Douglas Teegarden: Mental illness is but a symptom of the true cause of increasing violence

To The Daily Sun,

In light of the recent shooting in Minnesota, I hear a lot of people saying, "what is wrong with people these days?" "Why would someone do such a thing?" The answer varies depending on who one is talking to. Some say it's because of the guns. Others will say it's mental illness.

I don't believe it's the guns, because unless the gun is picked up and pointed by a person, the gun itself will just lie there doing nothing. Therefore, it must be the person holding the gun. That being said, is mental illness then to blame? Possibly. Personally, I believe mental illness is but a symptom of the true cause, which in my opinion is spiritual starvation. The lack of God in one's life.

Ephesians 6:12: For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

The lack of Bible-believing, God-fearing, and Jesus-serving people in the world now is the problem. These problems cannot be dealt with via politics, nor is mental therapy sufficient on its own. True followers of Christ do not commit this kind of evil against others.

Truly the safest place for all of us to be is in the center of God's will for each of us. Rhetorical prayer is not the answer. Rather true and honest conversation with our Creator achieves much more. John 3:5-7: Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’"

Douglas Teegarden

Laconia