Psalms of Praise - compiled by Randall F. More

February 2003

Psalms of Praise

(New International Version)

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. (91:1)

It is good to praise the Lord and make music to Your Name, O Most High, to proclaim Your love in the morning and Your faithfulness at night. For You make me glad Your deeds, O Lord; I sing for joy at the works of Your hands. (92;1-2, 4-5)

The Lord reigns, He is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed in majesty and is armed with strength. The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved. Your throne was established long ago; You are from all eternity. Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea – the Lord on high is mighty. Your statutes stand firm; holiness adorns Your house for endless days, O Lord. (93:1-2, 4-5)

Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before Him with thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In His hands are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to Him. The sea is His, for He made it, and His hands formed the dry land. Come let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for He is our God and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under His care. (95:1-7)

Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise His name; proclaim His salvation day after day. Declare His glory among the nations, His marvellous deeds among all peoples.

For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; He is to be feared among all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendour and majesty are before Him; strength and glory are in His sanctuary.

Ascribe to the Lord, O families of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His Name; bring an offering and come into His courts. Worship the Lord in the splendour of His holiness; tremble before Him, all the earth.

Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.” The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved; He will judge the peoples with equity. Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy; they will sing before the Lord, for He comes, He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in His truth. (96:1-13)

The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice. Clouds and thick darkness surround Him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. The heavens proclaim His righteousness and all the peoples see His glory. For You, O Lord, are the Most High over all the earth; You are exalted far above all gods. Light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright in heart. Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous, and praise His holy Name. (97:1-2, 6, 9, 11-12)

Sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have worked salvation for Him. The Lord has made His salvation known and revealed His righteousness to the nations. He has remembered His love and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn – shout for joy before the Lord, the King.       H     

Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world and all who live in it. Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy; let them sing before the Lord, for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity. (98:1-9)

Let them praise Your great and awesome Name -  He is holy. The King is mighty, he loves justice. Exalt the Lord our God and worship at His footstool; He is holy. Exalt the Lord our God and worship at His holy mountain, for the Lord our God is holy. (99:3-5, 9)

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His Name. For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations. (100:1-5)

I will sing of Your love and justice; to You, O Lord, I will sing praise. (101:1)

Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy Name. Praise the Lord all my soul, and forget not all His benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.

But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear Him, and His righteousness with their children’s children – with those who keep His covenant and remember to obey His precepts.

The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all. Praise the Lord, you His angels, you mighty ones who do His bidding, who obey His word. Praise the Lord, all His heavenly hosts, you His servants who do His will. Praise the Lord all His works and everywhere in His dominion. Praise the Lord, O my soul. (103:1-6, 8-11, 17-22)

Praise the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, You are very great; You are clothed with splendor and majesty. How many are Your works, O Lord! In wisdom You made them all; the earth is full of Your creatures. May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in His works. I will sing to the Lord all of my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. May my meditation be pleasing to Him, as I rejoice in the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul. Praise the Lord. (104:1, 24, 31, 33-35)

Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to Him, sing praise to Him; tell of all His wonderful acts. Glory in His holy Name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always. Remember the wonders He has done, His miracles and the judgments He pronounced. (105:1-5)

Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the Lord or fully declare His praise? Remember me, O Lord, when You show favor to Your people, come to my aid when You save them, that I may enjoy the prosperity of Your chosen ones, that I may share in the joy of Your nation and join Your inheritance in giving praise. (106:1-5)

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men.  (107:1, 8)

    

Archbishop of Washington - Islam - Jan 8, 2003 - by Randall F. More

Jan 8, 2003

Theodore Cardinal McCarrick

Archbishop of Washington

P.O. Box 29260

Washington, D.C.

U.S.A.

20017

Tel: 301-853-4500

Dear Theodore Cardinal McCarrick

RE: “Meet The Press” Interview

I appreciated your NBC’s “Meet The Press” interview on December 22^nd. I did, however, find your remark suggesting that Christians and Muslims are “people believing in one God” quite astonishing!

Presumably you accept the Bible as God’s Word and presumably in your position you would desire to uphold and defend foundational Biblical truths. I would think that it would be quite evident that Christians and Muslims DO NOT worship the same God.

Christians understand the Bible to be the written revelation of God’s heart and mind and the source of all truth regarding issues of faith. “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” (II Timothy 3:16). Islam, to the contrary, teaches that the Bible is corrupted and that the teachings and revelations of Muhammad contained in the Qur’an are the authoritative and final source regarding religious issues.

