This is an opinion piece based in history. We hear the term 'American exceptionalism', or that America doesn't fit the mould of other nations; that it is different. In the matter of mass shootings it is different. Where a nation is today, comes from the foundation and trajectory at the beginning.

Then said Jesus unto him (Peter), Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. (Matthew 26:52)

America was founded in a fervour of fragmenting religious zealotry, in rejection of orthodoxy and the bloody gun-carrying revolution for the 'rights of the Englishman'.

Religious Zealots

It is not a hidden fact that the Mayflower of 1620 contained Puritans too religiously radical to fit into the British social order: they left England to be totally free to practise their religion. We can't think of any other nation founded in such a way, with a national feast called 'Thanksgiving'. It didn't stop there, as subsequent waves brought every sort of extreme and fundamentalist religious persuasion. Some early groups were: Maryland was founded in 1634 as a refuge for Catholics, who were persecuted in England in the 17th century. In 1681, William Penn began a Quaker colony in the land that was later named after him: Pennsylvania.. In 1685, 14,000 Huguenots who were persecuted in France also joined the growing English colonies. teacher.scholastic.com Even today, for example, active Quakers, Mennonites and Amish are not found in Europe but in America.

European Origins: taking up arms for religious freedom

America's foundation came in reaction to a European context which, after the reformation, endured the blood-shed of religious wars due to state religions. Due to the dominance of the Roman Empire, Europe as it emerged into nations inherited Roman Christianity as their state religions with all civil and religious authority vested in the monarchies who were given authority by the Church. Once the pagans were converted, any dissent was increasingly strangled as treason, even to the decimation of populations and for 1260 years Europe was in the Dark Ages.

In Poland, at the fringes, where there were many Jews, something radical occurred from the 1500s; there came to exist tolerance of dissent, and learning increased. People moved there from other parts of Europe to be free, two of note were Italians Lelio (1525-62) and Fausto Sozzini (1539-1604) who set out the principle of obedience to the state's laws, yet with an intellectual separation from state and conscientious objection, including objection to being drafted into state armies: the obedient relation of the believer to the state became a distinct position of "Socinianism" (Wikipedia). The Reformation led to various denominations emerging from various religious leaders challenging various doctrines of the catholic church, of which the Lutheran was dominant becoming a dominant state religion. Many of that time took up arms for religious freedom, the most notable being the French Huguenots who began in 1525, the most famous being John Calvin. Britannica notes The Huguenot leaders signed at Orleans (April 11, 1562) the manifesto in which, having declared their loyalty to the crown, they stated that as good and loyal subjects they were driven to take up arms for liberty of conscience on behalf of the persecuted saints. . the Huguenots after forty years of strife obtained by their constancy the promulgation of the Edict of Nantes (April 13, 1598), the charter of religion and political freedom. Huguenots had ceased to exist as a political party and, in the assurance that liberty of conscience would be accorded to them, showed themselves loyal subjects. On the death of Louis XIII., the declaration of the 8th of July 1643 had guaranteed to the Protestants “free and unrestricted exercise of their religion,” thus confirming the Edict of Nantes. The Roman Catholic clergy had never accepted the Edict of Nantes, and all their efforts were directed to obtaining its revocation. on.. 18th of October 1685. en.wikisource.org 400,000 French Huguenots fled France. The counter reformation saw Catholic Europe take up arms and fight Protestant Europe, though in detail political aims of prince-lings, leader of city-states and other national struggles played a key role. In a war, leaders don't wish men to freely refuse to serve in the army for Christ's sake, and so the wars entrenched the idea of religious dissent being treason. The counter reformation in Poland saw the end of conscientious objection and dissent there.

