Why Are We So Violent?

 "You shall not murder." 
-Exodus 20:13

Why do we have such a hard time with this commandment?

You may say, "I've never killed someone."  But read the news, turn on the radio, watch the TV, scroll Twitter... we're surrounded by murder.  We are a violent people.

The FBI recently put law enforcement nationwide on notice about increasing crime in the coming weeks.  Why?  Because as the temperatures increase the crime, and violent crime, increases.  Because after COVID-19 restrictions ease we will begin to see even more violent crime.  Murders in Los Angeles alone are up 30% from last year simply because people are out and about again.

Take just one example: a police officer recently shot a 16-year old foster child who was in the process of attempting to stab another girl.  There's all sorts of questions that need to be answered from this tragic situation, but the primary one in my mind is this: Why are we so violent?

"You shall not murder."

It's not difficult to see why Yahweh had this law make the top ten.  Murder puts the murderer in the place of God in taking a life.  Murder snuffs out a life that was knit in the womb by God Himself.  Murder keeps us from living together without fear.  Murder destroys families, communities and the very perpetrators of the vile crime.

Yet we are so violent.  We murder all types of people at all stages of human development.  Why can't we get this seemingly simple commandment down?

"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgement.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgement. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' is answerable to the Sanhedrin.  But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of Hell." -Matthew 5:21-22

Part of the reason we're violent may be that we have access to tools of violence so readily.  But Jesus says the heart of the problem is the heart.  

We kill because we hate and stoke up anger for sport.  Our culture lives to hate.  Our past time is no longer baseball; it is shouting one another down.  Turn on cable news for a moment and you will see it.  Listen to new talk radio and you will hear it.  Even watch people debating sports and you will sense it.  

Vilification sells even more than sex these days.  

I'll venture to guess that no one reading this has ever literally murdered someone else.  I'll also bet a lot of money that according to Jesus' standard you're in danger of the fire of Hell.  I know that if I have not spoken or typed "You fool!" then I have thought it on a nearly daily basis.

The tree of murder sprouts from the seeds of anger and resentment.  Since this is the case, how do we snuff out murder seeds before we break this serious commandment?

"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar.  First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift." -Matthew 5:23-24

The answer is radical reconciliation.  

If you wrong your brother or if he wrongs you, rectify it.  When Jesus spoke these words he was in Capernaum and the temple was in Jerusalem.  What Jesus was saying was that if you were in Jerusalem and remembered an issue with your brother in Capernaum you should go back and reconcile and then come back to Jerusalem.  This is huge!  It takes about eight days to walk this round trip.  Jesus is telling us that reconciliation is hard work and it is worth it, even if it causes you to not present an offering to God in a timely manner.  Reconciliation with each other is greater than the sacrifice of an animal or the giving of money.

Our society is violent.  How do we fix this?  How do we follow the 7th Commandment?  We don't murder, we don't plant the seeds of murder and when these vile seeds are planted we uproot them through radical reconciliation.  You know, saying radical things like, "I'm sorry.  I was wrong."

Do not murder, in thought or in deed, and do the work of reconciliation today.