Not again.

At a midnight showing of the new Batman movie a cowardly murderer entered the theater, threw out canisters of tear gas, and started shooting people. At the time I am writing this, at least 12 people are dead and as many as 50 were injured. It took place in my hometown of Aurora, Colorado, at the mall I near where I grew up. I have seen a number of movies there, even a few with Heidi. That was my stomping grounds and I still know that area well. It makes me sick to think about it.

Since I moved to MN for college, there have been a number of high profile mass murders in Colorado. The first was the Chuck E Cheese killings 1993, which was closest to me since my good friend Duane worked there and left work 20 or so minutes before it happened. The following summer two teenagers were killed during a robbery at the drive in theater blocks from my house. The music pastor at my family's church and his friend were brutally murdered in a case of mistaken identity in 1998. Columbine was less than a year later and then the YWAM and New Life Church shooting a couple years back. I just keep thinking "not again" every time something happens.

I am afraid that our society is becoming more violent every day and these incidents will just keep happening. Saying "not again" will just keep happening.

There are many reasons that our society has spiraled into violence and I will not get political here. The reasons are deeper than that. Our society's moral core is compromised. There is only one solution. We need Jesus. Only calling on Him and following His commands and giving up our selfish ways will bring about change. The solution is simple but not easy.

Now I need to take a deep breath, hug my boys a whole bunch when they wake up from their naps, and pray for Aurora, Colorado.