The reactions from Left and Right are all too predictable in the wake of the Parkland shootings. My social media feeds are overflowing with self serving proclamations, dubious statistics, hateful name calling, and all around foolishness. As usual, both sides are screaming at each other and no one is really listening.

I get the Left’s position on gun control. If we want to prevent these national tragedies, we should make it as difficult as possible for people to get their hands on assault rifles. Even if these guns can be obtained via illegal channels, why make it easy for a potential mass murderer to buy one? Close the legal channel first and then go after the other channels. I believe that common sense is on the side of more gun control.

I say this while at the same time acknowledging that Liberals are a bunch of hypocrites; their never ending tantrums about gun control ring hollow when one considers their stance on abortion and euthanasia. But those are separate issues and we should treat them as such. The Left could be right on gun control and wrong about plenty else.

I am willing to let Liberals howl all they want about gun control, no matter their insincere motives or inconsistencies. We do have a problem with guns in this country and this issue must stay front and center within the national conversation until it is addressed by Congress.

What I don’t get is why Christian Conservatives are always putting themselves in the unenviable position of defending guns. And not just defending guns, but embracing and cherishing them as if they are an integral part of the faith. Since when did the Second Amendment become a chapter in the Bible? Since when did the right to purchase assault weapons become synonymous with upholding and protecting our religious freedoms? Are we not just as hypocritical as our opponents when we use our faith to defend these metal objects that have brought so much death and despair upon our own people?

And how does our espousal of gun rights jive with the Gospel? How can we share the love of Christ with others while at the same time fight for the rights of Americans to purchase their very own weapons of mass destruction? And how does promoting gun rights go along with the Two Great Commandments that Christ gave us? To love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbor as ourself? There is absolutely no common ground between gun rights and the Gospel! We just end up looking like foolish hypocrites when we attempt to argue for guns within the context of our faith.

It’s time for Christians to stop promoting gun rights. We should never be in the position of defending guns, and especially not assault rifles. Let us save our energies for showing the love of Christ to those who have lost loved ones in these tragedies and for supporting positions that do stem from our faith. Yes, we must stop even if it means giving into the Liberals for once.