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WHY DID THE COLUMBINE SHOOTING HAPPEN?
COMMENTS FROM RELIGIOUS SOURCES
Sponsored link.
Response to the Columbine/Jonesboro tragedies by Christian
leaders, believers & one psychic:
Quite a range of root causes of the Columbine tragedy were proposed:
 | The Devil made them do it: Reverend Jim Peasboro of Savannah
GA has written a book "The Devil in the Machine: Is your
computer possessed by a demon?" Some of the points raised in
the book are:
 | "While the Computer Age has ushered in many advances, it
has also opened yet another door through which Lucifer and
his minions can enter and corrupt men's souls." |
| Demons can possess anything with a brain, including a chicken, a
human being, or a computer. |
| "Any PC built after 1985 has the storage capacity to
house an evil spirit." |
| "...most of the youths involved in school
shootings like the tragedy at Columbine were computer
buffs...I have no doubt that computer demons exerted an influence
on them." |
| an estimated "...one in 10 computers in America now
houses
some type of evil spirit." 1 |
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| Rammstein rock group: On 1999-OCT-28, Johanna Michaelsen was interviewed on the
700 Club -- a program on the Christian Broadcast Network. 2
She said that one can detect occultic or demonic
influences in most of the school shootings. She said that the German
Group Ramstein [sic] was deadly influence on the mass
murderers at Columbine. Rammstein is a rock band that combines
elements of industrial rock, heavy metal and prog-rock. One band
member, Till Lindemann, explained that their lyrics deal with "love
in all its shapes and variations." Flake said "They are
completely normal, romantic lyrics." The band is known for
its impressive pyrotechnics while on stage. They have been accused by
the German media of being Nazis and fascists. But the association
appears weak. One source based this belief on Lindemann's
"rolling r's and Adolf Hitler's diction. Another thought that the
cover art for one of their albums looked vaguely Nazi like. It showed
the six members of the band without shirts against a backdrop of
yellow flowers. |
| Illicit teacher/student sex: Charles B. Edwards, a
pastor from Florence, SC, suggests that recent school violence may
have been triggered by sexual affairs between students and teachers.
He gives two examples of overpowering emotions that have been caused
by such liaisons. One woman destroyed her teaching career as a result
of a love affair with a male student. Another female teacher persuaded
her teenage lover to kill her husband. Edwards feels that perhaps
student-teacher sexual relationships may have generated emotions that
were sufficiently intense to cause youths to kill their fellow
students. 3 |
| Physical location of the school: Sollog is a
psychic who has been called the "Nostradamous of the 90's."
He started predicting in early 1995 that a series of major tragedies
would occur across "the heart of America."
4 That year, he wrote: "I shall draw a line of
tragedy across the heart of this evil nation. It is to show that my word must be obeyed!"
One end of the line is located about halfway up the coast of Oregon,
near Eugene OR. The other end passes close to Miami, FL. The line of tragedy passes
through Oregon, Idaho, Colorado, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi,
Alabama and Florida. Three school shootings are close to the line:
Springfield OR, Littleton CO, and Pearl MS. So are the Oklahoma City
Bombing, the Michael Kennedy accident, and what he calls the Jon Benet
Ramsey and Versache "sacrifices." Hope, AR is also
on the line; it is the birthplace of President Clinton. Some believe
that the Columbine disaster may have been caused by the close
proximity of the high school to the line of tragedy. If this is true,
then the population of Colorado Springs CO may have a real reason
concern; the line appears to go right through the city. Perhaps they
will be saved by the concentration of conservative Christian
ministries in that city. |
| Breakdown of the family, religious/philosophical beliefs, media-saturated
culture of death: Dr. James Dobson is founder and president of Focus on the
Family. He wrote a general letter shortly after the Columbine disaster.
5
He rejects the suggestions of some others that the availability of
guns or "southern
culture" were responsible for the tragedy. He blames school
tragedies on:
| Family breakdown: Some parents are insufficiently involved with
their teenagers. In some families, both parents work at full time
jobs. Some teens are being brought up in single-parent homes. |
| Many people are abandoning Christianity and adopting an
Atheistic belief system and believe in situational ethics. Social
institutions, like schools and courts, are becoming increasingly
secular. |
| American teenagers live in a "culture of death."
Movies, music, TV programs, news, and computer games are saturated
with violence, random killings, and death. |
Dr. Dobson recommends "prayer, sensitivity, and a renewed commitment to the
principles upon which this republic was founded."
Author's comment on Dr. Dobson's main points:
| All things being equal, teens fare better in two-parent homes than in one.
Parents with part time or no employment outside the home can spend more time with their
children. But indications are that the families of the two perpetrators at Littleton
"appear to have come from intact, respectable homes..."