Bible believing Christians understand that the way to the heavenly Father, God, is not through Muhammad, nor Buddha, nor the millions of Hindu gods, nor anyone else except Jesus. God’s Word says, “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (I Timothy 2:5).

There are many false gods of this world but there is only one true God who chose to reveal Himself through His Word, the Bible, and through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. God, Himself recognizes that many will choose other false gods. The God of the Bible is tolerant of all people but He is not tolerant of other religions. “You shall have no other gods before Me… for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God” (Exodus 20:3-5).

Christianity’s foundation is the sinless life of the Son of God, the Third Person of the Trinity, His virgin birth, His substitutionary death, and His resurrection unto life eternal. He loved us so much that He gave His life for each one who believes in Him. Islam teaches that God did not have a Son and to have one would be blasphemous. Islam’s founding is by a mere human being, Muhammad, who taught conversion through coercion, conquest, and violence, if necessary. Unlike Jesus Christ, when Muhammad died, he stayed dead, permanently and forever. For Christ, there is an empty tomb. For Muhammad, there is a tomb of bones and dust, just as for every other dead man.

Muslims believe that they have a road to God without Christ but Jesus makes it quite clear, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me” (John 14:6). God does not provide an optional or alternate route of our own choosing.

Part of God’s eternal plan is that Christ will return. “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. And all the nations will be gathered before Him” (Matthew 25:31-32). Islam acknowledges no such God ordained plan!

God admonishes us not to profane His name. “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain” (Exodus 20:7). People do not swear and curse in the name of Muhammad, nor Buddha, nor any of the millions of Hindu gods but people all over the world inherently know and understand that there is power, real life changing power, only in the name of Jesus.

As Christians, our God given responsibility is to love our Muslim neighbour, not because we worship the same God but because we are commanded to genuinely love him and to care about his eternal destiny. There are millions of Muslims who are good people, but they are not unlike you and I, sinners in need of the Saviour.

In Canada and the United States, since our foundings, we have enjoyed enormous freedom, health, wealth, growth, abundance, prosperity, and a myriad of other blessings largely (or more likely solely) because our society has reflected the teachings and truths of God’s Word, the Bible, the greatest Book ever written and of the greatest Person who ever lived. (Sure, today, we have a lot that is wrong with our societies, and we can be sure that that will not be overlooked.)

Apart from the very clear Biblical imperatives, there are many other fundamental social, political, cultural, and theological differences between Christianity and Islam. They should neither be ignored, nor minimized, nor glossed over:

·         Islam has among its teachings an enormous intolerance of those who follow other faiths. Muslims who convert to Christianity are often killed as a result of their conversion. Islam denounces Christ as the Son of God. Christianity, on the other hand, speaks of the love that God has for each and every soul.

·         Christianity encourages genuine love and tolerance of all fellow human beings. People of every faith have been afforded asylum and freedom in Christian nations all over the world and yet Islam is intolerant of any who do not profess similar Islamic beliefs. Christians are imprisoned, beaten, tortured, and murdered in Muslim nations under the sanctioning of Muslim clerics.

·         The Qur’an was not written until nearly 600 years after the New Testament. Muslims believe that the Bible is in error and needs to have truth added. The Bible, however, cautions against any alterations or additions to God’s Word. “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God shall add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book” (Revelation 22:18-19).

·         Muhammad originally believed in multiple deities, namely al-Lat, al-Uzza, and al-Monat but then he came to believe that his teachings had been corrupted by Satan. No such inconsistencies or incongruities exist with respect to Christianity.

·         Even Muhammad was unsure whether his own experiences and revelations, ultimately resulting in the Qur’an, were from an angel or from the devil until his first wife, Khadija convinced him that they were not from the devil. Christianity has no such doubt about its origins or its Founder.

·         In every “Christian” nation in the world, Muslims are free to worship Allah, to build houses of worship, and to openly share their beliefs. Christians, however, share none of the same rights, privileges, or freedoms in most Islamic countries where there is little or no tolerance of other faiths. There are more than 1000 Muslim mosques in the United States but in Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan, for example, there is NOT ONE Christian church. The first and last Christian church in Afghanistan was built in 1970 and destroyed by Muslims less than three years later.

