Adam Lanza of Newtown, CT shooting. Credit: metrouk2.files.wordpress.com

“If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.” Genesis 4:7

I’ve wanted to write this post all year.

But each time something stopped me.  Or I’d write a blog only to hesitate to publish it – it wasn’t quite right.

This concept has been one I’ve meditated on throughout the year 2012.  I’ve wondered how to best articulate what the Lord has been showing me about this concept.

Why do good people do bad things?

Where does the bad behavior spring from, and how do we prevent our young ones from taking the wrong path?  After all, some amazing parents have raised people who our society considers “monsters”, people who’ve grown up to commit despicable acts of hatred.

Friday we got a glimpse into another such story, and it’s lingered with many of us since then.  For some reason this story is sticking with me.  My heart has been so HEAVY since then.  My husband’s, too.

Our society immediately (within hours!) pointed to Asperger’s Syndrome as a possible “cause”.  WHAT?  I was appalled – can you imagine being the parent of a child with Asperger’s or autism?  You may have to fend off concerns that your child could be the next one to “snap”.

[On a related note, see this thought-provoking post by a man named Chris Clark: “On Mental Illness“].

No, we can’t blame Asperger’s for one young man’s actions.  That’s as senseless as accusing all white folks for the crimes of a few Caucasians or all Catholics for the crimes of some priests.

Adam Lanza had Asperger’s Syndrome, but that’s not what is to blame for his crimes.

Adam is to blame.  Not his evidently sweet mom Nancy, nor his parents’ divorce several years ago. Not his violent video game-playing (though that probably wasn’t the best hobby), nor any syndromes he may have had.

Adam premeditated his actions and then carried them out.  He evidently did all this without any assistance that we know of.  Even if he had assistance, he’d still be to blame (and so would his assistant).

But before we portray Adam as some kind of special-case monster, we have to face a reality that we don’t want to.

We all have the capacity to be Adams.

Shocking as that may be, we all suffer from the same sickness….

Yes, there is a reason people snap.  There is a reason we snap, too, and treat others in ways we shouldn’t, often in ways we don’t even WANT to!

Our common sickness – every single person alive today – is sin.

More on this topic & the solution in my series “The Human Condition”: Part 1, Part 2, & Part 3.