5
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| We have not seen any data comparing the frequency of violent and/or criminal acts
committed by Atheists contrasted with Christians. We have see no data comparing illegal
acts by those who believe in relative instead of absolute truth. In recent years, we have
seen genocides in various countries; Atheistic Communists in Cambodia exterminated a large
portion of country's the population. Serbian Orthodox Christians had been slaughtering the ethnic Albanians in Kosovo for months before the
Littleton disaster. Dr. Dobson quoted a statement by Pat Buchanan's which seems to be an
attack on Atheism, New Age and situational ethics. We cannot see how attacks on religions minorities will lower the
level of hatred and violence in the country. |
| We share Dr. Dobson's concern for the violence in the media. But we wonder how
that can be reduced without giving up some freedom of speech - a freedom that Americans
value greatly. |
| We wonder if "the principles upon which this republic was founded" are
a better guide than current secular principles. In past centuries, Americans owned
slaves, prevented women from voting, prevented some inter-racial and African-American couples
from marrying, convicted gays and lesbians for doing what was natural to them and giving
them long prison sentences, prevented women from entering most professions,
segregated the races and maintained other social evils. |
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| New Age/The Occult/Paganism: Samuel Blumenfeld has
written many books on education, including a guide for parents who are
homeschooling. He has blamed the Columbine tragedy on Outcome-Based Education
(OBE). 6
The Littleton school system was selected as a trial location to
evaluate OBE in Colorado. Blumenfeld believes that the "moving spirit"
behind OBE is New Age philosophy. He writes: "American schools like Columbine High have been completely
paganized by educators who have adopted the occult philosophy of the [book] 'Aquarian
Conspiracy.' It is a philosophy in conflict with Judeo-Christian teachings, and it is a
philosophy that opens the door to satanism. It is impossible for a member of the Aquarian
Conspiracy to be indifferent to Christianity. He or she must oppose it, for Christianity
is based on absolute biblical principles that condemn pagans. And that is why the public
educrats are so adamantly opposed to any acknowledgment of the biblical God in the
schools." [He appears to view New Age philosophy, Paganism, and
Satanism as identical belief systems. His theory does have one major
weakness: Columbine High is not part of the Littleton school system]. |
| Freedom of religion: Pat Buchanan, a Republican
presidential candidate blamed the tragedy on excessive religious
freedom: "At Littleton yesterday,
America got a glimpse of the last stop on that train to hell she boarded decades ago when
we declared that God is dead, and that each of us is his or her own god who can make up
the rules as we go along." 7 |
| Admitting belief in God to a anti-religious terrorist:
Josh McDowell talked about the Columbine tragedy a "Right from Wrong counter- the- culture"
youth rally at the Central Baptist Church in Jonesboro, AR. He
recommended that born-again Christians go through the following
sequence when making moral decisions:
| Consider all of the options. |
| Compare each options with the nature of God (loving, just,
righteous, truthful). Select the option that represents God's way. |
| Commit to taking the option that matches God's way. |
| Count on God's blessing, protection, and provision. 8 |
McDowell linked the above procedure to Cassie Bernall, 17, a student at
Columbine High. One of the terrorists, wielding a shotgun, is alleged to
have asked a group of
students huddled under tables in fear, whether any believed in God. Cassie
considered the options, compared each with the attributes of God (one of
which is truth), and decided to tell the truth. She stood up, said that she
believed in God and was murdered on the spot. 9 (Although
this story has been widely circulated and believed, the actual facts of the
incident differ greatly). McDowell appears to recommend
this procedure, even if it, in effect, results in one's loss of life. He
feels that when a person is faced with a choice between martyrdom and not
volunteering the truth, they should choose death. |
| Cults: "M" sent a prayer request to the Prayer for
Onliners International Ministry (PFOIM) on 1999-MAY-6. She/he said that
the Lord had spoken to them directly. The prayer said, in part: "Pray that these cults (
trench coat mafia / those that call themselves Goth / Gothics / skinheads & klu-klux
clan) be broken up all across the nation...Pray that the evil ones [sic] power be broken
over the minds of our children, youth, parents and leaders..."
10 |
| Goths: "Orion" also sent a prayer request to
PFOIM on 1999-APR-28. He accused: "A diabolical cult...operating in secrecy... For
more info. use "search" and type in: "Goth, Gothic." I could feel the
evil forces at work... IT IS DANGEROUS MATERIAL TO THE MENTAL WELL BEING OF ANYONE
INDULDGING [sic] IN THESE FANTICIES [sic]...It is conducive to depression, preoccupied
with death, bats, vampirism, and all manner of satanic influence... It is clear that out
of this terrible event, God chose to expose the works of darkness, allowing us to see the
enemies [sic] operation." |
| Workings of Satan: "Teri" also sent a prayer
request to PFOIM on 1999-MAY-8. It said in part: "Thank You Lord for the revival that has begun in
Littleton,Colorado! Once again, something the enemy meant for bad You are turning around!" |
- The original Internet link is no longer available. However, comments
on the original article are available at:
http://www.sojo.net/sojomail/index
- "Johanna Michaelsen, 700 Club interview," 1999-OCT-28 at:
http://www.cbn.org/the700club/johannamichaelsen.asp
- Charles B Edwards, "A serious question we need to ask ourselves. Is illicit sex
involved in the recent school violence?," Partners in Prayer, at: http://www.charlesbryantedwards.com/Renomad.htm
- "More events land on Net Psychic's strange Predicted 'Line',"
at: http://www.newpower.org/xnews/99/04/299.shtml
- James Dobson, "Dr. Dobson Responds to the Shooting at Columbine High School,"
Focus on the Family monthly letter, 1999-APR-26. Published at: http://fountaingateway.com/newsupdtmkd.htm
- S.L. Blumenfeld, "Columbine High and New Age philosophy,"
WorldNetDaily.com. See: http://millennium.fortunecity
- Justin Torres, "Leaders call for prayer for Littleton,"
Conservative News Service (CNS) at: http://www.conservativenews.net/InDepth/archive/199904
- Josh McDowell, "Josh McDowell Answers Youth, Part 1,"
special program on American Family Radio. Audio available at: http://www.afr.net/
- Misty Bernall, "She said yes: The unlikely martyrdom of Cassie
Bernall," Pocket Books, (2000). Read
reviews or order this book safely from Amazon.com online book store
- Prayer request at Prayer for Onliners International Ministry (PFOIM)
at:
http://www.pfoim.org/prayer/prayer.html
Copyright © 1999 to 2006 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Originally written: 1999-JUN
Latest update: 2006-JUL-25
Author: B.A. Robinson
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