Cause and Effect Essay - The True Cause of School Shootings

Most of us learned when we were very young that we should not judge by appearances. But, in the aftermath of massacres in schools everywhere, a sane person has to take seriously what the material world shows - and pass judgment. After all, a lack of judgment and subsequent action may lead to further youth violence. This event has been thoroughly dissected by a whole herd of politicians and pundits over a period of some months. But they have, unfortunately, failed to reach the heart of the matter. For the heart of the matter is theological, a category that does not often appear in American public discourse. Instead, we hear talk about psychology, community, exclusion - the narrow, modern litany of cause and effect. David Mandel, a†¦show more content†¦But it really conceals an attitude for which there is a technical theological term: Gnosticism. Gnosticism was one of the early Churchs chief rivals. Unlike biblical creationism and the more optimistic views of nature found in some pagan philosophers, Gnostics saw the world as the product of an evil or, at best, indifferent, god; the true God was to be found only beyond material things. Evil was built in the foundations of this world. If you want a rough idea of what this means in practice, you need look no further than Star Wars. The two sides of the Force are in perpetual conflict with one another. Neither Good nor Evil are ultimate principles, merely two parts of a whole. We are supposed to root for the good guys. But the dark side is always there, too, and has its meaning and beauty for some souls. In similar fashion, our culture does not wholly accept groups like the Trench Coat Mafia. Many principals and teachers are engaged in a daily struggle to keep groups like them under control. Any school, for example, that lets gang insignias and graffiti go unchecked is headed for disaster. So administrators are quick to check them whenever possible. But the black trench coat presents a different kind of problem. It is not hard to imagine the outcry from the ACLU and other groups if schools move to ban otherwise harmless articles of clothing. And wherever the argument begins to be made that such fringeShow MoreRelatedShould Weapons Carry A Concealed Weapon?928 Words   |  4 Pagescourses. Would consenting untrained students to carry concealed weapons around campus be such an enticing idea, when at any moment someone could lose their mind and go on a shooting rage? One may never know what kind of background that specific being that carries a concealed firearm has. In reality no one knows what kind of effect this would have towards universities or college campuses, but it could result in a students’ academic performance. Weapons on university campuses would create a vast interferenceRead MorePersuasive Essay On Gun Control1374 Words   |  6 PagesKeishaun Ellison Mr. Beckwith Senior English 11/10/2017 After recent mass shootings, the gun control debate has reached the boiling point. We need gun control laws? Gun control, ownership, and laws should be changed immediately.†Did you know that 33 people are killed with guns every day in America? Something needs to be done about gun control because the death rate is steadily rising and guns are one of the leading causes of death in the United States. â€Å"One reason gun control laws shouldRead MoreShould We Blame Video Games For Violence1295 Words   |  6 Pagesaction and shooter genre. In a modern action/ shooting games, one can see the blood and even characters get their head blown off. 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