ARMED

Put yourself in his position.

The kid was always odd.
Mom got knocked up but
some guy married her to
keep her off welfare or worse.

He grew up. Spoke loudly
at worship when he should’ve
kept quiet, now they thought
he was more disturbed that ever.

Roamed around with a bunch of
homeless dudes, got kicked out
of his hometown, they booed him.
“Crazy,” they whispered. Harsh.

He gets in big trouble and
hides out in the woods, but
one of his gang gives him up to
the authorities. He is cornered.

If Jesus had had a gun in Gethsamane,
would he have taken aim at the guards?
Nowadays, it would barely make the crawl:
“Middle Eastern man, 33, guns down cops.”

Jesus would never own a gun; he shunned
violence. He preached unconditional love,
and that’s not shown with assault rifles.

Even when betrayed with a kiss.

Even when tortured by Roman soldiers.

Even when people screamed at him
on the long, laden perp walk to Golgotha.

Even bloodied, he forgave those who
drove nails into his body.

Even as he was raised up on the cross
and set up for display like a sick statue.

Suspend belief in the resurrection
for a moment. He had no idea what
was coming next, and still, he chose death
willingly, for the sake of others.

What if Jesus had an assault rifle or
a high-powered Palin moose killer?
If you’re Christian, ask yourself:
Whose message do you put more faith in?

The words of Christ… or the lobbyists of the NRA?

© 2013 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil

For ABC Wednesday, we are back to Square One: A! I imagine this will ruffle some feathers, but remember, the crux of this not “either/or,” but rather, priorities. One can be a Christian and hunt, go to the shooting range. It’s a personal choice whether you feel safer with a pistol in the house, but if it’s stored and the ammo locked up, as it should be, that’s not a lot of help when, as Rush Limbaugh so eloquently put it today, “Obama’s thugs come to your door to seize your guns.” Ted Nugent would call me nuts, but I don’t think hunting requires Kalishnikovs. People are so fearful (some of that biracial man in the White House), they are stocking up on ammo!

FYI: Despite Rush’s ranting about the Commander In Chief (calling the president Socialist, Muslim, Nazi, racist, a traitor, and TAR BABY… let’s all throw up now), RUSH is the only radio talk show on the Armed Forces Network. This treason goes directly to the troops. Your tax dollars at work, and mine.)

It’s all about choices. And politics. And remembering who, and whose, you are. As for me and mine, I’m with Jesus; Gandhi; Martin Luther King, Jr.; the Buddah…  you get the idea.  Peace, Amy


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