Local pastor says times of tragedy call for ‘grace’

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — While many are still left processing what happened at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando early Sunday morning, some are turning to religious leaders for help.

First Baptist Church Senior Pastor Matt Cook said he encourages folks to have grace in times like these. He acknowledges that can be easier said than done considering the magnitude of this weekend’s events.

Cook described the nightclub shooting as a truly evil act. He said people need to come together to support the families and friends grieving the loss of loved ones. However he said folks should try their best to show forgiveness to the shooter as well.

“There’s nothing about hating somebody, there’s nothing about wishing evil on somebody that makes it better. So reminding people of that, that revenge and hoping for revenge isn’t going to stop the tragedies it’s only going to make them more likely to occur,” said Cook.

He said regardless of your beliefs, be they religious or political, the best way to overcome something like this is to love other people regardless of whether they are different from you.