The Catholics have guilt, and the Jews have relentless self-examination. What’s left for the modern Protestant stranded in plush suburbia?
The blues? Heck no. White folks (Stevie Ray Vaughn excepted) don’t get that at all. Scientology? Too expensive. Calvinism? Too retro. Those Robert Bly campouts? Really creepy.
If a life of quiet desperation seems a bit too literate and everybody’s tired of hearing about your sundry neuroses, what’s left to do? Turn that desire for self-flagellation inwards and express it in awkward and possibly dangerous ways!
This is not an advisable way to go about it. Pride may goeth before the fall, but it doesn’t make a very good bullseye. Jealosy and selfishness quite literally dodged the bullet, and despite making two appearances, laziness seems to have pretty good survival skills in today’s guilt- and bullet-ridden society. Unfortunately, the glory of God got winged pretty good at the bottom there.
I’m not sure what sort of proselytization was being attempted here, but it’s more than a bit unsettling in both concept and execution. Let’s hope tonight’s shooters find a more peaceful way of working out their inner demons.
(Whether or not Jews can get the blues in the standard manner is a matter for debate, but they do seem to get the general idea.)