Charlie Kirk Shot

Things that are not part of politics happening presently and how we approach or address it as Anabaptists.
Bootstrap
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Re: Charlie Kirk Shot

Post by Bootstrap »

Hi Josh,

Strong words aren’t the same thing as strong proof. To me, the key is this: if we oversimplify and force every attack into a culture-war template, we miss what’s actually going on. Some violence is ideologically motivated, much of it isn’t, and pretending it’s all one side or the other just fuels more division.

Often, the culture-war narratives turn out to be false, and you have to take it one case at a time. Consider the Trump shooter. People rushed to call him a leftist - I also assumed that - but investigators still haven’t found any clear political motive. Contrast that with the Pelosi attack, where the attacker lived in far-right conspiracy theories and the courts ruled it political violence. We still don't know much about the motives of the man who shot Charlie Kirk.

School shootings are usually driven by anger and crisis, not ideology. The Charlotte stabbing is awful, but the supposed racial motive hasn’t been proven. At the same time, the Buffalo shooter left a white-supremacist manifesto, and the 2017 baseball shooter targeted Republicans for politics.

That’s why we need data, not culture-war narratives. Groups like ADL and CSIS track extremist killings year after year, and their data shows most come from the far right. Going after the left won’t solve that problem. The real problem isn’t that people hold different political views — it’s political violence and hatred.

Christian peacemaking and culture wars are completely incompatible. Seeking first the Kingdom of God and culture wars are completely incompatible. And for the nation as a whole, even political leadership needs to remind us that it's important for people with a wide range of opinions to be safe. Democracy depends on it.
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1. Are we discussing the topic? Good.
2. Are we going around and around in a fight? Let's stop doing that.
3. Is there some serious wrongdoing or relational injury? Let's address that, probably not in public and certainly not for show.
Bootstrap
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Re: Charlie Kirk Shot

Post by Bootstrap »

JohnH wrote: ↑Tue Sep 16, 2025 3:20 pm Boot, you’ve been saying for years that the actual threat of violence and domestic terrorism is right wing groups. Are you willing to issue a retraction?
No, read carefully — both what I just wrote and what I have written in the past. I do believe most political violence in the U.S. comes from the far right. That’s not just my opinion; it’s what the data shows year after year.

But that doesn’t mean the far left is innocent. There have been left-wing attacks, and they are real. And beyond left and right, perhaps most violence comes from the “far crazy” — people in crisis, delusional, or unstable, without any degree in political science or coherent ideology.

And really, does it matter “which side is worse”? We shouldn’t have to live like this.
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1. Are we discussing the topic? Good.
2. Are we going around and around in a fight? Let's stop doing that.
3. Is there some serious wrongdoing or relational injury? Let's address that, probably not in public and certainly not for show.
temporal1
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Re: Charlie Kirk Shot

Post by temporal1 »

temporal1 wrote: ↑Mon Sep 15, 2025 9:28 pm
barnhart wrote: ↑Fri Sep 12, 2025 12:47 pm I have sharp critiques of some Mr. Kirk's theology, philosophy and methodology however this doesn't seem to me to be the time for such things. If someone wants to resurface this thread in a year or maybe six months, that would be different.

For now I will say he seemed to be a man of action who liked to engage in conversation with people who disliked him.
In those ways I would like to be more like him.
this probably speaks for many.

New to Charlie Kirk, learning+listening this week, avoiding politics,
what mosts impresses me is his focus on his personal faith, in all circumstances.

This is what makes me remember, he was only 31, a work in progress.

i believe, anyone who is CHRIST-CENTRIC, will learn that politics is not The Way.
To begin, did he have anyone suggesting this to him, at all?! It’s unlikely, isn’t it?

Quietly, with a few words, CK consistently stated his young faith. No matter who was around.

The Holy Spirit works marvels.
From what i’ve seen, CK was not a lost man. He was a young man, seeking Truth, encouraging others to the same.
HE MADE AN IMPRESSION, didn’t he?! i believe many devoted believers would want this outcome.

The Holy Spirit decided to use CK’s words. CK didn’t decide this. The Holy Spirit determines outcomes.

I Want to Be Remembered for My Faith / 14 seconds 14 seconds
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BqTnfs2E4Ic
Description:
Charlie Kirk shares what truly matters most to him—not politics, not influence, but his faith.
In this heartfelt moment, he opens up about the legacy he hopes to leave behind.


National Catholic Register
Charlie Kirk Before Death: ‘I Want to Be Remembered for Courage for My Faith’
Throughout his career, Kirk encouraged young people to get married and start families,
argued against abortion and gender ideology, and worked to inspire college students to follow Christ.

https://www.ncregister.com/cna/charlie- ... r-my-faith

i pray Erika gets his message. she will be pushed hard away. she will be tenpted.

