This past weekend's mass shooting in Orlando was a tragedy on more levels than we could ever count. We lost 53 human lives- people who loved and cared and cried and hoped and dreamed and had a future, just like the rest of us. Except now their future, at least in this world, is gone. And the people who loved those individuals who died will spend the rest of their lives mourning their loss and walking around each day with a hole in their hearts that can never be filled.
And we lost something as a human society as well: We lost our dignity. We lost our dignity, because we still live in a society where the lives of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people matter less to some than the lives of others. We lost our dignity, because the first thing that happened after this tragedy took place was that people started blaming every Muslim to ever walk the face of the earth for what happened, as if they were all psychopathic killers. We lost our dignity, because moronic politicians immediately began to use the situation for their own political gain and to further their personal agendas. And we lost our dignity, because at least one person among us praised this tragic event as the will of God. Our collective dignity and humanity have been compromised, because we have failed to acknowledge the dignity and humanity of every single person; we have failed to love and embrace everyone around us and to treat each person with equity and justice, and we have failed to see that this is the heart of the matter.
So now what? Where do we go from here? What can we say? What should we do? How must we respond?
Well, there are certainly things we must abandon if we are to go forward:
-Homophobia
-Islamophobia
-Xenophobia in all its hideous forms.
-Apathy towards the struggles of others.
-Categorizing human beings as "us" and "them."
-Politicizing everything all the time.
-Failing to love and respect one another, acknowledging that each person has worth as an individual human being and as a child of God.
Instead, if we are to heal and move toward wholeness, we must:
-Let go of our desire for vengeance. (Leviticus 19:18)
-Love everyone around us as much as, if not more than, we love ourselves.
(Leviticus 19:18, Matthew 22:39)
-Struggle against evil in the world and never praise evil deeds. (Proverbs 28:4)
-Seek justice for everyone, everywhere. (Amos 5:23-25)
-Treat those who are different from us with the dignity and respect all people deserve.
(Leviticus 19:34, Deuteronomy 1:16)
-Offer forgiveness instead of judgment. (Luke 6:37)
-Have faith, have hope, and most of all, have love. (1 Corinthians 13:13)
I'm not saying this is going to be easy- it never has been. I'm not even saying this is what we, in our brokenness, sorrow, and anger, really want to do. But it is necessary. It is necessary, because to do otherwise would be to continue to compromise the dignity and worth of all human beings, including ourselves. That is what caused this tragedy in the first place, and that is one thing we can no longer afford.
Our way forward may not be clear, but if we live in love for one another, if we pursue justice and equality, and if we acknowledge the worth of every human life, then perhaps there is is a chance- a chance that one day the life of every person will carry the value of all others, regardless of their national origin, ethnic background, gender identity, or sexual orientation. And perhaps then such tragedy will not be able to repeat itself.
And we lost something as a human society as well: We lost our dignity. We lost our dignity, because we still live in a society where the lives of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people matter less to some than the lives of others. We lost our dignity, because the first thing that happened after this tragedy took place was that people started blaming every Muslim to ever walk the face of the earth for what happened, as if they were all psychopathic killers. We lost our dignity, because moronic politicians immediately began to use the situation for their own political gain and to further their personal agendas. And we lost our dignity, because at least one person among us praised this tragic event as the will of God. Our collective dignity and humanity have been compromised, because we have failed to acknowledge the dignity and humanity of every single person; we have failed to love and embrace everyone around us and to treat each person with equity and justice, and we have failed to see that this is the heart of the matter.
So now what? Where do we go from here? What can we say? What should we do? How must we respond?
Well, there are certainly things we must abandon if we are to go forward:
-Homophobia
-Islamophobia
-Xenophobia in all its hideous forms.
-Apathy towards the struggles of others.
-Categorizing human beings as "us" and "them."
-Politicizing everything all the time.
-Failing to love and respect one another, acknowledging that each person has worth as an individual human being and as a child of God.
Instead, if we are to heal and move toward wholeness, we must:
-Let go of our desire for vengeance. (Leviticus 19:18)
-Love everyone around us as much as, if not more than, we love ourselves.
(Leviticus 19:18, Matthew 22:39)
-Struggle against evil in the world and never praise evil deeds. (Proverbs 28:4)
-Seek justice for everyone, everywhere. (Amos 5:23-25)
-Treat those who are different from us with the dignity and respect all people deserve.
(Leviticus 19:34, Deuteronomy 1:16)
-Offer forgiveness instead of judgment. (Luke 6:37)
-Have faith, have hope, and most of all, have love. (1 Corinthians 13:13)
I'm not saying this is going to be easy- it never has been. I'm not even saying this is what we, in our brokenness, sorrow, and anger, really want to do. But it is necessary. It is necessary, because to do otherwise would be to continue to compromise the dignity and worth of all human beings, including ourselves. That is what caused this tragedy in the first place, and that is one thing we can no longer afford.
Our way forward may not be clear, but if we live in love for one another, if we pursue justice and equality, and if we acknowledge the worth of every human life, then perhaps there is is a chance- a chance that one day the life of every person will carry the value of all others, regardless of their national origin, ethnic background, gender identity, or sexual orientation. And perhaps then such tragedy will not be able to repeat itself.