Though Europe politically divided on repressive religious lines, there was still some areas where those of different religions had to live together, including in France, which allowed some dissent between eras of repression. In France after the revolution of 1787 The Declaration of the Rights of Man affirmed the liberty of religion, though in practice it was not fully upheld. In addition the ideals of conscientious objection of the Socinians had spread with the aid of the printing press in Europe and to a greater extent in Britain where there came to be more freedom. Henry VIII had rebelled from Rome, and an expanding Britain into Scotland had pragmatically had to come to an uneasy tolerance due to its inability to stamp out Catholicism. The arrival of Unitarianism, Calvanism, Huguenots and Puritans wishing to reform the State Church to greater and lesser degrees, combined with the freedom of printing presses led to considerable dissent including the emergence of the Baptists and Presbyterians.

Rights of the Englishman & the gun

The most dramatic outcome of the dissent and new thinking in Britain was the emergence of the Commonwealth of England and Cromwell's Republic (1653-1658), where Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658) who became a Puritan in the 1630's, established for a few short years tolerance of all Protestant sects. The English Civil War was fought over whether the king and head of the Church had absolute divine right to rule or whether rule was through the parliament, resting on the 'rights of the Englishman' from the Magna Carta. In a decisive battle at Naseby, Northhamptonshire 1645 in a key strategy Muskets were used. Cromwell's “New Model Army sent a tiny force of dragoons to hide in the hedgerow near the King’s cavalry. They fired muskets at the Cavaliers.” englishhistory.net. These were the Musketeers. Though a modified Monarchy was restored after the death of Cromwell, people who had tasted such freedom on the basis of the 'rights of the Englishman' would not be chained. Then too there was the open door to a ship to America, to follow those who went on the Mayflower of 1620. America's early population growth was founded in the time of Cromwell's Republic, a time of war, guns, musketeers, and a time where the ideals of Republican rule by the people became mixed with religious freedom and the 'rights' of the Englishman.

Enlightment, Revolution & Gunpowder Joe comes to America

The ideals of individual intellectual endeavour, according to a search for truth according to conscience fed the Enlightenment. The Enlightenment led to advances in science. One of the great notable experimental scientists was Joseph Priestley (1733-1804), born in Yorkshire who exemplifies and inspired the ideals at the foundation of the American nation. Joseph Priestley is known for his work on electricity and gasses, and for being part of the intellectual advance of the Industrial revolution with Mathew Boulton and James Watt. He was not one to hide his dissenting unitarian beliefs in a corner, and being articulate wrote and had printed many pamphlets on religion, including arguing for freedom for religious dissent and revolution. Wikipedia in quoting his most influential work notes:

In 1785, while Priestley was engaged in a pamphlet war over Corruptions, he also published The Importance and Extent of Free Enquiry, claiming that the Reformation had not really reformed the church. In words that would boil over into a national debate, he challenged his readers to enact change: “Let us not, therefore, be discouraged, though, for the present, we should see no great number of churches professedly unitarian .... We are, as it were, laying gunpowder, grain by grain, under the old building of error and superstition, which a single spark may hereafter inflame, so as to produce an instantaneous explosion; in consequence of which that edifice, the erection of which has been the work of ages, may be overturned in a moment, and so effectually as that the same foundation can never be built upon again.”

Priestley strongly advocated to William Pitt that parliament give equal 'rights' to dissenters. These ideas contributed to the 1787 French Revolution, and in reaction in fear for such a revolution in England, Priestley was derided as "Gunpowder Joe". There was a mob riot against him in 1791 which destroyed his meeting-house, house and science workshop which forced him and his family to flee Birmingham. The French were grateful to Priestley's influence in their revolution and in 1792 the National Convention made Priestley a French citizen, even electing him to the National Convention (literally fulfilling Revelation 11:12). However not being fluent in French and the conflict between Britain and France saw the Priestleys move instead to America in 1793, where he was welcomed as a hero and inspirer of the America Revolution of 1776, and settled in Pennsylvania.

There was no evidence ''Gunpowder Joe' Priestley ever would have taken up a gun or recommend others to do so. His idea was that the education of all minds against clerics (religious experts who controlled thinking) would lead to the revolution in thinking that would cast out superstition; his pen was was a mighty revolutionary sword. His words inspired the American Declaration of Independence and the principles of the Constitution.