(P.17) To repeat, the massive gatherings i’ve seen from around the world have few national flags.
Many crosses. Many young people.

Be careful what you CHOOSE to view. What you CHOOSE to believe. Even wrt CK.

- - - - - - -

Interesting (to me) how CK encouraged marriage+families to young people, college students. :wave:
i’ve been sharing recently how young people need support and encouragement to marry and start families!
He’s been doing that! - i had NO idea.

There was a recent topic .. i’ll look for it. If anyone remembers, please add it.

July / Ernie: Poll: Age for Dating and Marriage
viewtopic.php?t=8116

- - - - - - -
Amazing. The work of the Spirit.
Last edited by temporal1 on Tue Sep 16, 2025 7:29 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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R7ehr
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Re: Charlie Kirk Shot

Post by R7ehr »

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Re: Charlie Kirk Shot

Post by R7ehr »

You think we will start to see roads renamed after him in the manner of Martin Luther King? On the one hand, that seems more of a liberal city thing to do, which won’t work in CK’s favor. But it will be interesting if the right comes up with something similar to the street naming to memorialize him.

I see similarities between the two in terms of activism and assassination. Time will tell if CK’s death accelerates his message or not.
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JohnH
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Re: Charlie Kirk Shot

Post by JohnH »

R7ehr wrote: ↑Tue Sep 16, 2025 7:31 pm You think we will start to see roads renamed after him in the manner of Martin Luther King? On the one hand, that seems more of a liberal city thing to do, which won’t work in CK’s favor. But it will be interesting if the right comes up with something similar to the street naming to memorialize him.

I see similarities between the two in terms of activism and assassination. Time will tell if CK’s death accelerates his message or not.
One analogy is that both of them were peacemakers.

I still hold a theory that MLK Jr.’s assassination was due to nefarious groups who didn’t want to see peace and harmony in America.
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temporal1
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Re: Charlie Kirk Shot

Post by temporal1 »

JohnH wrote: ↑Tue Sep 16, 2025 7:58 pm
R7ehr wrote: ↑Tue Sep 16, 2025 7:31 pm You think we will start to see roads renamed after him in the manner of Martin Luther King? On the one hand, that seems more of a liberal city thing to do, which won’t work in CK’s favor. But it will be interesting if the right comes up with something similar to the street naming to memorialize him.

I see similarities between the two in terms of activism and assassination. Time will tell if CK’s death accelerates his message or not.
One analogy is that both of them were peacemakers.

I still hold a theory that MLK Jr.’s assassination was due to nefarious groups who didn’t want to see peace and harmony in America.
It’s dangerous work, as Jesus warned.
i’m avoiding politics on this. Not the most important message. Of course they’ll try. i can’t control that.
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Robert
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Re: Charlie Kirk Shot

Post by Robert »

Southerner wrote: ↑Tue Sep 16, 2025 12:36 pm
I have had numerous customers use really foul language about the left and how they are very angry about Kirk's death. We discussed Gabby Gifford's assassination attempt and how it was a wake up call for me at the time. Does anyone believe speaker Johnson's statement that "this is not who we are as a country"? I don't.
They are not getting fired because they disagree with Mr. Kirk. People are getting fired because they are celebrating his death by assassination.
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Valerie
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Re: Charlie Kirk Shot

Post by Valerie »

Robert wrote: ↑Tue Sep 16, 2025 8:58 pm
Southerner wrote: ↑Tue Sep 16, 2025 12:36 pm
I have had numerous customers use really foul language about the left and how they are very angry about Kirk's death. We discussed Gabby Gifford's assassination attempt and how it was a wake up call for me at the time. Does anyone believe speaker Johnson's statement that "this is not who we are as a country"? I don't.
They are not getting fired because they disagree with Mr. Kirk. People are getting fired because they are celebrating his death by assassination.
I am shocked to see the videos of celebrations! I think this is the most disturbing thing I’ve seen yet.
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Szdfan
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Re: Charlie Kirk Shot

Post by Szdfan »

R7ehr wrote: ↑Tue Sep 16, 2025 7:31 pm You think we will start to see roads renamed after him in the manner of Martin Luther King? On the one hand, that seems more of a liberal city thing to do, which won’t work in CK’s favor. But it will be interesting if the right comes up with something similar to the street naming to memorialize him.

I see similarities between the two in terms of activism and assassination. Time will tell if CK’s death accelerates his message or not.
There’s an organization that’s trying to get something named after Ronald Reagan in every county in the US.
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