·         Every “Christian” country in the world is democratically governed where personal freedoms are paramount. This is not so with Islam. There are 18 states in the world that could be defined as Muslim and yet only one, Turkey, is a democracy.

·         In Birmingham, England, Muslims have demanded Islamic teaching, Muslim staffing, teaching in the mother tongue, and holidays for main Muslim celebrations within their school system. Christians can make no such demands in any Muslim nation.

·         In the Philippines, a principally Catholic nation, Muslims have resorted to armed insurrection in order to achieve their “rights.” Those same tactics applied by Christians anywhere in the Muslim world would be rightfully condemned.

·         Every “Christian” nation has come to acknowledge slavery as repugnant and detestable. In Sudan, even today, black Africans are being bought and sold in slave markets in the name of Islam.

·         One of the most holy days for the Christian faith is Christmas and yet, in some mosques in North America, a Muslim who wishes “Merry Christmas” to a Christian is said to “expose himself to the wrath and anger of Allah.” (Khalid Bin Al-Walid mosque internet message)

·         Some Islamic sects believe that worldwide Islam is justifiable and attainable through struggles, battles, and wars (jihad). Christ wants to win the world to Himself through His love.

·         Christianity views marriage as a partnership of equals with different and unique roles. Islam views marriage as a master-servant relationship with the husband possessing abusive power over his wife. In Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, and Iran, husbands have the right to whip their wives, enforced by government. Islam treats women as second class citizens. Islam considers men superior and permits Muslim husbands to practice polygamy with up to four wives. If the Muslim husband has four wives and decides he would like another, he can simply discard one of his wives, who has no legal, child, or property rights. Muhammad taught that a woman’s intelligence was inferior and that her testimony is worth only half of that of a man because a woman’s brain is deficient.

·         As a 54 year old, Muhammad married one of his many wives, Aisha, who was six years old, although he did not consummate the marriage until she was nine years of age. Suffice it to say that any Christian perspective would reflect very harsh criticism of such behaviour and conduct.

·         Muhammad’s teachings included polygamy wherein a Muslim husband could have four wives. It is inexplicable why Muhammad was permitted to have nine wives and one concubine.

Can you tell me in what manner, shape, fashion, or form Christians and Muslims believe in the same God? Only if one denounces the Bible as God’s Word can one even remotely say that Christians and Muslims believe and worship the same God.

I would encourage you in your position and authority within the “church” to speak boldly of the truth of Scripture (and Scripture should be our only real authority) with every opportunity and in every forum. I believe that, as Christians, we have a responsibility to share the truth of God’s Word so that others know with all assurance that Jesus Christ has provided the Only Way. How can others come to genuinely know Him unless they can clearly see that there is a very real difference in our faiths?

These remarks are respectfully submitted. I would very much enjoy hearing from you and to know those areas with which you do not agree. Thank you.

Yours truly

Randall F. More, P. Eng.

c.c.      Mr. Tim Russert

            Meet The Press

            WRC (NBC affiliate)

            4001 Nebraska Avenue N.W.

            Washington, D.C.

            U.S.A.

            20016

            Tel: 202-885-4000

Principles to Teach My Children

 

 PRINCIPLES TO TEACH MY CHILD

  1. TEACH HIM/HER TO KNOW CHRIST.

"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God..." (John 1:12)

  2. TEACH HIM TO GLORIFY GOD.

"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body." (I Corinthians 6:18-20)

  3. TEACH HIM THAT HE IS GOD'S UNIQUE CREATION.

"For Thou didst form my inward parts; Thou didst weave me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Thy works, And my soul knows it very well." (Psalm 139:13-14)

  4. TEACH HIM THAT GOD LOVES AND REPROVES HIM.

"For whom the Lord loves He reproves, Even as a father, the son in whom he delights." (Proverbs 3:12)

  5. TEACH HIM THAT PARENTS ARE TO CORRECT HIM.

"He who spares the rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him diligently." (Proverbs 13:24)

  6. TEACH HIM FORGIVENESS.

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (I John 1:9)

  7. TEACH HIM TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR HIS ACTIONS.

"So then each one of us shall give account of himself to God." (Romans 14:12)

  8. TEACH HIM OBEDIENCE TO AUTHORITY.

"Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God." (Romans 13:1)

  9. TEACH HIM TO BE APPRECIATIVE ALWAYS.

"In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (I Thessalonians 5:18)

 10. TEACH HIM TO SPEAK KINDLY ALWAYS.

"Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned as it were with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each person." (Colossians 4:6)

 11. TEACH HIM TO LEARN GOD'S WORD.

"Thy word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against Thee." (Psalm 119:11)

 12. TEACH HIM TO PRAY.

"Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16)

 13. TEACH HIM TO SEEK GOD'S WILL.

"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you." (Matthew 6:33)

 14. TEACH HIM TO SET HIS MIND ON SPIRITUAL TRUTHS.

                            "Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth." (Colossians 3:2)

Proverbs - Power of Our Words - King Solomon - 1000 B.C.

