We have been meditating on the gift that our Earth and Air and human existence is, a 13.8 billion year gift. Now, closer to home, we hear of human capacity not for praise but for murder. Not for celebration and thanks but for spreading fear and hate, trauma and horror.
Humans are capable of such joy and festivity-making, but also of such ugliness and evil-making.
On Saturday night, a 22-year-old gunman killed at least five people dancing at a LGBTQ+ club in Colorado Springs and injured another 25 people. He was subdued on the spot by two very brave individuals at the club and within three minutes police arrived en masse.
Clearly, more tragedy was averted, but of course the damage was done for the five people and their loved ones and the 25 injured and all who were there whose lives were changed forever. As one person working at the club put it, “I never thought this would happen to me and my bar. I don’t know what to do with myself. I can’t stop hearing the shots.”
The trauma will last for the people present a very long time and certainly forever for those who lost a loved one.
As so often is the case with mass shootings, the killer was a young man.
African spiritual teacher and ritual leader Malidoma Soma warned us that a society that lacks rites of passage for young men is practically inviting anger and violence which is, of course, an expression of untended anger.
When such a society is urged on by politicians and media that spew hate toward the “other” who is unlike oneself such as LGBTQ persons and trans-persons or people of color if one is Caucasian, and where guns are available on a regular basis, that society is asking for tragedies like this to happen.
After all, it was in Colorado that just recently a congresswoman was re-elected (though barely) who has accused LGBTQ supporters of “grooming” children and called family-friendly drag shows a “depravity.” As a congresswoman, Lauren Boebert sat down with a right wing extremist who exclaimed that gay people should be killed.
Nor is she alone. Her party has raised transgender hatred to a rabid political cause in the past year. Fifty transgender people were shot or killed by violent means in 2021—the highest total ever since tracking such hate crimes began in 2013. At least 32 have been murdered already this year.
Boebert did say in response to this massacre that “this lawless violence needs to end and end quickly” but she and we cannot forget that words have consequences.
Political messages carry consequences. Media that thinks only of its bottom line and thereby fuels hate and fear has consequences. Greed and capitalism without safeguards carries consequences.
See https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/11/20/clubq-colorado-springs shooting/
See Matthew Fox, Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul and Society, pp. 267-332.
To read the transcript of Matthew Fox’s video teaching, click HERE.
Banner Image: LGBTQ Ally flag. From FlagsForGood.com.
Queries for Contemplation
How are you dealing with the grief of this latest mass shooting news of hatred toward gay and lesbian and transgender peoples?
Recommended Reading
Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul and Society
Visionary theologian and best-selling author Matthew Fox offers a new theology of evil that fundamentally changes the traditional perception of good and evil and points the way to a more enlightened treatment of ourselves, one another, and all of nature. In comparing the Eastern tradition of the 7 chakras to the Western tradition of the 7 capital sins, Fox allows us to think creatively about our capacity for personal and institutional evil and what we can do about them.
“A scholarly masterpiece embodying a better vision and depth of perception far beyond the grasp of any one single science. A breath-taking analysis.” — Diarmuid O’Murchu, author of Quantum Theology: Spiritual Implications of the New Physics
9 thoughts on “<strong>Grief in Colorado Springs: The Latest Mass Shooting in America</strong>”
Thank you so much for so consistently and articulately speaking out about so many things and as in today’s meditation, gun violence. I read your meditations daily, have taken online courses with you, have read MANY of your books, respect and admire you for who you are and what you do. YOU are clearly an inspiration.
After all this time I finally decided to submit a comment!
Blessing to you and Happy Thanksgiving.
