"Senseless"
／by Doreen Szeto
Senseless. That's what they've labeled the killings that occurred in high schools across America within the past decade. From Paducah to Springfield to Littleton, each act of violence committed by teenagers has brought doubt and fear into the hearts of people. We see the anger and insecurity behind these events that take the lives of innocent teenagers and adults. We question ourselves and our society to find reasons for these incidents. What has changed to compel these young people to seek to destroy others?
In kindergarten we learn the five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. What aspects of these senses does our society today reflect? We use our eyes to look out for others...to find ways to plot revenge. We open our ears to listen to others...their gossip, slander, and unwholesome talk. We inhale deeply the sweet aroma of sin that entices us into temptation. We savor the feelings of love...known better as lust, and we harbor envy in our hearts. We use our hands to pat others on the back...to find a spot to stick the knife.
In this context, "senseless" can be used to describe our society. We may have these five wrong "senses", yet we lack the most important: common sense. Moral sense. The sense of discerning right from wrong, then choosing what's right. I firmly believe that God is watching us from His throne and weeping for our lost generation. We have strayed from the ideals set forth in our nation's constitution. Thomas Jefferson described the Bible as the cornerstone for American liberty. George Washington in his Farewell Address said that "You can't have national morality apart from religious principle." Today, 150,000 kids carry guns to schools. In his song "America Again," Christian music artist Carman notes that "In the 40s and 50s, student problems were chewing gum and talking; in the 90s, rape and murder are the trend."
What are we teaching our children today? We certainly learn to appreciate people of all cultures and religious backgrounds. Yet in this time of supposed lack of racism and discrimination, why does hatred seem to surface more than ever? What has our media taught us, with the abundance of violence on the screen and the plethora of weapons easily available to kids young enough to access the internet? Abraham Lincoln noted that "the philosophy of the schoolroom in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next." The media has become a second teacher to many of our children. This step away from the truth of God into the secular attitudes of our society has truly hurt all of us, and will continue to do so unless we truly take steps to make a change.
The only solution I see to solving this widespread problem is to turn our eyes back to God, the foundation of all truth and peace. As a nation, we need to go back study the real senses again. To use our eyes to seek out those in need and help them. To use our ears to listen to the needs of others. To use our tongue to "taste and see that the Lord is good." To use our hands to put God's word into action. With God's help, we don't need to be a senseless society.
