From knights in shining armor to gunslingers in westerns, we have always held a fascination with a violent man. Our children are brought up with these as heroes.

How many Marvel Comics would sell, do you suppose, if Superman was constantly sitting down and negotiating with Lex Luther? And how many viewers would feel cheated if Clint Eastwood walked up to a bad guy and said, “Go ahead, make my day. Let’s talk about our differences.”?

There is no young person who is in such grave peril as the one who idealizes a violent man, and there is no society in as grave a position as the one that makes heroes out of its most violent members.

“Do not envy a man of violence and do not choose any of his ways,for the devious person is an abomination to the Lord, but the upright are in his confidence” (Proverbs 3:31,32, ESV).

These days rap singers hammer their resentment towards women and authority by promising to hurt them. Tough guys like Arnold and Sylvester (Rambo, not the cat!) are admired precisely because they can violently deal with their antagonists.

It is well to remember that outrages will be dealt with, if not in a human court of law, then duly noted in another, superior court. So who are your heroes?

–by Stan Mitchell @ www.forthright.net