CAA: Christian Anime Alliance

At the risk of displaying supremely bad taste and a lack of due human compassion, I wanted to mention how the consequences of the event mentioned in the subject of this thread have effected me. I have been keeping up with the story, and I have to see I find the display of faith and Christ-like of the Amish to inspiring and deeply humbling. The bravery of the girls asking to be shot first in a bid to save the others, the outspoken and unbashed declarations of faith by the Amish in the inerviews, and the genuine forgiveness of the community has really made me reflect on just how much, or rather how little, of my faith comes through, in not only how I act, but they way I think. It has made me consider the reality of how I live my life and how much of it I truly commit to serving Christ, versus how much of it is caught up in wordly concerns and my own self-absorption. I was wondering if anyone else has been effected by this story.

While this may fall under the political rule, I for one (Being a person of no consquence) don't think it should.


I will admit that I was deeply humbled by the actions of the Amish community and their forgiveness towards not only the family of the shooter, but the shooter himself. It is a sign of honor, of trust in the Father, and of a deep spiritual connection with God that we should not just desire but go for, with all of our hearts and minds. If our forbear Steven could pray even as he was stoned to death, then how can we not forgive when our situation is so much better?

Truly, God is with those people. I merely pray that we might have that same blessed forgiveness within us.

Zarn.

it's very sad, what happened to them. i find it very encouraging to watch the news and see how the Amish reacted and commented on what happened.

I think a lot of times we have many failures to prevent such incidents in society. We have allowed too many changes which have brought these problems on to our lifes. The individual fails to see what they are doing is wrong and will cause many problems in society. Others will fail to see what a individual may do if not consoled or checked on. I have heard of where the courts and lawenforcement have failed to step in and stop someone from hurting someone because they say they are following laws.
I know and it has been shown in the movie "Witness" how some people will pick on Amish because of their way of life, but Amish have adapted in ways to do business with the world around them.
There is a time in the Amish teen's life when they are allowed to sample the modern world around them. Being wild in a way. Some of them we would not do ourselfs.
They say 90% of the teens will return to the Amish society and live as their parents have lived and followed through the generations.
This was the most shocking of the three school shooting this last week. Because of the what was disclosed about what the man planned to do and
what he had done before shooting the girls and himself.
I would guess we would like to know what tiggered this man to do this.

I read in the paper today that the Amish attended the funeral of the man who shot the girls. That shows how they forgive those who do wrong against them.
That shows that the man's family should not be punished for what he did.

Just a friendly reminder: this thread doesn't have to be about politics, and it shouldn't be. So try to exercise additional restraint and discernment here and not post anything that could be potentially volatile.

Yes, this incident has been coming to mind a lot lately. My denomination is historically related to the Amish, so it has been particularly in church news. On one hand I am greatly saddened by the events, which I think is fitting for such a tragedy. But I am also glad for the deeply Christian response to the incident. I hope that this will have some effect on those who view it and that those who have lost faith because the world has jaded their souls will perhaps find hope again. As has been said, the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.

Doubleshadow wrote:...has really made me reflect on just how much, or rather how little, of my faith comes through, in not only how I act, but they way I think. It has made me consider the reality of how I live my life and how much of it I truly commit to serving Christ, versus how much of it is caught up in wordly concerns and my own self-absorption...

While I grieve for the loss of the lives of these girls and many like them who die each day, a message like this gives me hope that their sacrifice was not in vain. Truly, the Lord is a just God and none pass with out His knowledge. Surly, He has already wiped the tears from these young girls’ eyes and the terror of their last moments has melted away in the glory of His presence.

I’m not saying these children died just so you or anyone else could have a simple object lesson, but if this causes anyone to re-think their life’s passions and come to a better understanding of God’s true nature then all is not lost. This is proof that not even the darkest of human actions can choke out the shining light of Love.

When you read about the killer's background you can understand why the Amish were willing to forgive him.It simply seems he snapped mentally because 9 years ago he lost a beloved daugther and that loss had been edging at him ever since.
In his final note he said he was angry at God because of his loss daugther.Really
he didn't sound like the sort of man who would normally do such horrible things as everyone who knew him seems to have the opinion that he was generally a kind and gentle even humble man.
This also explains why he let the boys go.

mitsuki lover wrote:When you read about the killer's background you can understand why the Amish were willing to forgive him.It simply seems he snapped mentally because 9 years ago he lost a beloved daugther and that loss had been edging at him ever since.
In his final note he said he was angry at God because of his loss daugther.Really
he didn't sound like the sort of man who would normally do such horrible things as everyone who knew him seems to have the opinion that he was generally a kind and gentle even humble man.
This also explains why he let the boys go.

I would be careful to forgive the man rather than excuse his actions. No matter what horrible things may have happened to a person in the course of their life, it is never excusable to retaliate in a sinful way. It's even more tragic to me that the little girls involved in this shooting had nothing to do with what happened in the man's past, and all he was doing was passing on the pain he was so angry about to others. It is inexcusable-- but, as the Amish families so honorably demonstrated, not unforgivable, though forgiving him would be an extremely difficult thing to do. I have to wonder how I would respond in such a situation. To me, this just is another sad picture of man's depravity when he conducts his life according to his sin nature rather than allowing God to be in control.

Those poor girls... I heard the eldest even pleaded that only she would die to try and get to let the others go.

I sure can't bring myself to feel sorry for this monster in the least. (That goes without saying we're all capable of the same...) Try and blame it on his mental state, but it was spiritual methinks.

I saw stuff on this it was very heart breaking.

The Amish had the school building torn down this morning. Nothing else will be built on the site. It will be just a grassy lot.
A similar situation happen a few years ago where a gunman walked into a McDonald's in Cal. After the number of people killed in the building it was torn down and a park built in its place.