Posts Tagged ‘violence’
The Root Cause of Violence
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton “For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do…
Read MoreWhy the Violence?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Why-the-Violence.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalms 140 I. Another act of violence, and people naturally want to know why. Why is this happening? What can we do to prevent it? How can we feel safer? A. People grasp at simple solutions and quick fixes that really don’t fix anything and often are not even relate…
Read MoreSchool Shootings –The Heart Of The Problem
by Jarrod M. Jacobs This last week brought us another horrific historical event. Nineteen dear students and two teachers in Uvalde, TX, were killed in a random act of violence by an 18-year-old Salvador Ramos. Reports tell us he also killed his grandmother before going to Robb Elementary School on his rampage. The husband of…
Read MoreWhat America Needs
by Ken Weliever During the past couple of days, I’ve been listening to politicians, political pundits, and experts from various fields discuss the “why” of the recent school shooting in Uvalde, Texas that snuffed out the lives of 19 innocent little children. This occurred just 10 days after a gunman went on a shooting rampage…
Read MoreWhy Do We Keep Letting This Happen?
by Terry Wane Benton Why? “Why do we keep letting this happen?” You cannot control human hearts. From the heart proceed murders and all manner of sin (Mark 7:21-23). We have stopped giving hearts a moral compass in our homes. Schools have conditioned generations to think morality is just whatever we want it to be…
Read MoreWhy Do Wars Exist?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Why-Do-Wars-Exist.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Isaiah 59:1-18 I. In my youth, the Vietnam War was being fought. It was an unpopular war that generated a lot of protest songs. A. One song called “War” by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong exclaimed, “War! What is it good for? Absolutely nothing!” B. So can wars and acts of…
Read MoreCan violence and wars end?
Question: We usually hear of killings, fighting, and wars, each and every day these days. All of us would love it if these would end. The question is: Can these acts of violence and wars end? Answer: “What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage…
Read MoreElisha’s She Bears
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Elishas-She-Bears.mp3 by Ralph Walker Did the prophet really unleash two bears to kill a host of little boys? For making fun of his baldness? How sensitive can a prophet be? Preaching the Bloody Bible
Read MoreDealing with Hatred
Dealing with HatredDealing with Hatred (Part 2) by Raymond Warfel
Read MoreWhy are there hostilities between the straight, alt, and LGBTQ communities?
Question: Maybe you’ve heard, maybe you haven’t, but in somewhat recent news, the “alt” community (which is a community of emo, gothic, and other similar groups) and the LGBTQ (a group that represents what the letters stand for, but also peace, love, and tranquility) have become somewhat hostile toward Christians. One example of hostility was…
Read MoreForceful Arguments
by Doy Moyer An argument won by force is no real win, but is a sham masquerading as truth. As soon as bullies face real arguments, they merely flex more muscle instead of exerting the effort of thinking things out and through in a reasonable manner. Bullies fear truth and so will suppress it in…
Read MoreShould Christians Strike?
Text: I Peter 2:18-25 I. Labor unions are lauded for the improvements they wrought in the workplace A. By encouraging employees to act as one, many concessions have been won from companies B. When the group appeals don’t sway an employer, strikes often will 1. Strikes shutdown the “life blood” of a business, preventing the production of products…
Read MoreCan Christians support Black Lives Matter?
Question: Hello, I am a member of the church. We have mixed views here on whether or not we are allowed to stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter Movement and the ongoing protests. Some members have asked me to settle the topic biblically, but I need some advice. In addition, concerns have come…
Read MoreThree Philosophies of Life
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Three-Philosophies-of-Life.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Luke 10:25-37 I. Luke 10:25-37 A. A lawyer, trying to test Jesus, asked him how to gain eternal life. B. Jesus, as was his want, turned the question around and asked for his opinion first. C. The response was to love God and to love his neighbor. To which Jesus agreed. D. The…
Read MoreWhy did Nehemiah threaten violence?
