Amish School Shooting Still Testing Faith

6 Months Later, Amish Community In Lancaster County, Pa., Is Recovering

(CBS)  Winter is grudgingly giving way to spring in Lancaster County, Pa. Soon, the fields will be plowed and flowers will bloom.

Next Monday will mark the six-month anniversary of the Amish school shooting.

In coming weeks, children will begin attending a schoolhouse built to replace the one where five little girls were shot to death.

The killer, Charlie Roberts, allowed the teacher and the boys to flee. It was the girls he wanted, but the police came too quickly. So Roberts shot the girls and then killed himself.

The Amish had five little girls to bury. Several others had been hurt badly. They asked the media to respect their privacy, but wanted the world to know that Charlie Roberts was forgiven.

Herman Bontrager grew up Amish. The Amish here know him and trust him. He even worships with them. He said the experience has tested their faith.

"Forgiveness is something that the Amish, they think about it every day … It is shaking," Bontrager told The Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith. "I've heard them actually being willing to voice questions like — you know, where was God in this? And think about that. You know, it's something you don't say out loud, even if you think it — in a culture that's so devout."

It's a question the non-Amish here have asked, too: Where was God that day? The Rev. Kristine Hileman, a Presbyterian minister, was in a mother's prayer group the morning of the shooting. With her was Marie Roberts, the killer's wife.

"It's only by the grace of God that our children go to school and come back every day," she said. "It's only by the grace of God we have another day of life. And I think that perhaps people do think about that more and say, you know, 'I have life today because God gives lets me. No place is safe except for the grace of God.' "

Hileman said that the Roberts family, lead by Marie, is staying strong and the community has embraced them.

"The Amish led us in doing that by going to Charlie's funeral. You know, they stepped forward because they're a part of the community as well as she is, and of course she has done nothing wrong," she said. "Her children, they are victims just as much."

This winter has been a season of introspection — a time for soul searching. In spring there is hope for renewal. The Amish tore down the school because they simply couldn't imagine reliving the horror.

"I think that just about everyone that thought about thought it was a good idea," Bontrager said. "The Amish in the first week were saying, 'How could we make our children go back into that place of carnage every day and think about it?' "

But the Amish do not plan to build a memorial for the children who died, Bontrager said.

"A lot of people ask me, 'Where are they going to build the memorial for these girls who lost their lives?' And they're not going to," he said. "You don't do that. You don't exalt the individual."

Five little girls died but five survived and for the Amish that is a blessing enough.

"It's like a living memorial," Bontrager said. "The living girls, even the — the one that's injured the most seriously is, is like a tremendous symbol in their lives right now of, maybe, the providence of God."

Bontrager said the Amish would take this terrible occurrence and use it to reinforce their faith in God.

"The Amish would also say this is a chance for us to learn something about how to be better people," he said, "to each other, and to the world around us."

[marybethinct]

I can't help but respect such a goodness in these people; even if I am questioning god, faith, Jesus Christ and all Christian radicals that make me crazy. I am not sure what I believe anymore all I know is that church is not for me or organized religion. I just want to have faith in the goodness of mankind; I hope that does not fail me.

[mountainzen]

I was awed by the Amish reaction to the shooting. Their willingness to forgive for this unbelievably wanton act of evil taught me a thing or two about being Christian. They even reached out to the family of the killer. I used to have a little bit of contempt for their lifestyle. Now I have nothing but respect for them. I have found myself thinking time and again about them. I have met many people who claim to be religious, but the Amish truly practice what they preach. I believe there are more people like me that have been touched in a positive way after this shooting. Religious "Fundamentalists" everywhere take notice, forgiveness is the ultimate Godly Act. There are a lot of horrible acts being perpetrated in the name of God, Allah, whatever%u2026 I am most humbled and affected by this one act.

[kla1965]

GOD BLESS THE AMISH, WE ALL SHOULD LEARN FROM THIS TERRIABLE MISHAP.GOD IS GOOD AND GOD IS GREAT. MAY WE ALL HAVE PEACE IN THIS UNIVERSE,LIVE HAPPY AND HOLY GOD BLESS AND AMEN

[extremophil]

Rationalization without end, amen.

[dragonmouse-2009]

I have nothing but a lot of respect for these people. Not only are they "champions" of faith and forgiveness but they are wonderfully strong and self sufficient.

As angry as it makes me that this @*&^$! did what he did to the girls you can't get revenge on him because there's nothing to "revenge". His wife and kids weren't "guilty" but they must be wracked with quite a "horror" at their "part". They're going to have to live with the hell that they were part of that man's life.

The Amish have been true heros. If there were more people that adopted some of their attitudes we'd be so much better off.

Maybe we can learn a little about improving ourselves through this horrible incident.

[cantshutup]

Posted by KLA1965..."GOD BLESS THE AMISH, WE ALL SHOULD LEARN FROM THIS TERRIABLE MISHAP.GOD IS GOOD AND GOD IS GREAT. MAY WE ALL HAVE PEACE IN THIS UNIVERSE,LIVE HAPPY AND HOLY GOD BLESS AND AMEN"



IF there is a god he is not good or great...but these Amish people are...

You want peace in the universe? Not possible with worthless wretch's that prey on the innocent, and the sad thing is you can never tell who those worthless wretch's might actually be.

[noaanhc]

The Amish are good and decent people,if the rest of us could have their qualities,we would have a much more better nation than we do today.

[mgpm-2009]

The Amish are good people because they live what they believe. They believe in the Christian faith and they actually put it into practice. That's what makes it so amazing.

I'm fortunate enough to live around these people. They wave and are kind to us "English," even after this tragedy.

[sclaires]

If anything tragic would happen to my family, I hope and pray that I can have the fortitude of the Amish to forgive and forget. The Amish have proven that it is better to forgive the wrong done then to hold a grudge. And for them to engulf the family of the shooter is very unusual. But, they know that the family needs support too and that the wife and children were not to blame for what the husband and father did. God bless the Amish!

[honest_news]

The mistake is in assuming that the capacity to forgive comes from one's faith, and that this capacity is faith-specific. This is the regrettable result of practicing a religious doctrine that considers one's own beliefs to be morally "superior" to others: the self-righteous delusion (and the corresponding prejudice) that "turning the other cheek" is the unique, original and exclusive domain of one's specific faith.

All religions teach personal repentence and forgiveness -- but the capacity to forgive is intrinsically and profoundly personal. This is why the Amish and others are groping for answers. The solution isn't to blame or question divinity, for that is unknowable. One's faith may offer guidance, but the answers -- and ultimately acceptance and peace -- must come from within each of us as people, not simply because we embrace a certain religion.

[mikys-2009]

Rationalization without end, amen.
Posted by extremophil at 01:21 PM : Mar 29, 2007


What are you thinking? Every human being rationalises everyday, I only wish we all could be more like them. We may actually stop being so cruel to each other.

Better to rationalise forgiveness than war.