Matthew Murray, the gunman who is believed to have shot and killed four people in Colorado, appeared to have acted out of revenge against Christians, police officials indicated.
Authorities believe Murray, 24, posted an anti-Christian message online on Sunday – the day of the shootings – in a language almost identical to the text of a manifesto written by one of the Columbine killers, Eric Harris.
“You Christians brought this on yourselves,” Murray wrote, according to KUSA-TV in Denver. “Feel no remorse, no sense of shame, I don’t care if I live or die in the shoot-out. All I want to do is kill and injure as many of you … as I can especially Christians who are to blame for most of the problems in the world.”
Read about it here.
[From me]
This whole tragedy is just sad. I wonder if the hate crimes legislation will apply to this?
What do you think?
Yes,
since 1969 Christians, as a class, have been protected by Federal law 18 U.S.C. Sec. 245 and by Colorado C.R.S. 18-9-121.
Why would you even think it would not apply to Christians? We were among the first groups protected when hate crimes were expanded in the 60′s.
Kevin,
Of course.
It’s also an example of why Christians, as members of a protected group, should be tolerant of other groups who feel threatened and want hate-crime legislation to apply to them as well (recall our past discussion on this blog)
MIT,
Great work finding the citing.
As the two previous commenters have pointed out, of course.
Problem is the only people who I hear consistently raise objections to hate crimes legislation are religious conservatives. That might be a subjective judgment on my part, but it is based on just observing. I hope I’m not too far off base with that one.
Shouldn’t we (as Christians) who, by the way are Christians by choice and not born that way be lovingly protective of other groups who hare hated, vilified, and discriminated against?
Just a thought.
Of course, as others have said, this is definitely hate. On a related topic, it seems that there’s a spiritual component to it. This guy, and many others like him have such a hatred for Christianity and disregard for human life that it does make one consider the reality of demonic activity.
Yep, I’d say that’s hate speech. We recognize that, but the media and other groups will not.
Where did this “hatred for Christianity” come from? He was home schooled and apparently in a strong Evangelical family?
Yes it could be spiritual in nature, or maybe family dysfunction. Hard to tell at this early stage.
This guy was an enemy from within, not without.
Awful
I just keep remembering the words of the Apostle Paul, “and those who live godly in Christ Jesus SHALL suffer persecution” (emphasis mine).
While I am very saddened that such a horrible event would take place, I am not surprised.
May God have mercy on us…all of us.
My sense about this young man in Colorado is that he longed to be loved . A hole inside left unfilled. A hole I know only Jesus can fill. A hole that we as professing christians are charged to honestly, openly and unconditionally attend to.with The Love Christ . The Love He has poured into our innermost for the outflowing to others.
Unfortunately his need was unmet. Perhaps he rebelled against the mass of Pharissees standing at the door of untold numbers of christian churches everywhere.
Hate? I don’t think so. Unless in the statute a hate crime includes self loathing and self hate.
Yes It is a sad story.
His anger Love unfulfilled
Perhaps by family, friends,
Wasn’t Saul doing this in Acts 9 before his conversion?
Even if it is a hate crime, I’m not sure it’s worth the effort to prosecute the dead guy.