Watch a billiard player set up a clutch of balls and strike them with the cue ball. They clash and bounce and each falls into a pocket. We exclaim, “What luck! Those balls fell ‘randomly’ into pockets!” The billiard player will not account for the actions of the balls as a random event but the outcome of staging, force, spin, and vectors. Next time you hear of an act of “random” violence, or worse, experience it first hand, remember the lessons you learned from physics 101.
When a jilted lover, an offended employee or religious fanatic kills, there are explanations. Our cultural pool table has been arranged with a seduction of “isms.” Their ideologies degrade high values, distorting our world view. Consider how the following ideologies set the table, creating not the chance of “random” violence but the likelihood.
Cynicism is skeptical of all things. Don’t trust people, things or ideas. Rather than testing all things and holding on to what is true, simply discount all things. Cynicism alienates the cynic from the universe. This down-grade philosophy channels itself even through innocent avenues such as sitcoms and comic strips.
Fatalism teaches that things will go from bad to worse. “The Fates have decided it.” There is no resisting; “We must go to hell in a hand-bucket. Don’t even think about changing the world for good! Don’t try to stop the balls from falling into the cultural pits. It’s useless.”
Materialism contorts our values by preaching that life is found in the abundance of possessions rather than in relationships. Materialism has reduced us to “consumers,” a perverse, degrading expression which removes our humanity. We are no longer creatures made in the image of God. We are “product-buyers.” Do you wonder that there is such slippage in the respect we give one another?
Consider just one vector materialism takes. Many in the media look at the “bottom line.” They offer us the horrific, grotesque and glamorous to feed our addictions to fear and pride, while lining their pockets. The table gets contorted.
Epicureanism, hedonism and other me-isms have little time to consider the interests and feelings of others. People are merely tools for providing pleasure. The balls are in motion on the table.
Stoicism concentrates on keeping its upper lip stiff. It takes care of itself, not others. It lives in denial bottling up frustration and accumulating rage which may be vented explosively, who knows when.
Darwinism replaces purpose with accident. It does not allow the existence of virtue or vice since everything is accident. It feeds other isms such as humanism, the doctrine that man is the highest landmark and standard. It is a stilted, closed system. Do what is right in your own eyes without reference to some One larger and wiser.
Nihilism also plays pool with us. It purports that life has no significance, meaning or ultimate value. What happens when this philosophy is embraced by a man with frustrations, who has access to gasoline and matches?
Reductionism minimizes those things that are meant to stand out large, strong and wholesome. Things once thought sacred are now thought common, sometimes evil. Marriage once thought to be a holy institution is mocked. Reductionism diminishes the miracle of a tiny baby into mere fetal tissue, the” product of conception.” As life in one form is devalued all of life is devalued. If someone is killed in a rage it doesn’t matter because their life had little value to begin with.
By eroding our esteem for people and what is important to them we lose the sense of protectiveness that we apply to our treasures.
The last “ism” that moves the balls is Violence-ism. Perhaps you have never heard it coined but surely you have seen it demonstrated. Violence-ism is the belief that the way to resolve grievances and offenses is through violence. It is an “ism” with a fixed methodology. Our hero doesn’t say, “Hold on. We obviously have different opinions. Let me buy you a cup of coffee and let’s talk this through.” No, our movie and video arcade hero says, “You insulted me. I’ll punch your face in, break the car windows and riddle you with bullets.”
The rogue cop who committed a violent crime did not need to be disarmed. He needed a better heart informed by higher values. The difficult task is the radical inner work – changing minds by showing the good sense of sound values. Pulling the root is harder than trimming the tops. Some merely mow the weeds rather than pull them. They would outlaw guns, knives, and baseball bats because they can be used for harm.
I am confident that “random” violence can be reduced, if not stopped, and we can have a far better world to live in. It will require intentionality and effort. It is not as easy as writing an editorial or position paper. It requires rolling up the sleeves and using our shovels to supplant the “isms” with tried and true virtues.
We must aggressively overcome the “isms” by tearing down their arguments. Teaching our children that others deserve the respect and appreciation of a “Please” and “Thank you” might inhibit an act of violence! We can alter the layout of the table by permeating our conversations with our children and friends with these notions:
You are not an accident put part of a grand and good plan
Life is a sacred gift and to be highly valued
You are loaded with genius and creativity to make the world a better place
You are playing a significant part in a great dramatic production
Our Audience is Creator God