I guess this is a question semi targeted at religious people in the USA and so called "Gun Nuts". Or just anyone in the USA who can enlighten me I guess.
There's something I don't understand. On the one hand USA seems to be all about the sanctity of life. Now, let's ignore the mass school shootings. Since so many people kill themselves with guns, I don't understand how a people can be so pro life yet... Not ban guns? What am I not understanding about the USA?
US Citizen here, neither a gun owner more religious myself. Your observation is spot on.
The tradition that underlies both religious independence and gun ownership go to the "founding fathers". The importance of religion was key to the countries founding, as was the ability of each citizen to arm themselves in the case of an unjust government.
So these things kind of get tied together in a conservative political philosophy. It's ties to independence, self-sufficiency, and sometimes an anti-government leanIng. On the surface gun and religion don't go together great, but they both represent a look back to values from the countries origin story
So these religious values cause this strong pro-life philosophy, while the political ideology of independence argues for everyone to get a gun.
Interestingly, one of the arguments for guns is "we have to be able to protect ourselves". As guns have become ubiquitous I've gone from saying "that's silly, guns are more risk to you than anyone else" to thinking "jmmm...maybe I need a gun"
The conservative culture was fed by thinkers starting in the 1980s, and of course I amplified by am social media today.
So yep, your description rings a bell. I feel the US is looking crazier and crazier all the time.
