The Mass Shooting Thread

[MartyFunkhouser]

This feels like a public attempt to purchase cachet and/or goodwill. I suspect most people are not donating out of concern for the shooter's family or because they sympathize with their loss. Rather, they are donating because of the image this creates for members of the Church vis-a-vis mainstream Christianity. We just can't shake our desperation to be accepted, and we're willing to spend our own money in hopes that it will convince others that we're Christians. That said, doing good things for the wrong reasons is better than doing the wrong thing or not doing anything. Ultimately, turning the other cheek is always a positive, so I'm glad it's happening.

Sorry, it's cynical, but I can't deny that's what comes to mind with this campaign. If that makes me the most cynical person on this board, I'm fine with that.

Chris Rock turning the other cheek at the Oscars got us this line from Malice on the new Clipse album, so I agree.

Never turn the other cheek, you'll die at the Oscars

In fact, that whole verse by Malice on Ace Trumpets is great:

Penne alla vodka, Panama fishin' village
Visitin' with papa, with choppers
All of you imposter
Simply just Ferrari window shoppers
The one that I just ordered look like it was built by NASA
Over half a mill' we call focaccia, reachin' for acacia
Never leavin' home without my piece like I'm Mahatma
From the tribe of Judah, I'm Mufasa
Never turn the other cheek, you'll die at the Oscars
Persona non grata, mi casa su casa
Drugs killed my teen spirit, welcome to Nirvana
You was Fu-Gee-La-La, I was Alibaba
Dressed in House of Gucci, made from sellin' Lady Gaga
Hakuna Matata, island wearing tie-dye
Umbrella in my Rolls match the one that's in this Mai Tai
Listen, you are not I, cross T's, dot I's
I done disappeared and reappeared without a "Voila"

[Moliere]

Agreed.

Evangelicals love to hate on Mormons...but they love one thing more than that and that's money. I highly doubt they are contributing to the fund for the cynical reason you were wondering.

[BlueK]

I had similar thoughts. I wonder how the Gofundme accounts for families for the victims compare.

What I have experienced personally living outside of Utah is that Mainstream Christianity is almost all kind and respectful. It's a part of Evangelicalism that is not so much. We live down the street from a family where the dad is a Lutheran pastor. Great people and good friends. Their son and my 15 year old daughter are friends and we share rides getting the kids back and forth from school, band and softball/baseball practice. The other night the dad was asking my daughter about what she's learning in seminary and she said he was very supportive and respectful of it. I know some have experienced different things in Texas but I've lived in the DFW area for 30 years and have not really ever experienced the level of anti Mormon stuff I did when a teenager living in Sandy, Utah. I think times have also changed a bit since the 80s too.

[chrisrenrut]

This feels like a public attempt to purchase cachet and/or goodwill. I suspect most people are not donating out of concern for the shooter's family or because they sympathize with their loss. Rather, they are donating because of the image this creates for members of the Church vis-a-vis mainstream Christianity. We just can't shake our desperation to be accepted, and we're willing to spend our own money in hopes that it will convince others that we're Christians. That said, doing good things for the wrong reasons is better than doing the wrong thing or not doing anything. Ultimately, turning the other cheek is always a positive, so I'm glad it's happening.

Sorry, it's cynical, but I can't deny that's what comes to mind with this campaign. If that makes me the most cynical person on this board, I'm fine with that.

I had similar thoughts. I wonder how the Gofundme accounts for families for the victims compare.

[frank ryan]

A member of the church started a donation page for the family of the shooter.

https://www.givesendgo.com/helptheSanfordfamily

I love this response. Donated.

I think that's an awesome gesture

[Donuthole]

Yeah, that's even more cynical than pelado's take. Yeesh.

IMG_0942.jpeg

I mean, this just reeks of "watch me turn my cheek so hard, bro!".

[Jeff Lebowski]

You could have thrown in how horrible it is that a wealthy church sits back and let's their member's pony up when they have enough money to help all of these people. I have seen that response a few times on X already.

[Jeff Lebowski]

This feels like a public attempt to purchase cachet and/or goodwill. I suspect most people are not donating out of concern for the shooter's family or because they sympathize with their loss. Rather, they are donating because of the image this creates for members of the Church vis-a-vis mainstream Christianity. We just can't shake our desperation to be accepted, and we're willing to spend our own money in hopes that it will convince others that we're Christians. That said, doing good things for the wrong reasons is better than doing the wrong thing or not doing anything. Ultimately, turning the other cheek is always a positive, so I'm glad it's happening.

Sorry, it's cynical, but I can't deny that's what comes to mind with this campaign. If that makes me the most cynical person on this board, I'm fine with that.

Yeah, that's even more cynical than pelado's take. Yeesh.

[Donuthole]

This feels like a public attempt to purchase cachet and/or goodwill. I suspect most people are not donating out of concern for the shooter's family or because they sympathize with their loss. Rather, they are donating because of the image this creates for members of the Church vis-a-vis mainstream Christianity. We just can't shake our desperation to be accepted, and we're willing to spend our own money in hopes that it will convince others that we're Christians. That said, doing good things for the wrong reasons is better than doing the wrong thing or not doing anything. Ultimately, turning the other cheek is always a positive, so I'm glad it's happening.

Sorry, it's cynical, but I can't deny that's what comes to mind with this campaign. If that makes me the most cynical person on this board, I'm fine with that.

[Pelado]

Go to the site and scroll through the messages.

Now at $107K

I saw the first couple that were quoting from the BOM. Didn't realize I could scroll down through the others.

[falafel]

Go to the site and scroll through the messages.

Now at $107K

$120k, with the new goal at $200k.

This is such a great thing to see.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Goal of $100k and already raised $76K+. Damn. Is that because of an outpouring of love from the LDS community and those sympathetic to the message in the request?



My more cynical side wonders if all those "Mormons aren't Christians" people are more than happy to contribute to the family of the shooter.

Go to the site and scroll through the messages.

Now at $107K

[Pelado]

That is really cynical.

Agreed.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Goal of $100k and already raised $76K+. Damn. Is that because of an outpouring of love from the LDS community and those sympathetic to the message in the request?



My more cynical side wonders if all those "Mormons aren't Christians" people are more than happy to contribute to the family of the shooter.

That is really cynical.

[Pelado]

A member of the church started a donation page for the family of the shooter.

https://www.givesendgo.com/helptheSanfordfamily

I love this response. Donated.

Goal of $100k and already raised $76K+. Damn. Is that because of an outpouring of love from the LDS community and those sympathetic to the message in the request?

But James teaches us that "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction." The purpose of this GiveSendGo is to do that. Every donation will go to help provide for the Sanford family daily needs, provide for ongoing medical treatment, and create some stability in a time of heartbreak and upheaval.

My more cynical side wonders if all those "Mormons aren't Christians" people are more than happy to contribute to the family of the shooter.