"The Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America is heartbroken that we must once again mourn the loss of innocent lives as the result of gun violence . . . " - Daniel R. Jackson, NAD President
T he President of The Seventh-day Adventist® Church in North America, Daniel R. Jackson, issued the following statement on December 3, 2015 in response to the deadly shooting at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, California:
"The Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America is heartbroken that we must once again mourn the loss of innocent lives as the result of gun violence. We extend our deepest condolences and prayers to the families of the 14 people killed, the 21 wounded, and their friends and colleagues. We also pray for the community of San Bernardino and Redlands and the heartache and anxiety they are experiencing as a result of this tragedy.
"We also are praying for the young six-month old child of the alleged gunmen. As heinous as this massacre is, this small innocent child has also had her life altered by evil. We pray for the family members who must now step in and raise this child of God.
"This tragedy hit close to home for the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Just a few miles away, the Loma Linda University Medical Center, a flagship Adventist healthcare institution, opened its doors to provide medical assistance for many of those wounded in this tragedy. Along with thousands of young people in the area, students at several local Adventist schools experienced the anxiety of being on precautionary lockdown.
"This type of senseless violence has no place in this country or in this world. It is tragic that once again we mourn the lives of 14 innocent people who did not need to die. This is the highest number of people killed in a mass shooting since the Sandy Hook massacre, which claimed the lives of 20 children and six adults. Both tragedies were carried out with assault weapons.
"Along with our heartfelt prayers, it is time that something is done to address the pandemic of gun violence. It is time that we say No to these tragic massacres that have become commonplace in the United States. It is time that we do something to find solutions to put an end to this pervasive problem.
"We pray for the day when children and adults can live their lives without fear."
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." Matthew 5:9 (NIV)
Source: news.adventists.org | December 03, 2015 | Silver Spring, Maryland USA