HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1994-05-04, Page 16PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 4,1994.
From the Ministers Study,
Killing, as old as civilization, pastor says
By Randy Banks
Walton-Bluevale Pastoral Charge
A 27-year-old visiting British
engineer is cut down on an Ottawa
sidewalk - a random victim of a
harrowing 20-minute drive-by
shooting spree perpetrated by three
young offenders.
Subsequently, a 25-year-old
graduate student is mortally
wounded by three gunshots fired by
her former boyfriend as she studies
in her McMaster University
campus apartment.
A 23-year-old woman dies on an
operating table from a sawed-off
shotgun blast fired by one of three
suspects who robbed patrons in an
upscale Toronto cafe.
And now, a seven-year-old
Chatham boy has been bludgeoned
to death by an 18-year-old killer.
This unrelenting succession of
malicious killings has taken place
in the space of less than one month.
This is Canada! What, we are
justified in asking, is happening to
what we used to believe was the
safe, peaceable kingdom in contrast
to our crime-ridden, gun-obsessed
neighbour to the south?
Fifteen years ago, there would
have been a vociferous outcry for
the reinstatement of the death
penalty. Today, the response is
somewhat more reasoned as people
are advocating revisions to the
Young Offenders Act as well as
petitioning for tougher gun control
legislation.
I have never held or fired a
loaded weapon. I have always
found guns to be intimidating
rather than fascinating. I can still
feel the shivers racing up and down
my spine whenever I recall a sight
that I beheld in a Michigan town of
4,000. While stopped at a red light,
I watched a man crossing the street,
carrying a plastic bag filled with
groceries in one hand and
nonchalantly toting his rifle in the
other.
What, pray tell, was he expecting
to have happen to him in that
sleepy little town?
I acknowledge the legitimate
privileges of others to own and
utilize guns for hunting, pest
control, or collection. I certainly
understand the obvious necessity
for police officers to be armed.
However, I tend to agree with
Shaughnessy Cole, MP for
Windsor/St. Clair who observes:
"Handguns exist for the purpose of
killing other people."
There can be little doubt that the
possession of guns by the wrong
people will periodically result in
their being used to kill or maim
others. If these are not the guns for
which there is registered owner
ship, they will certainly come from
among the fearsome array of rapid-
firing, semi-automatic weapons that
are being smuggled into Canada
and sold for exorbitant black
market prices.
The prevalence of guns and the
increasing number of bored, unem
ployed, insecure, and alienated
people form a lethal combination. It
leaves us all contemplating the
grim prospect that we, or our loved
ones, might well become victims of
random violence.
We may perceive violence as
being more predominant than it
actually is. Crime statistics show
that Canada's 1993 homicide rate of
2.7 per 100,000 people remains
unchanged over the last decade. In
addition, 40 per cent of accused
killers are family members of
victims and another 20 per cent are
their acquaintances.
Killing is as old as civilization
itself. The laws of Moses with
respect to killing and violence
prescribed that "you shall give life
for life, eye for eye, tooth for
tooth..." (Exodus 21, 23, 24).
The sixth commandment was
very clear, succinct, and explicit in
forbidding the arbitrary taking of
another human life. (The execution
of murderers and the killing of
enemies in war were recognized as
approved forms of killing.)
It is noteworthy, however, that
Cain, the first murderer, was not
condemned to death but was,
instead, banished from the
community - a fate worse than
death according to Cain: "I shall be
a fugitive and a wanderer on the
earth" (Gen. 4.14). Yet, the Lord
assures him: "Whoever kills Cain
will suffer a sevenfold vengeance"
(Gen. 4.15).
Our fear and consternation in
these times, when violence seems
to be winning the day, are not
without foundation. However, my
under-standing of Judeo-Christian
theology is that violence will not be
subdued by a reciprocal response of
violence.
