Today’s reading from Exodus 20:1-5a talks the Commandments. In spite of being a Christian nation, we have a fickle relationship with our faith regarding the First Commandment. Our strong devotion to guns seems to conflict with not worshiping anything other than God. The gun is the true American idol. We have more guns per capita than any other developed nation as well as more gun deaths. It surpasses our commitment to our children (Sandy Hook Elementary). It surpasses our commitment to our brothers and sisters (Charleston and Orlando). The two main sources of this devotion are American history and the Constitution. The real reason behind the Second Amendment was to preserve slavery in the South. They feared the slaves would revolt and needed guns to quell the violence. A well-armed militia was no longer necessary to repel foreign invaders since a federal army had been created. It was needed to keep the blacks in check in the South. This is the reason for the patchwork of state guns laws. Each state establishes their own laws on gun control. Today, hate crimes against gays, lesbians, and transgenders rank as number one in the country followed by Jews. As Christians, we should live by the First Commandment, not the Second Amendment.
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