Pacifists and shooters on a rampage

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I'm continuing the discussion with the pacifists at Ben Witherington's blog.
The monkey wrench in this proposal [approaching a killer with a song or a prayer or a command in Jesus' name] was that Jeanne Assam had been fasting and praying for the past 3 days. We don't know how she engaged him. Is it proper to assume she engaged him with her gun aimed at him? On the other hand, she might have seen someone try to engage Murray and seen Murray respond with heavy fire. She might have presumed Murray just murdered someone before her eyes, someone without a weapon, just like the 2 the night before, and the 2 in the parking lot.

Is the assumption being made that the Arvada missionaries did not engage Murray with love?

My presumption is that Murray was engaged with love by 4 people before encountering the one who had been praying and fasting for 3 days who had a firearm and the training to use it and engage people like him. He demonstrated a commitment to violence regardless of the attempt of interaction with him. It is downright smug to think one can do better than those who presumably tried the method of peacemaking, what other method is available when weaponless. One is free to contribute oneself to the body count but it doesn't prevent the murderer from continuing.

God is good
jpu

Comments

Anonymous said…
JPU, I just read what Ben said in response to your posts. One commenter called you and me "pro-violence". I have no doubt these are decent people, but do they really think they are better than Assam? That attitude reminds me of the college kids who spit in my uncle's face when he got back from Vietnam. I don't think these folks would be saying the same thing if they were about to murdered. Just my 2 cents worth.
Peace, Dan
December 14, 2007
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