Christianity and the Secular Point of View of Gun Violence Essay

Christianity and the Secular Point of View of Gun Violence - Essay Example A political debate has also been sparked by these mass shootings over gun violence and gun control. In this perspective, the church has adopted a secular view with regard to these shootings. Drawing on the variety of literature, the paper will discuss Christianity and the secular point of view of gun violence/school shootings. Discussion The American Secret Service defines school shootings as the deliberate selection of a school as the location of the attack. The number of mass shootings and gun violence in the U.S is as rampant as the number of people living in America. According to figures from the US Department of Justice and Council on Foreign Affairs, there have been 60,000 people affected by gun violence and mass shootings in 2015 alone. As a result of the magnitude and effects of gun violence and mass shootings, the Church has adopted a secular view to the issue. Conversations about mass shootings often devolve around emotions. In the recent times, the Christians are agitating for their right to bear and own firearms. There is still debate on the effectiveness of guns used in personal defense. A survey carried out by the U.S Department of Justice placed the rate of using guns for personal defense at 1.6 million. However, this is twice the crime rates. The Christians share the view that the Bible was authored long before the gun was invented. It, however, mentions the use weapons in battles and wars. War is portrayed as something that is part of a fallen world (Mark 13:7; James 4:1).