It seems that the major media is linking the killings in Colorado together, claiming the gunman “hated Christians.”
Though the gunman was linked to both places and may have had a grudge against both for whatever reason, what would cause someone to act out so violently?
It is possible, that with the current victimization mentality prevalent in America, that the shooter felt like he had been victimized by the church and the missions agency. Lets say that is the case- they did him some perceived wrong (they very well may not have done anything wrong to him). Now he has some hurt feelings towards both places. OK. Everyone has been hurt by someone in their lives, most people would go on with their lives, and some might even have the heart to forgive the wrongdoer and remove the malice from their hearts.
But this person must have harbored some resentment for a long time. I know people who have harbored resentments for years and have never felt the need to lash out (I personally harbored a grudge against a person for a long time, and it took a few years to even think about the person without some bitterness creeping up- and I know I would have never acted on that bitterness.)
Now the question is what enabled that person to feel justified in lashing out like he did? Could it have been mental illness? Could he have been emotionally troubled? Those are possible. It may have also been the result of ressentiment. Since Schlossberg points out that ressentiment is based off of vengeance, this could have been the motivating factor in his shootings, and we would have the lies of humanism to thank.
The victimization motif in ressentiment, making people out to be victims in order to lash out against the objects of ressentiment, may have very well led to a pathological state where any harm the shooter did was perfectly justified. Schlossberg points out this phenomenon:
Ressentiment does much to explain the existence of crimes that otherwise are thought of as “senseless.” They are senseless from a materialist perspective because the criminal does not gain anything tangible from his action. But if he is striking at the object of ressentiment, his crime is as rational as if he had made off with the crown jewels. He has gained what he desired. Ressentiment values its own welfare less than it does the debasement or harm of its object. Many crimes of vandalism, brutality, and murder might be explained in that way.
The contrast with this is the attitude that Jesus displays in dealing with those who wrong us.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
The gospel of Jesus Christ makes more and more sense in contrast to the attitudes the humanists would foist upon us.