Priestley’s writings in the late 1760s and early 1770s had foreshadowed the language the Founding Fathers were to use in 1776. Priestley’s Essay on the First Principles of Government, published in 1768, began by asserting the fundamental axiom of the Enlightenment that knowledge is the key to progress: ‘Whatever was the beginning of this world, the end will be glorious and paradisical, beyond what our imaginations can now conceive.’ The role of government was to assist ‘this progress of the human species towards this glorious state.’ His pamphlet was devoted to the examination of the ‘fundamental principles’ of government and to a consideration of ‘what is most conducive to the happiness of mankind at present, and most favourable to the increase of it in futurity.’ www.historytoday.com

There is no doubt whatsoever that the key American Founding fathers were aware of this. Gregg L Frazer’s The Religious Beliefs of America's Founders: Reason, Revelation, Revolution concludes Joseph Priestley’s influence on the founding fathers was significant. Benjamin Franklin and Richard Price were a close friends and collaborators. When John Adams writes to Rush in 1812 Priestley is mentioned first “the great Men of the Age!” “Priestley, Price, Franklin, Burke, Fox, Pitt, Mansfield, Cambden, Jefferson, Madison..” increasinglearning.com

Adams and Jefferson referred to Priestley 52 times (to Franklin only five times and to Washington only three) in the famous exchange of letters at the ends of their lives.smithsonianmag.com

Announcing his arrival in New York in June 1794, liberal newspapers rejoiced that "the land of freedom and independence" had become the asylum of great characters "who have been persecuted in Europe merely because they have defended the rights of enslaved nations." americanhistory.si.edu

The thinking of the American Revolution, shows both the heritage of Cromwell and of Priestley who wrote in effect that each individual should not be oppressed and be able to work out their salvation free from priests or government telling them what to think or do. “The Continental Congress declared King George a tyrant who trampled the colonists' rights as Englishmen, and they declared the colonies free and independent states on July 2, 1776. The Patriot leadership professed the political philosophies of liberalism and republicanism to reject monarchy and aristocracy, and they proclaimed that all men are created equal.” Wikipedia.

American Independence: guns used to win rights

The ideals of the Rights of the Englishman in theory need not have been achieved with guns and force of war. The American colonialist Patriots sought reform first by protest. But no reform came from Britain, rather a revocation of the freedoms they already had.

Then we have a key act that triggers the events that lead to the founding of the independent nation of America and it is about the gun. Wikipedia “Massachusetts was declared in a state of rebellion in February 1775 and the British garrison received orders to disarm the rebels and arrest their leaders, leading to the Battles of Lexington and Concord on 19 April 1775.” This begins the Revolutionary War where guns, improved from the days of Cromwell, were used. In the famous pictures of the revolutionary war every man has a gun. None of them were Quakers. American patriot fought American loyalist. There is some more information about how events began:

Patriots had begun to amass caches of weapons as tensions grew in the months leading up to the Battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775, seizing British arms from royal storehouses, provincial magazines and supply ships. At the beginning of the Revolution, the army relied on soldiers to bring weapons from home, including hunting guns, militia arms and outdated martial weapons from the French and Indian War. americanrevolutioninstitute.org

Thus the American Patriot war of revolution began with ordinary men, not soldiers, who had a weapon at home. Before and after the French and Indian wars, there is a history of American settlers being trained to fight to defend themsleves with guns.

At the conclusion of the French and Indian war, most of the "red coats" were redeployed to England. The American colonists were on their own except for pockets of British troops clustered in urban areas, and in a few scattered outposts on the western frontier.

The frontier and the Indian populations were only several days ride from coastal towns. The existence of militia for self defense was an answer to potential danger.

The colonials had a history of self help. Going back to the Jamestown settlement and Puritan Plymouth, they organized supervised military training to meet threats. Captains James Smith and Myles Standish were paid to impart their military experience to the settlers. As early as 1607, Jamestown settlers were receiving military instruction.”www.history-of-american-wars.com

The accuracy in the skill of shooting a gun was crucial against an attack by Indians with arrows. Thus we can imagine it, settlers who would not by choice as a career go into an army, were trained to be brilliant shots. The Revolutionary War brought improvements to gun warfare and the Rifle (tooled bore) with a faster bullet (though not faster loading), which allowed a sniper from the trees which were plentiful to 'pick off the British officers behind their own lines'. All the elements of the later trajectory for the role of guns in America were found from the foundation of the nation. The ordinary people were self reliant and armed, they feared that rights would be taken away and the people would be disarmed.

