Matthew Murray, a 24 year old man who had been home-schooled by his deeply religious Christian family, and whose brother attends Oral Roberts University, went on a shooting spree with a high powered rifle killing 4 and wounding 5. Colorado Shooting at MSNBC
The shooting took place at Faith Bible Chapel in Denver and the New Life mega church in Colorado Springs. New Life Church, if you remember, was founded by homophobe Rev. Ted Haggard who was fired last year over sexual acts he had with a male prostitute.
The media is playing the story with security guard Jeanne Assam as the hero and main player who shot the killer in the arm causing him to halt his rampage and shoot himself. Job well done, but her interviews bring up that grand intellectual disconnect which cause many to wonder if religion may cause mental illness.
“I did not think for a minute to run away God guided me and protected me.” Jeanne Assam
“I came out of cover and identified myself and engaged him and took him down. I give credit to God, God was with me. I didn’t think for a minute to run away.” Jeanne Assam
"I was praying and asking the Holy Spirit the entire time to guide me.” Jeanne Assam
“We’re so grateful to God for giving us the wisdom to do that.” New Life Pastor Brady Boyd
“It’s the grace of God, like Jeanne, we’re both followers of Christ. I want to give God the glory, because I’m convinced He spared us that day.” Larry Bourbannais wounded witness of the shooting
Down here in Dumbass we see this kind of religious disconnect often on local television news. A video of the aftermath of a tornado that devastated a town with a crawl at the bottom telling how many were killed and injured. A couple stands in front of a pile of rubble that was once their trailer as they praise the Lord and thank Jesus for their new pile of ruble.
What about God directing these tornadoes that kill, injure and cause so much misery to so many? What about God giving Matt Murray a gun and good aim to kill 4 people?
Is that disconnect a matter of just very low intellectual capacities or does a lifetime of religious indoctrination cause brain damage and mental illness? Or does one intrinsically follow the other? 🙂
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