildings, curse our national leaders and blame others and excuse ourselves from any responsibility to call our nation to a place of non-violence.