Millions of Americans are wondering this morning about how an Army psychiatrist could have such a twisted and undetected anger to the point of murdering 13 fellow soldiers and attempting to murder many dozens more.
The person who had been assigned to help soldiers cope with violence-related stress instead became a mass murderer of soldiers who were minding their own business.
This is beyond bizarre.
Much more explanatory information will come out in the days ahead as investigators sort out what happened and what contributed to this carnage at Fort Hood, Texas.
There apparently were a number of indicators that this Army major was a ticking time bomb. It’s just that nobody in positions of authority put the pieces of the puzzle together before it was too late and bullets started flying.
With all the profiling technology and protocols in place to protect our nation from terrorism — domestic or international — it is hard to believe that this troubled psychiatrist didn’t appear on the radar screen of potential threats.
But who would have thought that this tragedy would be prompted from “within the camp?”
I’m in no position to judge the level of Army efforts to prevent such events. How can I presume that I would have seen this coming if I had been the supervisor for this assailant?
That’s why, regarding this event, it is best that I focus on praying for the recovery of the wounded and for the comfort of grieving relatives of those killed.
I can derive some long-term, beneficial lessons from this tragedy, however.
Lesson #1 — Character, not intelligence, is the compass for behavior.
The reported shooter is extremely intelligent and highly educated. He also knows in intricate detail the intellectual and emotional processes that prompt people to make good or bad choices. His job was to talk with people so that they wouldn’t have mental or emotional meltdowns that cost themselves or others.
Simply stated, one of his primary purposes in the Army was to prevent the occurrence of what he did himself.
He had plenty of information to prepare him for proper service to his fellow soldiers and to his country.
He did not have the character, though, to honor his oath and to protect those who risked death overseas in order to protect him in the U.S.
Lesson #2 — Displaced anger always punishes innocent people.
The reported shooter is said to have detested the idea of our nation’s military involvement in Iraq. He is said to have declared that his nationality was Palestinean even though he was born and raised in the U.S. A number of radical, anti-U.S. postings by him on the Internet are alleged.
In addition, he reportedly had sought exclusion from an upcoming deployment to Iraq and was angry at not getting his way.
Clearly, this shooter is depicted as one filled with anger.
When hatred screams louder than the voice of reason, the arrow of logic directed toward correcting specific concerns is replaced with the hand gernade of explosive rage that lusts to pridefully punish indiscriminately so as to make a statement.
Lesson #3 — Anybody can snap.
The Apostle Paul started life as a good boy, I’m sure.
The character and compassion he had for others was not invented by God after Paul’s conversion. Instead, the vital characteristics were restored to their proper place when Paul’s hatred was dissolved by the blood of Jesus and the Living Water of the Word.
It’s just during the Pharisaic years that Paul — then named Saul — had snapped spiritually and mentally.
He lusted for the death of Christians and did all that he could to promote punishment of believers.
You know the story.
Thank God that Paul’s life ended up with a different story.
Never forget that anybody can snap.
Saul embraced hatred and his values snapped. People died as a result.
Saul embraced Jesus and his values were restored. People learned how to live eternally as a result.
Free will means that we can snap either way.
The Fort Hood shooter snapped the wrong way at some point.
I wonder what his thoughts were when he heard of the mass murder at Virginia Tech?
After all, the Fort Hood shooter is a graduate of Virginia Tech.
I imagine that he condemned the attack.
Two years later, he would do much the same.
Dear friend, pray that God reveal to you as to how your character can be shaped into a closer match with that of Christ.
Pray that the Holy Spirit reveal to you when you are storing anger rather than releasing it.
Pray that you always recall that all are sinners, all can be trapped by lies if not careful and all can do unthinkable things if they lose the “mind of Christ.”
Perhaps you won’t shoot people, but you might murder your marriage or torture your child’s psyche or unleash a spiritual suicide bomb by means of an outburst of hateful gossip at the workplace or extended family gathering.
The best way to protect yourself and others against the above? Philippians 4:8-9.
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”
As always, I love you
Martin