Matthew, You wrote that “we have been meditating on the gift that our Earth and Air and human existence is, a 13.8 billion year gift. Now, closer to home, we hear of human capacity not for praise but for murder. Not for celebration and thanks but for spreading fear and hate, trauma and horror.” And the evil that you are referring to is that on Saturday night, a 22-year-old gunman killed at least five people dancing at a LGBTQ+ club in Colorado Springs and injured another 25 people.” So what I see is gift vs fear, hate, trauma and horror; and praise vs murder. These are dualities, and we live in a world of dualities: up and down, good and evil, male and female, war and peace, sins of the spirit and blessings of the flesh, and I could go on and on. My point is as long as we live in a world where duality reigns supreme, we will never live in a world of Oneness–especially by giving our thoughts and feelings over to evil…
I just happened to hear Grayson Capps very moving folk song MAY WE LOVE. It seems relevant to the issues of young men, violence, war and religion raised by Matthew. A couple of quotes: “I’ll lay down my bible if you’ll lay down your gun” and “May we all breathe as One.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PMg8P6d7RA
I feel ill all over at this latest violence. It is the result not only of irresponsible and even hate speech from politicians but also their utter failure to get out from under the NRA bs and to show courage in banning assault rifles. I have three family members of the gay community, and for now they are relatively safe, one in San Francisco with his husband, one in the spiritualist community of Casadega in Florida, and one in New Hampshire–although no place is really safe. I have a friend here in Tallahassee with one gay daughter, one bi daughter, and 2 trans children, which is very risky here in Florida. We have no choice but to keep praying and be as active as possible against the gun lobby. And to hold one another as we grieve.
I am disgusted. In Portugal now for one month, traveling solo. As a woman I have felt safe. Safe for the first time I walk at night, feeling safe. A polite society, the Portuguese are respectful. No guns here, no death penalty. A Catholic culture, they do not have much. Media, Capitalism, materialism, consumerism all the isms are absent. I will move here. USA, I am embarrassed to say I am from here. Lina
Lina, I have some friends that made the same conclusion as you about Portugal… except they came back to the states, saying that where they were was just like California… Go figure ???
People want to belong and at times desperately belong to any group that will have them. If they see that the only group that recognizes, allows, promotes and encourages them to express their hate and anger, they will feel welcomed and join that group. And not so good, In fact terrible things will begin to manifest within them as a result.
Without relieving anyone of accountability for their actions, how do we recognize them on the fringes and hear their voices crying out before they join an unwanted faction or group? How do we recognize their fear and anger, yet give them an inclusive alternative to consider? And what is the inclusive alternative outside a total rejection and denial of the ground that they stand on? Are we not doing all a disservice when we do not really listen to the concerns of others, and just blatantly oppose without giving the other ‘a way out of the room’? There needs to be a ‘third way’ solution for all sides to prosper. The way of peace is not a war of sides, but a bringing together with a joint cause, a common purpose that can be shared by all. — BB.
Bill, Thank you for your comment–especially your thoughts as expressed here, regarding how we must treat the “Others”–“How do we recognize their fear and anger, yet give them an inclusive alternative to consider? And what is the inclusive alternative outside a total rejection and denial of the ground that they stand on? Are we not doing all a disservice when we do not really listen to the concerns of others, and just blatantly oppose without giving the other ‘a way out of the room’?” Let us think on these things…
I just watched an American Masters documentary honoring the legacy of Buffy Sainte-Marie, a singer-songwriter, social activist, and educator since the 60s. She was an early social activist of Indigenous peoples and brought awareness to much historical violence towards them up to the present time of high rates of murder, violence, and disappearance of Indigenous girls and women. The shadow side of American history includes violence and racism towards people of color, women, and people of different sexual orientations. Combined with a culture of gun ‘rights’ and ownership, and egocentric/patriarchal/materialistic values, we’re one of the most violent societies in the world! Even though there are a lot of good, intelligent, caring Americans, most Americans are not aware of this shadow side of American history and society, and in their souls. Our souls and humanity are still spiritually evolving in becoming more compassionate with ourselves, one another, and with Sacred Mother Nature in God’s Spirit of co-Creative Diverse Loving Oneness….
🔥💜🌎🙏