Ardent Independent to Discontented Loners

Added to the gun in defensive self-reliance, is a belief that everyone has the right to think for themselves and the right to cast off oppression in the land of “freedom and independence.” Then also the people who were attracted to the freedom were not only diverse from each other in their thinking, but in many cases were more fervently convinced of their own views than the populations they came from. Trouble makers and thinkers left for America. Adams writes to Jefferson in 1794

This Country is becoming the Assylum of all the ardent Spirits in Europe.

Timothy Pickering then has cause to write to Adams in 1799.

By Mr. Hall’s information, Cooper was a Barrister in England, and like Dr. Priestley a chymist, and a warm opposition man. Dr. Priestley was at the democratic assembly on the 4th of July, at Northumberland. But what is of most consequence, and demonstrates the Doctor’s want of decency—being an alien—his discontented and turbulent spirit, that will never be quiet under the freest government on earth, is “his industry in getting Mr. Cooper’s address printed in hand-bills and distributed.” This, Mr. Hall adds, “is a circumstance capable of the fullest proof.” Cooper, has taken care to get himself admitted to citizenship: I am sorry for it: for those who are desirous of maintaining our internal tranquillity must wish them both removed from the U. States. www.increasinglearning.com

One can see immediately the issue is that ardent, discontented and turbulent spirits do not contribute to 'Internal tranquillity'. They print incendiary divisive pamphlets.

Joe Biden in 1976 after 200 years from 1776 at Jefferson-Jackson Dinner in Boise, Idaho as Senator from Delaware said as reported in the Washington Examiner:

“I told you about my view that the uniqueness of America didn’t lie in the fact that we’re a great melting pot. We hear that all the time, about it being black and white, rich and poor, Christian and Jew - therefore we’re strong. I told you then, I thought that was a bunch of poppycock. The fact we are black and white doesn’t bring us together as a nation. The fact that we’re Christian and Jew doesn’t send us running into one another's embrace to herald our differences. The fact is that people fear differences. The fact that the reason this nation is able to be the most heterogeneous nation in the history of mankind is not because it’s a melting pot. It’s because unlike any other nation in the world, we are uniquely a product of our political institutions. If France tomorrow, for example, were to turn in a monarchy, I told you, I did not believe that France would substantively change. Because in France there’s an ethnicity that binds them together, a cultural tie. You don’t have that in America.” foxnews.com

Those divisions Biden lists don't even hope to capture the exceedingly great extremes in views in America from secular to fanatical Christians and Christians and Jews and Jews to the newer imports from the violently fragmented Islamic world, or the huge diversity of opinion and culture in those of African background which traverses from the very poor to the obscenely rich, or indeed the cultural divides in those from varied European backgrounds that never integrated and still after 2 and 3 generations are Irish, Italian or Greek Americans, Irish, Italian and Greek being their first identity. Americans are free to be independent, to reject being 'melted' together, and free in principle to think and say what they wish. As Biden pointed out people fear difference, and many are fiercely independent have never bonded with neighbours they have no genetic history in common with. They may also own and be expert using a gun for personal defence. It takes only one step from an independent ardent spirit to a discontented spirit and one step from using a gun fear in defence to using the gun to remove a perceived threat.

Responsibility? Conscience in Service to God

The other side of such freedom given in 'rights' for independence of action, is taking responsibility. This is less well dealt with in the American founding and trajectory of growth. In fighting for freedom from the oppression of thought from leaders in church and state to serve God according to conscience, it was forgotten that this freedom was so they may more rightly be a servant to God. Let's pull that out. The freedom that those of the Reformation and the Founding Fathers of America sought was not so people could do all they wished, but that they might use their full capacity to be a servant to God in the way they personally understood God was asking, according to conscience. Conscience is the voice of responsibly to a Greater Power.

