What’s with the guns?
November 4, 2005 by Laura | Trackback URI
You don’t have to know me for too long before my facination with guns is exposed. Why would a mild-mannered Christian lady have such a facination with guns? First, whether I am mild-mannered or a lady is debatable. 
Second, while I don’t recommend this hobby to everyone, shooting is just fun. As a physical skill, it’s comparable to darts or golf or horseshoes.
Third, I spend an average of 10 hours a day building or using the internet - the virtual world. Handling a dangerous firearm is about as non-virtual as you can get.
Fourth, I could give you a big song and dance about how after reading the Left Behind books I “felt led” to become proficient with firearms, but hey, give me credit for honesty at least. The truth is, I have a goal to shoot a smilie face the way Mel Gibson did in Lethal Weapon. Come on, admit it, that was cool. Don’t you wish you could do that? Another few months and I probably will be able to do it - I’m getting close. After I achieve that goal, I may quit with the guns entirely and move on to juggling knives.
Since I am new to your blog, maybe you have posted on it before, but what is your take on the “Left Behind” books? They obviously had some impact on you.
Maybe I should share my thoughts since I am asking. I think that the theology purposed there is very dangerous and not exegetically correct. The reason are too comprehensive to really go in to, but I will say that too much focus on eschatology takes away from there “here and now”. We are called to be witnesses to those around us. Yes, we are also to look to the return of Christ, but as long as we are ready, our focus should be on this world because we can’t control or know when Christ will be back. My worry (and I have seen it as well) is that many Christians become too focused on eschatology and forget about actually living as Christ has called us to.
My take is that they are a fun fiction read, and not to be taken seriously. I had not considered before that they could be considered dangerous, but you make a good point. In fact, they could be considerably more dangerous than Harry Potter in the same way that CBS is far more dangerous than The Onion.
I agree completely with you that the here and now is critical. If thinking of the future helps us to keep perspective on choices in the here and now, that’s one thing. We’re eternal beings, after all, and we need to keep it in mind. But focusing on it to the point that we forget why we’re here in the first place - to glorify God, and part of how we do that is to pursue holiness. The journey MATTERS or God would not insist we take it.
Very well said! I think I read the first 4 or 5 books then stopped (because the others hadn’t come out yet) and just never finished them. At the time I enjoyed them as a fun read not to be taken seriously but couldn’t get back into them because of all seriousness with which others had been reading them. I really like your comparison with CBS and the Onion, very funny and clever I think!
Thanks for your response!
Excellent thoughts, both of you. I had only read one or two of the “Left Behind” books and came away with similar thoughts…a fun read but not to be taken seriously.
I would basically be repeating thoughts on eschatology, so I’ll leave that unsaid.