Over at Patheos I’ve commented on the inclination believers have to think that perpetrators of violence are demon possessed.
They can be, but it is always far more complicated than that.
There are all sorts of reasons why people might engage in such mindless acts, and it surprises me that the media are so ignorant that they do not explore some of the other factors.
My blog post explores, for instance, the atmosphere of evil that grows in a society where the culture of death prevails. If we live in a society where mothers can have their unborn babies dismembered and beheaded in their womb why should we be surprised at other horrific outpourings of evil.
The culture of death breeds an attitude and atmosphere of death. Dark forces propagate and violence simmers beneath the surface. Dark powers circulate and infest vulnerable minds and lonely, broken hearts.
There is an epidemic of suicide among white males in the USA and nobody is talking about it.
After these natural explanations are the ones that are even more difficult to diagnose. I’m referring to the massively negative emotional effects on white males in our society. Did you know that the suicide rate jumps alarmingly every year? In the USA there are about 121 suicides per day in the USA and that 7 out of 10 suicides are white males? The highest rate is among white males aged 45-65.
Paddock and Kelly were, at the basic level, suicidal. They thought death was an answer. Death for others and death for themselves.
Go here to read the full post.
It seems to me the devil doesn’t have to bother possessing those who are throwing themselves into his arms. He would be more intent on pursuing those who are lukewarm or better. They would be larger feathers in his cap, if, indeed, he has one.
Didn’t C.S. Lewis write a novel about that?