Column printed in the News-Tribune; September 9, 2017
About a year ago, several outbreaks of violence occurred one right after the other. On July 5, 2016, Alton Sterling was shot several times at close range while being held on the ground by two Baton Rouge police officers. The incident was recorded on a bystander’s cell phone. Twenty-four hours later, Philando Castile was shot and killed by officer Jeronimo Yanez in a Saint Paul suburb after being pulled over. On the final day of the trinity of terror, Micah Johnson ambushed and fired upon a group of police officers in Dallas, killing five and injuring nine other officers and two civilians. Johnson later said he was angered by the recent police shootings.
Dallas pastor and best-selling author, Tony Evans, posted words on his blog the next day that were reprinted with permission by The Washington Post and several other papers. His thoughts have been seared on my mind since. “Unless the Church steps forward collectively to fulfill its God-given role of influencing the conscience of our culture, our country will keep spiraling downward into the depths of fear and hate.”
Inevitably the hopelessness gives way to violence
There is an intriguing verse of Scripture in the Old Testament book of 2 Chronicles. The nation of Israel, God’s people, had wandered from their faith. Their religious leaders failed to teach people sound doctrine, watering down the truth so as not to offend anyone. Their government authorities no longer held the Law as the standard for behavior. “In those days it was not safe to travel about, for all the inhabitants of the lands were in great turmoil. One nation was being crushed by another and one city by another because God was troubling them with every kind of distress” (2 Chronicles 15:5-6 NIV). The passage concludes that if you forsake God, He will forsake you.
Have we become a troubled, distressed society?
I recently posed that question to four public servants, two police officers, a volunteer fireman and an EMS supervisor, all who are men of faith. Their answers were thoughtful and telling. “I believe that as our society has moved further away from its spiritual values, we have seen a rise in hatred, anger and hopelessness.” Lieutenant Phil Russell, of the Louisville Metro Police Department, continues, “Inevitably that anger and hopelessness give way to violent reactions.”
Zach Raymer recently retired after serving for ten years as a volunteer fireman. “I am not sure if we have become an angry society, but we have become a very selfish society. If someone disagrees with another person about religion, politics, race or even sports, it is not only that you are wrong, but you are now the villain.”
Have we become a troubled, distressed society?
Major James Polk, Operations Officer for Louisville Metro EMS, adds, “Many people today can’t handle opposing views. They haven’t learned a thing about conflict resolution. There are no groups without the potential for violence. We see it from young to old, across all ethnicities and all economic classes.”
Suburban Cincinnati police officer, Lieutenant David LeCompte, agrees. “We are a nation founded on a set of spiritual beliefs. The fact that many of those beliefs have not fully matured in people have given many a reason to doubt the very foundation of the entire set of beliefs. Problems that could and should have been solved by those beliefs have now become divisive.”
Major Polk sees the divisiveness and violence up close and personal. “It is definitely more dangerous out there on the streets these days. There is rarely a day that goes by without one of my crews having a physical altercation. Spitting, hitting or biting have become too common.”
Does being a man of faith enter into the service that you offer? A smile creases the lips of Major Polk. “I think so, but even this answer proves that I don’t involve Him as I should. I think of Him while on the job and ask for His guidance.” Zach Raymer agrees, “It is huge for me. I will never claim to be the world’s greatest Christian, but before every shift I would pray, asking God to look after me and my crew. I would also pray for the people who might need us that day.” Major Polk agrees, “I often find myself praying for the patients and their families.”
Faith helps our compassion and understanding
All four men affirmed that faith affects how they see the people they serve. Lieutenant Russell says without a doubt his faith “has helped me be more compassionate and understanding.” Lieutenant LeCompte adds, “Compassion and understanding and yes, even common sense. My faith demands that I evaluate the morality of every decision I make in the line of duty. The line becomes fine in these evaluations, because many are made in a split second, with the safety of persons, property and processes at stake.”
Does being a person of faith enter into your opinion of the violence in society?
Pointing accusing fingers at one another does absolutely no good. Relying on a government that continually debates further removing God from public life to fix the problem is absurd. Closing our eyes, hoping the problem will go away, is even more cowardly than those who pull the trigger.
Perhaps society’s troubles stem from people of faith wandering too far from the truth. Do you remember a song you learned when you were a small child? Maybe “this little light of mine” has been hidden under a bushel far too long.
Next week we will continue discussing with our four friends some specific ways that we can light our troubled darkness.