Rather, all people of goodwill -
whether Christian or not - are
challenged to respond to violence
and brutality by, first, affirming the
sanctity and value of all human life
and secondly, by bearing in our
own lives the fruits of the Spirit:
"love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, generosity, faithfulness,
gentleness and self control"
(Galatian 5.22).
BRUSSELS UNITED CHURCH
Rev. Cameron McMillan
Church Office 887-6259 Manse 887-9313
11:00 a.m. - Morning Worship Service
"Supporting Families"
- Church School - Nursery
*************
9:30 a.m. - Ethel Morning Worship Service
- Church School
Bless our homes and families
Welcome to All
Sou are. Welcome at
the
BLYTH CHURCH OF GOD
9:45 a.m. - Sunday School for Children and Adults
11 -12:15 - Morning Worship
Bible Studies - Wednesday 10 a.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Phone 523-4590 McConnell St., Blyth
Good eats
The gymnasium of Grey Central School was full of people on Sunday night as many gathered
to enjoy the fare served at the annual Ethel United Church Ham and Turkey Supper. With
dinner served from 4-7 the people in the kitchen were busy trying to keep the table laden with
the delicious country cooking.
Comes crfcon/fenence
The congregation at Auburn
Missionary Church heard Virginia
Stright sing The Lord's Prayer a
coppella at their morning service
Sunday, May 1.
The guest speaker was Gavin
Wark of Kitchener, who is the
youth co-ordinator of the
Evangelical Missionary Church.
Canada East. His message from
Psalm 139 was "You are important
to God." We matter to God because
God loves us, he said.
Pastor and Mrs. Came, Pastor
Bob and Donna Lewis, and Elizabeth
Bowman will be attending District
Conference of the Evangelical
Missionary Church, Canada East,
in Kitchener this week.
Mr. and Mrs. Wilfrid Lofft of
Kitchener, and Mr. and Mrs.
Herman Voelmle of Auburn were
Sunday guests of Leslie and
Dorothy Bolton, and Robert and
Elizabeth Bowman.
i BLYTH CHRISTIAN /ft REFORMED CHURCH
HIGHWAY 4, BLYTH-523-9233
Sunday 10:30 a.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Guest Speaker: Mr. Robert Datema
The Church of the "Back to God Hour" and "Faith 20"
Back to God Hour 10:30 a.m. CKNX Sunday
Faith 20 5:30 a.m. Weekdays, Global T.V.
All Visitors Welcome Wheucnair accessible
(youth Service
May 15 at 11 a.m.
Blyth United Church
Special Guest -
Bill Chaulk
Everyone Welcome
HURON CHAPEL MISSIONARY
CHURCH
PASTOR JAMES H. CARNE AUBURN 526-7515
Sunday 10 a.m. - Family Bible Hour
11 a.m. & 8 p.m. - Gary Ungarian,
Converted Night Club Entertainer
Wednesday 8 p.m. - Prayer & Bible Study
Friday 7:30 p.m. - Youth - Pastor Bob Lewis, 526-7441
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
Rev. Carolyn McAvoy
11:00 a.m.- Morning Service
- Sunday School
- Belgrave Service
We welcome you to come and worship with us.
9:30 a.m.
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
You are welcome this Sunday
May 8 - St. John Apostle & Evangelist
(Patronal Festival at St. John’s)
Holy Eucharist
Trinity, Blyth St. John's, Brussels
9:30 a.m. 11:15 a.m.
Rector, The Rev. E. Paul Acton, 887-9273
to be a part of Us at
BRUSSELS
MENNONITE FELLOWSHIP
Saturday, May 7
Sunday. May 8
Pastor: Tom Warner
887-6388
"YOUTH CAR WASH FUNDRAISER" at
the Church Parking Lot
7:30 p.m. - COMMUNITY PRAISE
9:15 a.m. - Singing Tune-Up Time
9:30 a.m. - WORSHIP SERVICE
10:30 a.m. - Sunday School for All Ages
Fellowship Meal to Follow
EVERYONE TRULY
WELCOME
Elder: Alice Knorr
887-9203