... neither shall they learn war any more. --
Outside of the U.N. Building in New York City, there is a powerful depiction of Isaiah's vision of humanity beating their swords into plowshares under a coming (at least from Isaiah's perspective) godly rule.
Ironically, this statue was given to the U.N. by the Soviet Union, a Cold War jab at the fact that the world's "Christian" nation was leading the nuclear arms race.
Russia's irony was lost on most, but it still remains one of the best timed and placed invocations of Scripture -- compare apples to apples, and make sure your morals keep pace with your technology.
Likewise, today, after every gut-wrenching shooting or mass act of violence, there's always the philosophical rundown, often with apples compared to oranges, and stone tablet morality trying to keep pace with 21st century technology.
Everyone has seen and heard the various arguments on both sides -- they are too numerous, complex, and inciting to even come close to presenting in one place as a universal collection.
Some say it's the gun's fault (or at least the gun's availability or features), some say it's our revelry in simulated violence, many say that it's a symbol of our failing legal system, and others say that it's an indication of a failing mental health system.
And in most cases, a rational person can at least see a small kernel of truth to each argument (although sometimes that might be a huge stretch).
Unfortunately, there are few -- if any -- solutions.
Sometimes in cases like this, we have to accept the fact that there isn't a political or legal solution to every problem, and while there are things we can do to lessen the frequency or impact of these events, you simply cannot legislate the issue away.
I have no problem with people invoking the need for more "godliness" as the answer for these kinds of crime, but only if they accept the reality that even God takes their weapons away in the end.
I have no problem with people claiming that a safe state requires weapons, as long as they are willing to accept that the Berlin Wall and Soviet Union both fell without a shot fired.
I have no problems with people claiming we need stricter laws, as long as they are willing to accept the reality that we aren't even enforcing the laws we currently have.
What I do have a problem with is the fact that we don't have any form of thoughtful debate or dialogue, and that the sides really "don't" seem to ever want any advancement other than the status quo.