 October 1999

 THE POWER OF OUR WORDS – OUR TONGUE

 King Solomon (Proverbs)

 1.   Thoughtless words can wound as deeply as any sword, but wisely spoken words can heal. (12:18)

2.   A gentle answer quiets anger, but a harsh one stirs it up. (15:1)

3.   Kind words bring life, but cruel words crush your spirit. (15:4)

4.   Hot tempers cause arguments, but patience brings peace. (15:18)

5.   What a joy it is to find just the right word for the right occasion! (15:23)

6.   Kind words are like honey – sweet to the taste and good for your health (16:24)

7.   The start of an argument is like the first break in a dam; stop it before it goes any further. (17:14)

8.   A person’s words can be a source of wisdom, deep as the ocean, fresh as a flowing stream. (18:4)

9.   You will have to live with the consequences of everything you say. What you say can preserve life or destroy it; so you must accept the consequences of your words. (18:20-21)

10.        If you are sensible, you will control your temper. When someone wrongs you, it is a great virtue to ignore it. (19:11)

11.        Any fool can start arguments; the honorable thing is to stay out of them. (20:3)

12.        If you want to stay out of trouble, be careful what you say. (21:23) 

 

Drunkenness as a Constitutional Defence - The Record editor - Sep 28, 1999 - by Randall F. More

September 28, 1999 

Letter to the Editor - The Record

RE: Drunkenness as a Defence

               

As reported in the September 24^th edition of The Record, an Ontario court judge, Judge Patricia Wallace, ruled that it would be unconstitutional for an accused not to be permitted to use drunkenness as a defence for a violent crime. This is truly a ridiculous ruling! For drunkenness to be considered a legitimate defence for assault, rape, murder, or any other heinous crime is absurd and makes a farce and mockery of our justice system and our constitution.

One of the most serious problems that we face in society today is that, children and adults alike, are increasingly freed from being held accountable for their behaviour and conduct. This recent ruling will certainly go a long way to perpetuate this already horrific and growing societal problem. (Apart from the more universal societal problem, such a ruling is also a travesty for the individual victims who are violated but where nobody becomes properly accountable for the crime.) Let’s get back to some common sense justice.

Yours truly

Randall F. More, P. Eng      

President Clinton Impeachment - U.S. Senators/Members of Congress - Feb 10, 1999 - by Randall F. More

February 10, 1999

Dear United States Senator/Congress Member

I write this letter as a request to you to vote to end Mr. Clinton’s time as President of the United States. (Mr. Clinton should have resigned his office voluntarily and failing that should have been encouraged to resign by congressmen, congresswomen, and senators.)

There is no doubt that the present day United States can survive the Clinton presidency. The most damaging impact, however, of any decision not to expel Mr. Clinton from the highest office in the land will not really be felt until the next generation, maybe not for fifteen or twenty years, when today’s children will be the nation’s educational, business, and political leaders. These children, who are now building their entire system of ethics and values, will have had as one of their ultimate models a President who not only indulged in morally repugnant behaviour but who lied to his family, deceived the American people, lied to the courts, and committed a felony by virtue of his perjury and yet was allowed to remain in office.

Any school principal, college president, military officer, court judge, or corporate company president would be immediately discharged from office for similar conduct. Certainly the President of the United States must be held to a higher standard, not a lower standard! Honesty, integrity, self-discipline, sexual purity, and respect for authority should reign supreme in each of our lives, but most especially in the life of the President. This President has fallen desperately short in each of these fundamental areas.   

Mr. Clinton does not believe that he should be removed from office because his actions do not jeopardize the liberties of the people and do not cause great damage to the nation. Quite to the contrary, Mr. Clinton’s conduct is likely more damaging than most acts of treason. No message could be more wrong or more long term damaging to the nation than to allow Mr. Clinton to remain in office.

