By now most of you have probably heard about the shootings at a missionary center in Arvada, Colorado and later at the New Life Church in Colorado Springs. The gunman died in a shootout with a security guard inside the New Life Church. He left three wounded and two dead.
Because we must always be human beings before we are atheists, and because we are engaged in continuous dialogue with people of faith, it would be remiss of us to not acknowledge the tragedy and insanity of this incomprehensible act. On this website we meet with Christians in spirited debate and sometimes heated argument, but they, like all human beings deserve our respect, our compassion, and if there ever comes a time when we can somehow give it, they deserve our protection.
My heart aches for the victims and their families as well as for the clearly disturbed shooter and his family. There are large servings of horror, bewilderment and grief for everyone, and all people should both recoil at such madness and embrace those who have been harmed or frightened.
If anyone has any comments to add, please leave blaming or criticism of beliefs that differ from your own out of this thread. This post is for grieving, reflecting and hopefully healing.
Richard