A Lovely Christmas Carol Brought to You By America's Gun Culture

Want to know what's wrong with America?

We just had the largest mass shooting in modern American history in October. Then, we had the largest mass shooting in modern Texas history in November. And just days ago, we saw the grim, five-year anniversary of the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in New Town, Connecticut.

It is the holiday season, and many people would take exception to that phrase, because they feel that it suggests that there is a "war" on Christianity, and they implore us all to keep "Christ in Christmas."

And then, we have proud, patriotic Americans who really like this. Here is a video that I originally encountered from a high school classmate, and a woman. Just something that she found somewhere, and decided to share for the holidays, probably thinking it would be cute. Mind you, she did this while the United States is far and away the supposedly peacetime country with the most gun violence and gun deaths in the world, and again, with two of the biggest mass shootings in modern history having taken place just weeks ago in each case. Here is the video that she posted:

You know, some people were questioning whether there really was such a thing as "gun culture" in America.

But when you see this kind of extreme, lighthearted fixation on guns, without the counterbalance of people recognizing that guns are no joke, no laughing matter, and most certainly not "cute," and you see all of those pro-NRA bumper stickers and posters everywhere (and I live in one of the supposedly liberal  blue states!), and you see guns being celebrated in popular culture, from old westerns to modern shoot 'em up movies, and you know that, statistically, there is almost one gun per person in the United States, you cannot help but think that gun culture is all too real, and one of the main reasons that the world is increasingly viewing the United States as a basketcase nation right now. 

You know, I am not the most religious man in the world, although I do read and explore religious ideas and books and such.  

But I have to admit that, growing up, there was a certain hypocrisy among those who professed the their beliefs most aggressively. And while I have learned that these folks do not actually represent what religions are all about, it is also hard to completely discount their special brand of hypocrisy, as they shield themselves with claims of religiosity, while engaging in absurd, idiotic behavior that is completely irresponsible and uncharitable towards others. 

Was this part of the original Christmas spirit? Is this an acceptable tribute to Jesus?