2019-09-02-About Mass Shootings or Evil Sprees

Session

• São Carlos — SP, Brazil

Lesson

Teacher Prolotheos: “Our subject today is: ‘Motives for Evil Sprees’, a general way to refer to the increasing occurrences of Mass Shootings, especially in the US. Mass shootings were preceded in your world by the acts of terrorism. Terrorism and mass shootings are similar in modus operandi; they both have innocent people as potential targets. Terrorism is a war on a small scale, which tries to maximize its offensive by killing innocent civilians to shock and intimidate the enemy. Terrorism is mostly conducted by groups of people, adepts of a religion or ideology, but mass shootings are usually perpetrated by lone individuals and with motivation not always ideological or religious. Sure, this violence exponentiation typical of your country’s day and age has its roots in social, political and religious dissatisfaction and misrepresentation, but when we focus on the individual, we may see three main factors for the mass shootings, among others.

1. Mental Dysfunction

Mental Illness, understood as a result from both, physical (brain, neurological) and psychological (co-ordination) damage or abnormality may affect an individual's personality so as to turn him or her susceptible to committing non-sense acts of violence like mass murders. However, it is not an excuse from the responsibility for the evil done. It's the morality of the individual's decision that counts. Purpose gives consciousness and responsibility and mass murderers are, no doubt, purpose-driven individuals. Parents, family, society, and the government must create effective means for being able to early-detect individuals with mental illness and prevent their access to resources (firearms, guns, weapons in general) that may be used to cause injury, even death, as it happens in mass shootings.

2. Misplaced Loyalties

“You may be loyal to a person, to values, as well as to a cause. Many of the mass murders in your country and violence sprees anywhere in the world have to do with misplaced loyalties. Loyalty is a personal allegiance given to somebody or something. It should be offered to people and causes that are worthy of honor. But too often on this turning of the century on your planet, loyalties have been misplaced and they became main drives for mass evildoing. Religion, morality, and decency had their values confused, inverted or replaced. In the name of God, heroes, and ideologies individuals have killed innocent people. To address this situation it is necessary to focus on education: the teaching of genuine religion, worthy causes, and honorable values. And your country should make this, not only for children but for all of society and rather urgently.

3. Existential Detachment

“Human beings, consciously or no, have a tremendous need to feel to belong, be it through a family, group of friends, a community, a job, a religion, a cult – something that the individual may belong to and feel integrated with. The breaking of family ties, the greedy manipulation of people by organizations and corporations, the government’s inefficiency, and the deceiving discourse by religionists make this sensation of belonging increasingly elusive. On losing existential attachment, the individual may lose the reason for really caring and soon may start to lash out at others about his or her miseries and frustrations through diverse manners and with increasing violence. Indeed, some reach the point where mass murder is a perfectly acceptable way to punish a society that seemingly doesn’t care for its members. Strong family ties, healthy group relationships, and caring faith communities must be valued and encouraged with deference by all and at all times if Urantia, and particularly your country, wants to overcome the evil spree of mass shootings of the last decades.

Closing

“Therefore, my pupil, mass shootings may be classified as a consequence and reaction. It is an indication that society is sick or stressed and needs therapy. However, it needs to be treated by the initiative of the very patient, by sponsoring truly meaningful relationships, worthy causes, and efficient solutions. I am your celestial teacher and tutor, Prolotheos. Peace.”