Gun Violence in the U.S.

A Resolution of the General Board of Global Ministries, approved by the 1996 General Conference

Gun violence around the world is a growing menace, particularly in the United States. Today, deaths and assaults involving guns of all kinds have reached devastatingly high levels. The Centers for Disease Control and the New England Journal of Medicine have declared this crisis one of "epidemic proportions." A severe health crisis is created in many communities as the physical and psychological health of innumerable urban and rural families is impacted by gun violence.

Gun violence is a deep concern to The United Methodist Church and the community of faith whose members are called to a vision of a peaceable kingdom, a society in which God's justice reigns, where reconciliation replaces alienation, where an open hand and a turned cheek replaces retaliation, where love of enemy is as important as love of neighbor. The religious community must also take seriously the risk of idolatry that could result from an unwarranted fascination with guns and that overlooks or ignores the social consequences of their misuse. The United Methodist Church regards effective gun control and regulation to be a spiritual concern and public responsibility.

Working as an instrument of reconciliation, The United Methodist Church is among those religious communions calling for social policies and personal lifestyles that bring an end to senseless gun violence. The United States might well learn from the experience of other societies where stringent gun-control laws are enforced. The gun murder rate per 100,000 population in the United States is 100 times greater than in England and Wales, where strict gun laws prevail; it is 200 times greater than in Japan, where it is impossible for the public to secure handguns legally. In the United States, more than 30,000 men, women, and children are shot to death in homicides, suicides, and accidents annually. This does not take into account the approximately 250,000 people suffering injuries costing the society over $24 billion each year. Over three quarters of these medical expenses are paid for with public tax dollars that could be used for community development and to aid those in need.

Behind the statistics often lies great tragedy: Children and teachers are being shot in school; depressed persons are taking their lives with guns; persons who purchase guns to protect their home often end up using them to kill a loved one; and police officers are being gunned down in increasing numbers in the course of duty.

As Christians who are deeply concerned about human life, we must do something about the unregulated and unnecessary access to guns.

Although there is vigorous debate over the meaning of the Second Amendment to the Constitution, which speaks to the right to keep and bear arms, the United States Supreme Court and lower federal courts have held that the private ownership of guns is not protected by the Second Amendment.

Most gun-related deaths and injuries in the United States are by handguns originally acquired for personal protection, target shooting, gun collections, and hunting. Some are by shotguns and rifles most often acquired for legitimate sporting or collecting. An increasing number of deaths and injuries are by semiautomatic and automatic guns, often referred to as assault weapons, developed for wartime purposes. The futility of these weapons far outweighs the utility.

In spite of the purpose for which guns are acquired, deaths and injuries resulting from their use contribute significantly to the atmosphere of violence, fear, and alienation that is a daily part of life in the United States today. There are over 65 million (estimated) handguns and 135 million rifles in the United States-nearly one gun for each man, woman, and child. While guns are not the sole cause of violence, their ready availability for purchase, easy accessibility to children, and convenient access to those contemplating criminal activity or suicide make gun violence a monumental social problem. We believe that the time has come for all nations to move toward a less violent and more civilized society.

As people of faith, we recognize the inherent goodness of all creation. We firmly believe in God as the giver and sustainer of all life. We also recognize that the ultimate purpose of creation is to reveal God's reign of justice and peace. The biblical admonition to choose life instead of death sets the tone for all human activity: "I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live" (Deuteronomy 30:19). Our focus must not lose the vision of transformation given to us in Micah to beat our swords into plowshares and our spears into pruning hooks (Micah 4:3). Therefore, The United Methodist Church:

1. Declares its support for meaningful and effective federal legislation to regulate the importation, manufacturing, sale, and possession of guns and ammunition by the general public. Such legislation should include provisions for the registration and licensing of gun purchasers and owners, appropriate background investigation and waiting periods prior to gun purchase, and regulation of subsequent sale;
2. Calls upon the United States government to establish a national ban on the importation, manufacture, sale, and possession of handguns and handgun ammunition, with reasonable limited exceptions. Such exceptions should be restricted to: the police, the military, licensed security guards, antique dealers who maintain guns in unfireable condition, and licensed pistol clubs where firearms are kept on the premises under secure conditions. Those who comply with the law and turn in their guns should be compensated at fair value through a cash payment or tax credit;
3. Opposes the licensing of individuals to carry concealed weapons. Special controls should be applied to the handgun, for it is the most deadly and least utilitarian weapon in American society. Because the handgun is concealable, it is the weapon of crime; because the handgun is available, it is the instrument used in suicides and crimes of passion;
4. Calls for the continuation and strengthening of the federal ban on the sale and possession of assault weapons;
5. Supports the outlawing of the production and sales of automatic weapon conversion kits, as well as the production of guns that cannot be detected by traditionally used metal-detection devices;
6. Calls upon the United States government to establish product protection laws and regulate guns through the Consumer Protection Agency;
7. Calls upon the print, broadcasting, and electronic media, as well as the entertainment industry, to refrain from promoting gun usage to children;
8. Discourages the graphic depiction and glorification of violence by the entertainment industry, which greatly influences our society, and recommends that these issues be addressed through education and consciousness raising;
9. Calls on all United Methodists who are members of gun clubs and associations to use their influence to help expand gun education and safety programs. These individuals should also enter into dialogue with their clubs and associations to establish responsible and safe gun regulations, and to build a safer and less violent society;
10. Calls for all church properties and facilities to be designated as "No Gun Zones" and to prohibit guns from being carried onto the premises;
11. Calls upon the federal and state governments to provide significant assistance to victims of gun violence and their families; and
12. Recommends that annual conferences make visible public witness to the sin of gun violence and to the hope of community healing.

A resolution submitted by the General Board of Global Ministries and approved by the 1996 General Conference. It is copyright © 1996 The United Methodist Publishing House. All rights reserved. Used by Permission.