It is one week after the horrendous shooting in Aurora, Colorado. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know a twenty-four year old man unloaded on innocent movie-goers during the premier of Batman: The Dark Knight Rises. He shot and killed twelve and injured 59.
The last thing I want is to appear insensitive to those most deeply affected by this tragedy. I cannot imagine the pain and grief, and this post is not meant to imply that anyone should fast forward through that grieving process.
In the wake of tragedy the most raw human emotions and thoughts push to the surface. We also questions life and all we typically take for granted. This “Batman shooting” is no different, and here are 3 things it reveals:
1) There is real evil in the world – after something like Aurora, it seems ridiculously obvious to state this, but the most “sophisticated” voices in culture today do not share this belief. To make a moral judgment is to claim some kind of “universal truth” and this does not exist.
People say “What’s wrong for me might not be wrong for him” – yet no one thinks this way when faced with events like Aurora. There is no debate, this act of violence was evil, and deep down we all know it.
2) There is real meaning in the world – the most “scientific” view of the world is that there is no real, true meaning. Since we are here because of unexplainable, random science, human beings do not have true meaning. Our only option is to construct our own meaning, whatever that may be.
At the end of the day (or, at the end of the universe), it really doesn’t matter what you do because we all share the same destiny – complete nothingness. Whether a rapist, a kindergarten teacher, a serial killer, or a doctor, we are all eventually going to die and drift into utter non-existence.
People say “everything happens for a reason” or “there are no coincidences,” but an atheistic view of life leaves no room for intention or purpose behind WHY we are here, and therefore no real meaning exists. But after an event like this, how can anyone truly argue that there is no inherent meaning to life?
3) There is real judgment for the world – it is a popular perspective these days to embrace a spirituality of complete love and acceptance for all. No judgment, just “love.” This is a very appealing idea, unless of course you have experienced injustice.
Tell a father whose son was kidnapped and forced to be a child soldier to “accept” the situation and those who brainwashed his son. Look into the eyes of a mother whose little girl was stolen and sold into sex slavery and tell her that it’s just about “love.”
The Bible affirms that there is real good and real evil in this life, and that people’s lives are loaded with meaning. Christianity also casts a future vision of all injustice being served, all wrongs being made right.
Further, Christianity offers the hope that our deep instinct is true, that there really is life after death, and it will not be conflicted with good and evil. The battle will be over, and peace and goodness will fully reign.
*If you were directly affected by this evil act, please know our prayers are with you. We cannot imagine your loss, and we are so sorry.
*If you would like to contribute toward helping the families directly affected, check out HopeMob.org
