Dear Christians, Don't Celebrate the Murder of 49 Gay People in Orlando

(GREGG NEWTON/AFP/GETTY IMAGES)

As a Christ-following Christian, I do not celebrate the murder of nearly 50 gay people in Orlando. Instead, I mourned the loss of life and I grieved with their families and friends. It was not a time to blame or speculate but a time to seriously talk to my family and friends on how to love Christianly and live peacefully with people including the LGBT community.

I condemn all revelry and justifications from so-called "Christians" that say the Orlando shooting of gays was Biblical and that they deserved it. It was not the best time to preach and to be self-righteous but instead a time for deep personal reflection and godly compassion that produces actions. 

I'm ineligible to donate blood for Orlando because I just gave a few days prior to the attack. But I called our local blood bank and I was told that blood they have in stock will be sent Orlando. I hope my blood donation was able to help.

A colleague posted on Facebook what clearly articulates my thoughts about the tragic shooting in Orlando. I'm posting it here verbatim. 

 
The victims were people made in the image of God. That is not something that is lost through sin or lifestyle choices; if it were, we'd all have lost it by now. An attack God's image bearer is an attack on God himself. Any attempt to justify the murder or to blame the victims is blasphemous and should be condemned as reprehensible by all right-thinking people and especially by Christians who should understand the incalculable worth of each human life. Luke 13:1-5 tells us what Jesus would say to those self-righteous prigs who blame the victims for their murders. This is a time we should be mourning the lost and doing what we can to protect everyone, regardless of who they are or how they choose to live, from this kind of atrocity in the future. I wish I could be more eloquent, but I'm at a complete loss for words to express my revulsion about people who claim the name of Christ justifying this horrible act of violence in any way. (Glenn Sunshine)