Think About it ... Don't Hit The Snooze Button

Information (inspiration) is much more available now than at any time before in the history of the human race. It travels at the speed of electricity.

In 2019, a killer shot up 2 mosques in New Zealand. He livestreamed the killings (with a GoPro camera) at a crowded mosque as people watched around the globe as if they were right there. Some were watching it happen from their phones before police in Christchurch knew it was happening.

The atrocity of an attack is one thing. Those influenced by it is another. The New Zealand killer was motivated by anger over the Stockholm Truck attack in 2017. In that attack, an ISIS sympathizer angry at Sweden over ISIS opposition, drove a stolen truck into a crowd on a busy shopping street killing 5 and wounding many. He then crashed the truck into an upscale department store where he intended to detonate a bomb to kill himself and anyone close. That part of his plan failed.

The New Zealand attacker claimed, “my despair turned to shame, my shame to guilt, my guilt to anger and my anger to rage.”

Each of these attacks were by killers of extreme opposite ideologies; one anti-Islam, the other pro-Islam. The Las Vegas concert killer (2017; 60 dead) was possibly simply anger at Casinos in the area (though nobody really knows, or if they do haven’t disclosed the motive). 

One thing that is known about that killer was investigators found where he had done internet searches for, “biggest open air concert venues in USA.”

Think About it

Take your mind off of motivation for a moment, just consider the venues.

Moscow Russia, 2024: 145 dead. A sold-out rock concert.

Re’im Israel, 2023: Over 360 dead. Dance music festival

Manchester England, 2017: 22 dead. Music concert in Manchester Arena.

Paris France, 2015: 90 dead, Music festival at the Bataclan.

Oslo Norway, 2011; 68 dead. Youth confined to a small island camp facility.

These aren’t the only mass venue attacks. 

Killers are inspired for or against whatever topic they want to choose from the plentiful issues to be angry about in this tempestuous season of rancor fed by the information highway. 

My concern is for the large venues where an attacker, motivated by whatever cause, seizes an opportunity for limelight. 

American churches should take note. We’ve had plenty of wake-up calls, don’t hit the snooze button.