Daniel Defense, maker of the AR-15 style rifle that was used to murder 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, is engaged in a terrible and troubling marketing campaign to Christians.
“Honor God, Defend Freedom” is the text that accompanies stark images featuring military-type tactical gear like sniper scopes, ammunition packs, and utility knives. It is, however, the casual depiction of Bibles, and in one ad, a smartphone with Matthew 5:16, clearly visible on the screen, that turns these already troubling images into something profane.
Recent social media posts feature an insert that says simply, “The Greatest Commandment.” Every Christian should be familiar with the Greatest Commandment, found in all three Synoptic Gospels:
“‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’
The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
To sell weapons of war, they are twisting the words of the one who is the Prince of Peace. To promote bringing home a tool for killing, they are abusing scripture meant for healing. These advertisements attempt to pervert the Christian faith, the true fruit of which is joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, self-control, gentleness, and, most importantly, love. Attempts to manipulate, distort, and capitalize on people’s faith and conviction, for the purposes of making money and putting more and more disastrously dangerous firearms into the hands of people who are becoming more isolated, radicalized, and fearful, is an affront to Christian virtue and witness.
In our rapidly changing world, compounding fears and rampant misinformation make attempts at harnessing control through force tempting and even understandable. But a vision of a world where God somehow needs people to take up lethal arms in defense of worldly freedoms is a rejection of the sovereignty of God. It is a rejection of the will of God, which is only ever for flourishing, healing, and wholeness. And it is a rejection of our covenantal responsibility to love as we have been loved by our Creator.
Purchasing and owning implements of death does not honor God. Embracing weapons meant to kill keeps us astray from the path that leads to life. The instruments of violence marketed by Daniel Defense only cause darkness and devastation. So we must let our light shine before others, with good life-giving and life-saving works that give glory to the Giver of Life.