It is farcical to have Mr. Clinton paraded on the world stage, an absolute embarrassment to himself and the nation, with all the world aware of his disgusting and reprehensible conduct. Sadly, Mr. Clinton has shown that no man could rightfully even trust his own daughter or wife to Mr. Clinton’s care and yet the welfare of the entire nation is entrusted to this man. There is indeed something seriously wrong! He has violated all normal trusts.

Mr. Clinton has always cast himself as the pro-woman, pro-family advocate and yet his adultery and deception dishonour not only his own wife and daughter and Miss Lewinsky, but all families, daughters, and women everywhere.

For Mr. Clinton to remain in office makes a mockery of the Office of the President, the justice system, the rule of law, and any basic sense of morality. If there is any constitutional impediment whatsoever to Mr. Clinton’s removal from office, it will only be because the framers of the Constitution could never have imagined conduct as abhorrent and disgraceful as that of Mr. Clinton in the highest office in the nation. The precedent that would be set by allowing Mr. Clinton to remain in office is truly horrifying. Lying, cheating, adultery, perjury, and other related conduct behaviour become the new and approved standard for husbands, fathers, and leaders everywhere.

If Mr. Clinton is not removed from office, another appalling precedent will be that there will never again ever be an impeachment of any President. The “hurdle” for performance, behaviour and conduct will have been set so low that even the most pathetic figure could get over it.

To their credit, we should not lose sight of the tremendous graciousness of the American people to forgive Mr. Clinton, but such forgiveness should not nullify the consequence of disqualification from national leadership.

I encourage you, as would millions of others around the world, to do what may not at the outset appear to be politically popular or expedient, but that which is right and proper and for the long term benefit and honour of the nation, to discharge Mr. Clinton from the Office of the President. I believe that ultimately all Americans will be winners as a result of such a decision! Please exercise the necessary leadership for your nation at this important time.

These comments are respectfully submitted for your consideration.

  

Yours truly

Randall F. More, P. Eng.

  

U.S. President Clinton - Gun Legislation - Dec 30, 1993 - letter by Randall F. More

December 30, 1993                                  

President Bill Clinton

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

Washington, D.C.

U.S.A.       

20500

Dear Mr. President

Re: Gun Legislation

As I am sure you agree, it is horrifying for millions of people around the world to continually see the ongoing and never ending murder of human lives in your country.

I am sure, too, that you, and most, would agree that it is particularly a disgrace in the United States of America which is a nation which otherwise should be so free and noble and principled. On a per capita basis, there are 130 times more murders by guns in the United States than there are in Great Britain.

The situation is no less frightening in Canada. (My own brother, who was a partner of mine in business, and two other employees were murdered by shooting in 1992 by a disgruntled employee.)

Accolades were given for the recent passing of the Brady Bill, but really, especially after so many years of debate, with no impertinence intended, its potential accomplishments can only be considered minuscule at most.

Let’s put an end to the abhorrence. It’s an absurdity that Americans believe that they can protect their own lives by possessing their own guns. It, too, is ludicrous for citizens anywhere to think that they should and must have the right to bear arms. Whether this was true and right at any time in your nation’s history should no longer matter. If the Second Amendment of your constitution permitted citizens to bear bombs, would that make it right? No, and so it is with guns. But if it is too difficult or there is not the national will to ban guns in their entirety, I suggest a very simple and effective and inexpensive solution. With few minor exceptions, every citizen who chooses to own any gun of any sort should have his/her gun registered and safely kept in a local repository (possibly the local police station) to be checked out for short periods of time for legitimate use with very severe penalties for violators.

Oh sure, such a suggestion would be neither an instant nor a total solution, but it would have a phenomenal deterrent effect in helping to bring an end to the carnage. And, oh sure, many normal law abiding gun association members will raise their objections and there will no doubt be those who would still want to proudly display their marvelous gun collections over their mantles, but this solution would be a small price to pay and tiny inconvenience for the tremendous gains that would be made. I think Americans, like us all, must be prepared to forego some of our so called “rights” in exchange for a few responsibilities instead.

Murder, like any other wrong, begins within the human heart, but until we can change man’s heart, let’s change the laws to ones that are meaningful and substantial and honorable. It should now be clear that there is no honor in having the right to bear arms.

I encourage you to exercise the necessary leadership to effect such a change, promptly. Thank you.

  

Yours truly

Randall F. More, P. Eng.