For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he bears not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that does evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. (Romans 13:3-5)

The Gun and the Sword: freedom of the Servants

We began with Christ's words to not take the sword. No true Christian will. Notice Paul says to the Roman Christians that the then pagan rulers bear the sword. Christ then tells his true servants of persecution:

He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. (Revelation 13:10)

Christ requires his disciples to personally refrain from taking up arms, they are to seek their God as defender and shield and wait for their God to revenge and repay (Nahum 1:2, Rom. 12:19 & 13:4). Yet during this time of persecution of the two witnesses of 1260 years of the Dark Ages there were others who would fight with bloodshed for the their rights to serve God according to conscience and defend them and revenge them. A cannon has a 'mouth' fire proceeds from, as also has a gun.

I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. (Revelation 11:3-6)

The 'waters' refer to shipping, the 'blood' referring to naval battles and the 'earth' to Europe, which saw disasters and no peace until the dissenters left for other places, or some freedom was given.

Let us consider that with the taking up of the guns of ordinary men in America, the power of the church and state globally was reduced. Though preceding the French Revolution, the American Revolution completed its work in the modern world. With the rise of American influence and power from the time of the Industrial Revolution, the Household of God in exile as strangers and pilgrims might worship freely according to conscience. The ironically named Joseph adding Priest-ly arguing against the restrictive authority of priests who in pride and ignorance only taught error, is asked 'to come up hither' in France's Revolution to take power in the political 'heavens', from whence he proceeds directly to America, a nation, unlike other nations, who gave glory to the God of Heaven. Whereas Huguenots may be hard to find holding power in France, and yet being a tiny fraction of the influx to America, not less than 8 and possibly 21 American presidents disproportionally were from Huguenots, obtaining power in the political 'heavens' after the political' earthquake' of the French Revolution.

And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them (the witnesses, see context), and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, “Come up hither.” And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven. (Revelation 11:11-13)

Why so much American gun violence now?

The great privilege (as all 'rights' are privileges) of the freedom for the ardent Godly spirit in the search for truth in light with the protection of the fire of the gun, when not given to the Glory to God, turns into the evil of a discontented and turbulent spirit – with the fire of a gun that proceeds from their mouth. If people forget the altrusim of Christ, remembering only the bloodshed of the beginning and glorifying that in movies and video games, then their own way, turns and, comes upon them, as judgement.

sith thou hast not hated blood, even blood shall pursue thee. (Ezekiel 35:6)

Saul had the Spirit of God, and when his heart was lifted up in pride and he departed from God it turned to an evil spirit, from God (I Sam 16:14). Everything is possibly of God's judgement, even what may seem random violence. As error abounds in pride so also does oppression. The true servant seeking the refuge of God is always protected for their eternal good. Let us consider the principles set out:

As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. (1Samuel 24:13)

He bears not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that does evil. (Romans 13:3-5)

The only Right: The choice for Serving God

God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: (Acts 17:24-27)

For 1260 years God allowed, perhaps even appointed, deadly oppression to make a special people. In the face of the elevation of error in high places and oppression, some truly precious people chose eternal life over promotion in this life. At the same time God's natural witnesses, the natural descendents of Israel, who held onto their covenant also endured evil of oppression and persecution. There is no true freedom except the God-given will to choose which bondage: what we serve and are slave to. People have always had that freedom of choice, if they think and seek and find.

See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; (Deut 30:15)
Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? (Romans 6:16)

Sometimes in an evil age of oppression, people had to choose to pursue the search for truth in secret and put one's life at risk, but then again people also jump off cliffs and out of planes, by choice. It turns out all choices and actions have a risk. In the so-called age of 'freedom' there may well be less people thinking to choose. In the age of rights and of choice, what do you choose?

I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. (Luke 12:4-5)

For more in depth : Woe to the Land shadowing with Wings America in Prophecy

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