Op-Ed: Would Jesus Carry a Gun? By George Merrill

What would Jesus do? Not what Jerry Falwell Jr. just did.

Jerry Falwell, Jr. the chancellor of Liberty University a religiously conservative college issued this announcement recently:

“If more good people had concealed-carry permits, then we could end those Islamist terrorists.” His statement is reminiscent of NRA’s executive vice president, Wayne La Pierre’s apocalyptic vision: “The only way to stop a bad guy with a gun, is a good guy with a gun.” Falwell’s statement sounds less like a Christian and more like St. Paul before his conversion, when he breathed threats and murder against enemies. Is conservative religion taking us back to the caves again, with its old time religion where God smites his enemies and rewards his friends?

In Falwell’s call to arms, he encourages the students at Liberty University to carry concealed weapons. He urges them to hurry and get their permits first. Falwell is consummately law abiding although I regret that the god he serves is loaded for bear. The threat of the Islamists moved chancellor Falwell to do exactly what Jesus would never do, put guns (or swords or clubs) in young peoples’ hands.

The University is known for its conservative piety and fundamentalist Christian theology. To me that makes Falwell’s call to arms seem odd. Curiously enough, that’s what radical Islam is doing and for similar reasons: getting the first shot off before their enemies.

In one of the most moving moments in the Christian story, Jesus does something astounding. For those unfamiliar with the story it’s briefly this:

Jesus and the disciples are in the garden of Gethsemane. Jesus realizes his destiny and is saddened by the knowledge of his impending death. He prays to his heavenly Father to help him endure the coming trials.

“Jesus was still speaking when Judas, one of the twelve disciples arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs and sent by the chief priests and elders.” Judas then kisses Jesus, an act that identifies Jesus as the one the chief priests and elders have come to arrest.

“Then they came up, arrested Jesus and held him tight. One of those who were with Jesus drew his sword and struck at the High Priest’s slave, cutting off his ear. “ Jesus then says, “Put your sword back in its place. All who take the sword will die by the sword.”

It’s in the Bible. Fundamentalists go for Biblical inerrancy so what can one make of it?

Arming students is a concession to what’s worst in all power struggles: might make right. Falwell’s championing the call to arm students has the strong ring of radical religion such as we’ve known it in Islam while revealing a lack of faith in Christian principles. As a Christian priest myself, I see in his call to arms an egregious perversion of his Christian trust. It trivializes the challenge the Christian story puts to us; overcome evil with good and stop hatred by love. These exhortations ask more of us than just pulling a trigger.

I find in Falwell’s statement an abuse of his role as a spiritual leader and as an educator of young people. Putting guns in the hands of college kids at such an impressionable and turbulent time in their lives is irresponsible from any point of view whether it’s societal or spiritual. Those who are leading this charge are poisoning the wellspring of our youth’s hopes for a more kind and gentle world. And what scares me most is the report of all the clapping and cheering the students made as he announced his plan.

What would Jesus do when he heard Falwell’s announcement? Weep, I’m sure. “ The sorrow in my heart is so great that it almost crushes me. Stay here and keep watch with me.” (Matthew 26:38)

The Washington Post quotes Falwell: “I wouldn’t agree with any interpretation of scripture that was used to say that a man or a woman shouldn’t protect their families.” A slick statement but when Molly Ivans had a similar set up put to her, she responded this way: “You want protection? Get a dog.” I think she was much closer to what Jesus would do than Chancellor Falwell is.