6 Comments

1. 

   Beth on July 23, 2012 at 11:13 am

   First off, you have a wonderful "About Me." It just flows and tells so much if rather few words. I smiled at Christmas music comment using OF COURSE—I feel the same way.

   I am wanting to write more, but am hesitant to express my thoughts, feelings, etc. I've gotten away from it but am determined to find my way back.

   I like how you wrote this. You didn't use long paragraphs which have a tendency to put folks off before they read the first sentence.
   I like how you used bold font to introduce what would have been a new paragraph. You used that same bold font at the end for emphasis.
   You got my attention and kept it and that's not always an easy thing to accomplish with an English teacher!:>)

   I have been 'burdened' with this incident too. I felt shock and sadness with the shooting of the congresswoman Gabby ? at her "Meet the people" gathering; the Toronto mall shooting, and any other random violence.
   But this one struck a particular nerve and I have followed it in a way I've not done the others.

   Folks were going out for a good time in what should have been a safe environment. They go to the movies to escape and he robbed them of that, turning the violence on the screen into reality.

   I too have questioned the choices made by parents that night. I question the choice of the Batman movie itself.[I haven't watched one since Danny Devito played the Penquin and haunted my dreams for months. I still cringe when I see a photo of that character. I realized then that this was a poor choice of 'entertainment' on my part and have not made that mistake again.]

   My heart goes out to that young mother who, if she survives her neck and stomach gunshot wounds, will fight off quilt for the rest of her life for making the decision to take her 6 yr. old to a midnight showing of a movie tinged with violence though the premise is the good guy wins (even if he's got dark edges). The 6 yr. old is the youngest deceased victim.

   I see the difference in attitudes of the teens I teach due to the violent video games and movies. I have been particularly disturbed by the Destination movies and the ones where vacations at hostels turn into grissley torture scenes. They laugh it off when I ask how they can watch that.

   One boy told me he goes home and shoots the people in the video games to release his anger. He phrased it to imply that it kept him from doing the real thing. He is deeply disturbed and I pray that he never chooses to switch from video screen people to real people at school or elsewhere.

   I agree that we need to stop supporting the violent movies. However, that does not mean that we won't still be attacked.

   Perhaps he was making a statement about the violence, becoming part of it. But who's to say the next time won't be a Pixar movie filled with young kids at a matinee–harder to pull off, but not impossible.

   I'm not saying we should live in fear and thus stop 'living'. I'm just more aware of how perilous everyday life has become.

   I do agree that we should be down on our knees in prayer.

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2. 

   Farmgirl Paints on July 23, 2012 at 1:24 pm

   i know i thought those same things.

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3. 

   Pipsylou on July 23, 2012 at 8:48 pm

   Sharon, you are an AMAZING writer. I love your comments on my blog. They've been so encouraging; you don't know just how much!

   I was nodding along reading this post. yes, yes and YES!

   There is a HUGE cultural problem when hardly anyone sees the glaring link between the violence these people were paying to see and the violence they endured at the movie theatre.

   Horrible, all the way around.

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4. 

   caryjo on July 23, 2012 at 9:19 pm

   What Beth said is exactly how I feel… and, of course, that is what you wrote. Before any of this happened, and the commercial/story was shown on the news the day before while people were lining up and talked about their plans. My husband and I were so disgusted with the plans people had to go see something so violent and wearing costumes that would draw eyes towards them. However, had no idea the murders would begin. Broke my heart.

   And, taking kids???? Makes me want to scream!

   Anyhow, at least the Denver-area Church and the Body will be available to help and bring restoration and peace to the tragedy and fear-filled hearts. [And with what C.S. went through with the fires so recently, etc., Colorado has been buried in serious issues. And this just took over the rest of them. So sad.]

   Appreciate your views. Thanks.

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5. 

   Toia on July 23, 2012 at 11:30 pm

   Thanks for sharing your views. Sometimes it just amazes me how parenting and society have change throughout the years. Regardless, people in general should fill safe to go anywhere at anytime without someone gunning them for no apparent reason. The whole situation is very sad and disturbing.

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6. 

   elizabeth on July 25, 2012 at 9:54 pm

   What a difficult thing to process for the human mind who always wants a reason. Someone once told me that only God says for us to come and reason with Him, (in Isaiah), and that the enemy is totally unreasonable. I believe this is true.

   Anyway, on another note, we're having burrito bowls again tonight with the leftovers. Yummmm! Thanks for your sweet comment.

   Reply