How Do We Approach This Moment?
I remember where I was when President John F. Kennedy was shot in 1963 (in my second grade class). I remember being at home in April 1968 when Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. And two months later, I was lying in bed on the morning of June 6th hearing my mom talking to a neighbor about Robert F. Kennedy being in critical condition. I was in my office just off the University of Kansas campus on the morning of September 11, 2001 when a student came rushing in with the news that the Twin Towers had been attacked. I was in South Africa when, in 2011, Congresswoman Gabby Giffords was shot and critically wounded in Arizona. And I was in a hotel room last summer when the news flashed on television that President Trump had been shot.
There is a long history of political violence in the United States. It may seem relatively new, but it isn’t. Yesterday, another person, Charlie Kirk, was added to that sad list. But if it seems it is getting worse, that is because, within the past year, there have been two attempts on President Trump’s life, a state representative from Minnesota shot dead along with her husband, as well as another representative wounded. It reminds me of 1968.
So what do we do with this history? Right now, our President is blaming “the radical left” for the violence, but the reality is it’s happened across the political spectrum, both this year and throughout American history, and there is no knowledge at this point in the case of Charlie Kirk’s shooter what his politics or motives even were.
What we can say is common in all these eras where political violence occurred is the coarseness and incivility of political debate. Everyone can say, as our President did last night, that the rhetoric has to be toned down, but everyone has to play a role in that, particularly the followers of Jesus. I am often appalled by the meanness, the harshness, and the hatefulness of comments made by self-proclaimed Christians towards those with whom they disagree. And this runs the political gamut. People often rationalize their comments by pointing out that Jesus spoke some harsh words to the religious leaders of his day, and I don’t disagree that he did. But, he didn’t do it all the time. In fact, taking his three years of ministry, his harsh comments take up very little of his time.
However, today there are believers offering harsh rhetoric nearly every day via social media. I often wonder, why is everyone SO angry. Again, look what was taking place in the time of Jesus. Rome ruled with an iron fist. Jesus spent a miniscule amount of time talking about the Roman government. He wasn’t always upset with the political winds of his day; thus, why do we get so upset with those winds today? Is that how we are to invest our time and energy—fighting continuous political battles? Many Christians seem to believe this. I’m not sure where their biblical rationale comes from. A fair reading of the Scriptures and of Jesus’ life demonstrates the overwhelming emphasis on loving others, including our enemies, humbling ourselves, being gentle and kind. Note this is just the opposite of what we so often see on social media.
If we are repulsed by political violence, then the answer is not screaming at the other side on how bad they are and blaming them for all the ills of our country. This just rachets up the rhetoric and creates the environment for some to do far worse. It really is to humble ourselves before the Lord, confessing our own contributions to the harshness of the political conversation, and seeking ways we can be the light of Jesus in our troubled nation.
© Jim Musser 2025