Question: I have a question: I know Hebrews speaks about how the Old Testament was just a shadow of the New Testament. I was reading Nehemiah and noticed that when the people disobeyed (in chapters 12 and 13) he executed violence and threatened to lay hands on outsiders trying to sell on the Sabbath. Since…
Read MoreCouldn’t God have made it impossible for people to hurt each other?
Question: For the question of why God allows evil: Couldn’t God have made it impossible to physically harm others? People are still able to go against God, but He could make it impossible for them to shoot, hurt, or do any other bad thing. Like how it’s impossible for us to fly by ourselves, couldn’t…
Read MoreYour answer to the man who slapped his pregnant wife was horrible
Question: You have an answer on your La Vista Answers page to a husband who slapped his pregnant wife twice that goes on for three paragraphs about the wife being at fault. In the end, it casually mentions that violence isn’t the answer, but that should have been at the top first and foremost. This is…
Read MoreWhy does Deuteronomy 25:11-12 make it sound like it is wrong for a wife to protect her husband?
Question: Hello. I am confused about Deuteronomy 25:11-12. Why is it wrong for a wife to protect her husband from an attacker? Is it because she grabs him by the testicles? But won’t that be a wise move, seeing that a “low blow” will be her best chance at overcoming a stronger opponent? I understand…
Read MoreIs the God of the Old Testament just as violent as the Muslim’s Allah?
Question: As a minister of the Gospel, I have a question that I was recently asked and I was curious if you had ever been asked the same: How can we preach a loving God and Christianity to Muslims if our God in the Old Testament was a violent God just as their Allah? I…
Read MoreI’m so mad! I’m afraid someone is going to get killed!
Question: I’m a Christian, I’ve had the born-again experience. I know that we all slip sometimes, but I’ve done more than slip. I have ruined my testimony to my family, which I’m sure doesn’t matter to them anyway. They’ve all been in church their whole lives and treat Jesus like he’s a fairy tale. I…
Read MoreIs it wrong to want to smash pumpkins in protest of Halloween?
Question: This one was really on my mind, and I was reminded of a Bible verse: “Be angry and sin not.” I’m not sure where it came from, but I remember hearing it from another brother. The thing is that I see all these costumes. You have the girl costumes which are skimpy and you…
Read MoreMy father rarely gets angry, but when he does, he gets extremely violent. What do I do?
Question: Hello, My father keeps abusing my mother. The first physical fight happen when I was two years old. My other sisters were a few years older, so they remember it better than I do. My father was very kind and treated my mother nicely, but his attitude changed after they got married. He was…
Read MoreI am so tired of the hatred and violence. What can I do?
Question: Mr. Jeffrey, I really need your help with a lot of things! First of all, I know my life isn’t right and before I try to change other people I need to change myself first. I’m a Christian but yet I find myself still committing sins. I want to change this world! I want…
Read MoreAre Bondage/Discipline/Sadism/Masochism practices moral?
Question: My query pertains to the practice of “Bondage and Discipline”, “Dominance and Submission”, “Sadism and Masochism”, which collectively make up the acronym “BDSM”. Specifically, I am curious whether or not the Bible has anything to say on the morality of “Master/Slave (Dominant/Submissive)” relationships? Quite frequently, elements of pain are involved in these types of…
Read MoreIs it sinful to play Airsoft, Laser Tag, or Paintball?
Question: Hi, I was just wondering is it a sin to play Airsoft? Airsoft is a game in which people shoot rifles that majority of the time are mock models of actual firearms that shoot plastic bbs. The objective, generally, is to shoot the other person with a bb and they’re out (in war-like scenarios).…
Read MoreIs it OK to divorce because of violence?
Question: Hello, My husband and I married less than a year ago. We are both young. Of course, when it happened I felt so happy and felt as if my life was complete, until recently. My husband and I get along for the most part, but the thing is when we argue we get into…
Read MoreMy husband and I are fighting and close to divorce. What should we do?
Question: Hello. I have currently been married for not quite a year and I need some advice. My husband and I met when we were in our late teens; as you can see, we were fairly young. After two months he left me to join the army. We were not yet married at this time.…
Read MoreHow do you handle a violent father?
