In the wake of the recent shootings in Colorado, which has sent shockwaves throughout the Christian community, many leaders are pointing to popular culture in an attempt to understand the driving factors behind teen violence.
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(Photo: AP Images / David Zalubowski)Crime tape is stretched across the driveway leading to the road to a youth ministry dormitory on the campus of Faith Bible Church in Arvada, Colo., early on Sunday, Dec. 9, 2007. A gunman entered the dormitory, which is pictured in the background, and killed two residents while another two residdents were injured and taken to hospital.
Roberts Peters, president of Morality in Media, said the way violence is presented in the media today could explain some of the recent shootings by young people.
"Today, films and other media glamorize murder and revenge and present it in the most detailed, sadistic manner possible. More often than not, media also portrays religion in a negative light,” said Peters in a recent statement.
On Sunday, Matthew Murray, 24, opened fire at Youth With a Mission (YWAM)’s training center, killing two young adults and injuring two others when he was turned down from spending the night at the dormitory. Later that day, he went to New Life church in Colorado Springs and opened fire with a high-powered rifle, killing two teenage girls and wounding their father. A church security guard fired at Murray, putting him down, but an autopsy performed by the El Paso County coroner ruled Murray died of a self-inflicted shot.
Authorities say Murray, who was a former student of YWAM Discipleship Training program, appeared to have acted out of revenge against Christians, according to an online message he posted Sunday.
The shootings came just a few days after a 19-year-old shot and killed nine people, including himself, and wounded five at Westroads Mall in Omaha, Neb.
Earlier in April, 23-year-old Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 students and faculty members before committing suicide at Virginia Tech.
While violence in movies and on television is not a new phenomena, according to Peters, the media’s portrayal of murder has drastically changed from several decades ago.
“Murder was to be presented in a way that would not inspire imitation. Brutal killings were not to be presented in detail. Revenge was not to be justified,” said Peters after the Omaha shooting.
Peters attributed the mass murders to the glamorization of violence in entertainment media, which includes films, TV programs, rap lyrics and video games.
"Only in the entertainment media is the worst of human behavior depicted 'non-judgmentally' or even worse, glamorized and promoted,” Peters noted. "There is a saying, 'You reap what you sow,' and the American people are reaping what the entertainment media have sowed and we have bought for more than forty years."
Colorado gunman Murray had shown possible signs of media influence years before the shootings. He posted lyrics by industrial rock band KMFDM on a website designed for people who left evangelical religious groups. At a YWAM Christmas festival in 2002, he played what his former roommate, Richard Werner, described as “bizarre” music. The two songs he played were Marilyn Manson's "Sweet Dreams (are Made of This)" and Linkin Park's "One Step Closer" which included the lyrics "Cause I'm one step closer to the edge and I'm about to break." Meanwhile, songs played during the festival had been about Christmas, God and friendship, reported CNN.
Investigators also revealed that Murray spent three to five hours a day on his computer attending a home-based computer school for the past two years.
Spiritual leaders weighing in on the issue say acts of violence are a spiritual problem and occur when society loses the value of human life as it moves further away from God. Continue >>
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Often times when we see "strange," or "out there" people we avoid them as Christians. We shouldn't do that, that's sinful; that's not love. I don't think the problem is mental illness or gun control. It's absense of love from the Church. Why are we meating together if we are not practicing love, isn't God love? That's what's wrong. The media does have something to do with it since the eyes are the window to the soul but we can short circuit that with practicing Christian Agape love with one another.
I agree with Stevey P but also, where are the parents? Parents have a right to say "NO" to that violent video game, movie or television show but parents won't do it. Saying "NO" to your children and explaining why they cannot/should not being seeing these things would help. I am a widow and I am raising two teenagers on my own. I have said "NO" plenty of times and my children have not been hurt by it. As long as parents cave into their children, companies will have a market for this garbage.
Jesus was born ina world of inquity yet he did not sin. Just because sin is all around does not mean you have to follow it. Parents, where are you, should be teaching their children the word of God, not a watered down version either. When we pick and choose what to teach, our children get a "spotty" idea of right and wrong. Our churches are suppose to preach the Word as it is given to them by the Spirit to utter. We are to grieve the holy Spirit our teacher. God word never fails; So when we fail, it is not because God has not given us the Tool necessary for the job. We choose not to use the Tool given when we are suppose to use it. Let not be simply hearers of the word but doers. The devil is alway trying to for the "L" in the Word.
mcfbc,
Very interesting to hear your comments about your lower income neighborhood. My wife and I ministered in a similar neighborhood. Not only did we consistently fail in recruiting churches but many of the people in our own little country church refused to come to our house. We finally realized that our prayer requests about druggies, murderers, robbers, police, etc. had scared them off. We coveted their prayers, but wondered if we had not been better off not talking about the realities so they may have come to visited and maybe get a glimpse of God at work and how they could join in.
SteveyP
I agree. Christians get so caught up on peripheral issues that they don't have time for the two things God called us to do, the great commission and the great commandment. I serve in a lower income neighborhood and it's nearly impossible to get churches to commit people to come help. And I mean real help. Taking the time to help kids in our neighborhood with homework, or just hang out and be a good role model. These kids end up getting caught up in the popular culture because the church has not done it's job. The church has been given all power in Christ. Yet we continue to hide behind our comfortable gated communities trying to protect our families from that very same popular culture. Shame on the church.
Sure popular culture has a lot to do with influencing teenagers - and adults. Otherwise, companies wouldn't spend billions of dollars on advertisements. However, we need to first ask why the church has so little influence on teenagers - and adults - and culture? Part of it, I believe, is that Christians are spending far too much time, energy and resources in trying to ensure that the U.S. is a safe place for Christians. All of us would be amazed at what would happen if all of the time, energy and resources were otherwise spent on influencing (evangelizing) for Jesus Christ and for caring for our neighbors, Christian and non-Christian alike.