I don't need one

"Cain killed Abel with a rock, so let's take away all the rocks."

"Cars kill more kids than guns do each year, so why isn't the government taking our cars too?"

"348 people were killed by hammers last year, and only 340 were killed by assault rifles! Ban the hammers!"

Come on, really?

Ugh, Facebook. Sometimes I can't stand you. I know this will make someone angry (including and especially my family), but for me this issue all boils down to one question: Where is my home?

If I were not a Christian, if I had no hope of heaven, if I did not believe in a loving and merciful God, I might be a gun-owner. I might feel no conflict at all having a gun in my home while teaching my child the Golden Rule.

But the truth is, this world is not my home. My heart belongs to Christ, my future is with Him, and for that reason, I value my eternal life far more than my temporal life here on earth. And I know someone is going to go bat-guano crazy on me here, but I value my child's eternal life far more than her life here on earth.

The thing is, rocks were not designed to kill. They were designed to build. God built mountains, man built houses. Cars were not designed to kill. They were designed to help people travel long distances. Hammers, a more technologically advanced form of rock, were again, meant to build. Guns? Guns were designed to kill. I don't know about your Bible, but mine says "You shall not kill." But, the gun-huggers argue, the Israelites killed people at God's command. This is true, and if I lived in a war zone, I might have necessity to own a gun. But, as of right now, The United States of America is not a war zone. (Although some might lead us to believe our government is out to get us and that we SHOULD be fighting a war on our own turf.)

But you know, I think even if we were at war, I would want to trust my God with my life and the lives of my family. I do not want to be held responsible for the loss of life of another human being, whether I agree with them or not, whether they are threatening my life or not, whether they are holding a gun to my face or not. I am at peace with my Savior, and even if I lose my life here, I know I will have a new body and a sweeter, longer, more joyful life when my Jesus comes again. I do not know the same thing about my assailant. If I kill him or her first, I might be taking away an opportunity for that person to accept Christ and gain eternal life for themselves. Essentially, I am playing God if I take their life, and the guilt of that life may never leave me. Why risk both of us being lost when there's even a tiny chance that both of us could be saved?

And then, God forbid my innocent child should see me shoot someone. I'm sure someone has the statistics on this, but I know for a fact that children who witness an act of violence are more likely to commit their own act of violence as teens or adults. There is a very real chance that she will be lost as well.

What I don't understand (well, let's be honest, there's a lot that I don't understand about the Religious Right) is why people who call themselves Christians feel the need to own a gun. Sure, some enjoy hunting or feel they need to protect themselves from their local fauna. I get that. But are assault rifles and high-capacity magazines intended for hunting? Call me ignorant, but I think those are meant to be tools for soldiers in battle, not toys for suburban moms to show off to their friends at parties.

I know most of my friends/family are pro-guns, so probably most of the people reading this are too. So go ahead, let me have it. Just know that if you come to my house, whether for good or for evil, you will be safe. Take what you want, take my life, even. I'm waiting for a better one anyway.