Question: I am really disturbed. My dad who has been very violent since my mum joined him in a foreign country. He was broke and moved to this new country for business. Several years down the line, my mum came and joined him, but he has become proud and arrogant. Worse still there are rumors…
Read MoreAre all violent video games wrong?
Question: A while back we discussed video games and movies, and I mentioned that my husband is an avid video game player. Anyway, I know the violence is wrong in games, but what if the characters that you are fighting in a game look more like animals or impossible-looking monsters, then is it still bad? It’s…
Read MoreAre violent sports sinful?
Question: I had always wondered if combat sports like boxing and MMA sinful? I know that MMA looks brutal on TV, but in reality, it is not as raw as it seems. No one in the UFC has gotten a bad injury that could of led to death. So is practicing such sports sinful? Answer:…
Read MoreDoesn’t Gershoff’s study in 2002 show spanking leads to aggression?
Question: I just read some of your Questions and Answers. We have a family in our church who is seriously set on frequent spanking using tools, e.g. a belt. Now I was wondering what God (and the Bible) says about it. You seem to name relevant passages of the Bible properly. But I think the…
Read MoreWhen a child is raised to be violent, who is responsible, the parent or the child?
Question: I recently stumbled upon your web site and enjoy it very much. I have a question of my own though that hasn’t been answered fully for quite some time now. There are many children who are brought up into violent families such that they learn to imitate their parents and as adults follow a…
Read MoreI took some pictures from my boyfriend, and he pushed me into a wall trying to get them back. Should I be concerned that he might be violent?
Question: I need some advice on a situation that just recently happened to me. I went to visit my boyfriend on Sunday night. At first, we were getting along, laughing and joking. Then I saw a picture of him and his ex-friend, about five of them. I walked toward them and took the pictures. He…
Read MoreWould it be wrong to punch your friend if he agreed to being punched?
Question: If you were offered $100 to punch someone (no person in particular). So you get one of your friends and you say, “Let me punch you and I’ll give you $50.” If he says, “yes,” is it a sin? Answer: I’m puzzled about where this one is going. You see, I used to do…
Read MoreMy sixteen-year-old is becoming violent and I don’t know what to do
Question: I have a sixteen-year-old son that has had trouble in school specifically with grades over the past couple of years. His mother and I were divorced when he was nine but still communicate on a regular basis. Lately, he has become more physical while with her. He has been punching and kicking things for…
Read MoreIs rough sex a bad thing?
Question: Is rough sex a bad thing? If so, why? Answer: Much is going to depend on how rough you think rough is. There have been numerous trials where someone was badly injured or even killed and the defendant claimed “We were just having rough sex. She liked it that way.” The flaw in that…
Read MoreHow should a Christian handle violent or adult content video games?
Question: What does Scripture teach about playing video games, especially video games that have violent, adult, and other content that is sinful? For example, how should a Christian handle playing a video game such as Grand Theft Auto where the games glorify obscenities and murder among many other sinful activities? Or what about a military-type…
Read MoreMy son continues to backtalk us and punches his younger brother
Question: I just wanted to say thanks for contending for the faith, in relation to the person who wrote you against the Bible. I need further help with my son, who is 14. My wife and I have set the punishment for disobedience for both our sons. In addition to moving along if there are…
Read MoreMy fifteen-year-old has become violent and domineering
Question: My oldest boy is 15 years old. Recently he has become violent and domineering. All the conversations that we have had with him haven’t helped much. He continues to pretend that now he is 15 years old he has the right to be free and to behave as he pleases. When we threaten punishment,…
Read MoreShould a wife leave because of sexual assault?
Question: My husband abused me sexually. I was willing to have intercourse with him, but he couldn’t become fulfilled unless he was hurting me. According to the Scriptures, I was to fulfill him, but was I to fulfill him when he was hurting me, both mentally and physically? I felt this was wrong in God’s…
Read More