A Sad Day...
Just the other day, I wrote about my fascination with the Amish. Today, some crazy truck driver decided to avenge something unknown that happened 20 years ago. He walked in to an Amish one-room school house with two guns and several 2x4's. After letting all the males go, as well as a couple women with infants, he boarded up the doors. Within an hour, 3 of the female students were shot dead, execution style, and 7 more were being rushed to the hospital. The gunman was also dead.
When the story first broke, all the "experts" on the news channels were saying that it was probably a disgruntled Amish youth who committed the crime. I couldn't believe that. Yes, there have been some Amish youth involved in wrongdoing -- mostly some drug trafficking a few years ago -- but for the most part they are one of the most pacifist cultures on Earth. It is totally against their nature to commit such an act.
So when the police conducted their news conference, and announced that the gunman was a local milk-tanker truck driver, I was at first relieved. My belief than an Amish youth could not be involved was right.
But then my relief turned to anger. The Amish are really trying to live a peaceful life. They shun most outside influences. They have little contact with non-Amish, except when conducting business. (Buying and selling farming goods, woodworking, and crafts.) They just want to be left alone.
Of people for this crazy man to take his anger out on, why the Amish? Why Amish children? Why Amish young girls? They did absolutely nothing to deserve the wrath of a man gone wrong.
I pray for the Amish community in Pennsylvania, and for the lives lost. I am trying to pray for the man who committed these crimes. I don't want to. My first inclination is to say, "may he rot in hell". But I have to remember who I am dealing with.
The Amish have an incredible ability to forgive. How they will be able to forgive this man, I do not know. But I know enough about their culture to know that they will.
When the story first broke, all the "experts" on the news channels were saying that it was probably a disgruntled Amish youth who committed the crime. I couldn't believe that. Yes, there have been some Amish youth involved in wrongdoing -- mostly some drug trafficking a few years ago -- but for the most part they are one of the most pacifist cultures on Earth. It is totally against their nature to commit such an act.
So when the police conducted their news conference, and announced that the gunman was a local milk-tanker truck driver, I was at first relieved. My belief than an Amish youth could not be involved was right.
But then my relief turned to anger. The Amish are really trying to live a peaceful life. They shun most outside influences. They have little contact with non-Amish, except when conducting business. (Buying and selling farming goods, woodworking, and crafts.) They just want to be left alone.
Of people for this crazy man to take his anger out on, why the Amish? Why Amish children? Why Amish young girls? They did absolutely nothing to deserve the wrath of a man gone wrong.
I pray for the Amish community in Pennsylvania, and for the lives lost. I am trying to pray for the man who committed these crimes. I don't want to. My first inclination is to say, "may he rot in hell". But I have to remember who I am dealing with.
The Amish have an incredible ability to forgive. How they will be able to forgive this man, I do not know. But I know enough about their culture to know that they will.
posted by Susan | 7:11 PM
1 Comments:
I'm with you... the hate in this world can sometimes steal your hope. It is the capicity to forgive that brings back the hope... I'm praying for them too.
Post a Comment
<< Home