<p>My3girls,</p>
<p>I agree with the Amish that we are all in God’s hands. My comments relate to Northstarmom’s introduction about 9/11 more than the Amish religion.</p>
<p>Momof3sons–I very much sympathesize with your losses. We have had a lot of untimely death in our family, including a horrific car accident.</p>
<p>I too do not believe that what happens is God’s will, or that “everything happens for a reason.” I hate it when others are told that to make them “feel better.” That being said, since I don’t believe God causes these tragedies, or can stop them (the world is a place of scientific causation, plus the choices of free will), when they happen, I don’t blame Him or lose faith, because I know He didn’t make them happen.</p>
<p>but again, if this helps someone else cope, I wouldn’t take it from him or her. It just doesn’t work for me.</p>
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<p>So, to extrapolate this to 9/11:</p>
<p>Has 9/11 brought us closer to God? I don’t know.</p>
<p>Has 9/11 brought us closer to each other? Yes.</p>
<p>Has 9/11 brought us closer to the Muslims? Well, we are in Afghanistan and in Iraq…</p>
<p>"By this, do you mean that Sept 11th was God’s (or Allah’s) will, that he sent the terrorist to carry out that will? Or do you perhaps believe that we, as a nation should have reacted to the events of Sept 11th in much the same way the Amish have reacted to the massacre of their children a the hands of this madman? I suspect you mean the latter, but I’m asking because I really am trying to understand your statement. </p>
<p>If we had simply mourned the loses experienced on Sept 11th, and moved on believing that it had been God’s will, and that we should just accept that, I wonder what would have happened? "</p>
<p>What I believe is that God gave us free will, and that’s why some horrible things and some wonderful things happen.</p>
<p>I think that we would have been far better off looking for an alternative to war in reaction to September 11. My opinion is that war should be a rock bottom last resort. We had much of the world on our side after Sept. 11, and we squandered that goodwill by forging ahead to war without seriously looking into other methods and without searching for effective ways of reaching out to Muslims, not all of whom are fanatics who are out to kill us.</p>
<p>I’m not suggesting at all that we should have reacted to Sept. 11th by saying, “God’s will. Oh, well.” That’s also not what the Amish are doing. To be able to forgive the murder and reach out with empathy to his family while presumably also helping the many Amish families whose children were slaughtered are courageous and active actions, not actions of people who passively submit to “God’s will.”</p>
<p>The Amish belief is that their time on Earth is a preparation to Heaven…and that death is more important than birth…</p>
<p>Jonathan Alter wrote this "[Alternative</a> September 11 History](<a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14753927/site/newsweek/]Alternative">www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14753927/site/newsweek/)" last month which, while not entirely pacifist, posits how the world might have been different under a different approach. It is worthwhile to reflect on how we react to horrific violence, individually and as a nation.</p>
<p>Mootmom,
Thanks so much for posting that. I just wish that the below things in the article had really happened. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, it’s easy to play cowboy, but far more difficult to be a visionary.</p>
<p>"Because Bush believes diplomacy requires talking to adversaries as well as friends, even Syria and Iraq were forced to help. By staying “humble,” as he promised in 2000, he preserved much of the post-9/11 good feeling abroad, which paid dividends when it came time to pull together a coalition to handle North Korea and Iran. </p>
<p>At home, some aides suggested that Bush simply tell the nation to “go shopping.” But the president knew he had a precious opportunity to ask Americans for real sacrifice. He took John McCain’s suggestion and pushed through Congress an ambitious national-service program that bolstered communities and helped train citizens as first responders. </p>
<p>Soon Bush put the country on a Manhattan Project crash course to get off oil. He bluntly told Detroit that it was embarrassing that Chinese automakers had better fuel efficiency, he classified SUVs as cars, and he imposed a stiff gas tax with a rebate for the working poor. To pay for it, he abandoned his tax cuts for the wealthy, reminding the country that no president in history had ever cut taxes in the middle of a war…"</p>
<p>DrJR4 - Fair point.</p>
<p>Momof3 - Is God a dirty word? </p>
<p>garland - You know nothing with certainty, beyond what you believe – and THAT can be subject to a rude awakening.</p>
<p>leanid,
No, G-d is not a dirty word. The way I was raised in my religion, it is customary not to spell out the word G-d or L-rd. The reason for this is to avoid the possibility of the word being defaced or destroyed accidentally. For instance, if someone printed out this thread and later threw it out, and I had fully spelled out the word, the name of G-d would be thrown away. The full name of G-d is considered to be a holy thing. Hope this made some sense.</p>
<p>That is news to me. What religion would that be?</p>
<p>I imagine I may take some flack for this, but I can’t imagine offering forgiveness to anyone who committed such a horriffic crime. They are obviously much better than I. I guess that’s why they will go to heaven (if there is such a thing) and I probably won’t. I can’t imagine feeling anything but hate and vengeance in that situation.</p>
<p>I don’t know if I could, but I have extraordinary admiration that those who can. Not to go all religious, but I know Christians, (and other religions, too, I imagine) are supposed to.</p>
<p>SplashMom, I am with you…there is a need to move on, and not be engulfed with anger, and to do so for other family members, but I don’t think you have to forgove the “bad guy” in order to do that</p>
<p>I would think one would have to find a way to let go, and not waste energy on that person, but to instantly be able to say, well God’s plan, and I forgive you for slaughtering my child…I couldn’t do it</p>
<p>I would channel those emotions, I would hope, to helping others, but nope, and I don’t feel bad for thinking I wouldn’t be noble or gentle enough to be able to forgive a monster…</p>
<p>As for “forgiveness” in relgions, I wonder</p>
<p>A lesson from the Amish</p>
<h2>Craig R. Smith</h2>
<p>Posted: October 9, 2006
1:00 a.m. Eastern</p>
<p>The difference between being ordinary and extraordinary is simply a choice. A choice to be great is never easy and may take sacrifice, but that is why there are plenty of ordinary folks in America yet very few truly extraordinary. </p>
<p>When I think of extraordinary athletes, I think about the time and sacrifice that went into the training that produced the great homerun hitters and the touchdown scorers. The world record holder of the 100-yard dash made a choice to get up very early each day and brave the weather to put in the hours necessary for greatness. The concert violinist spent countless hours practicing scales and reading music. The world-class heart surgeons dedicated hours to study and practice. In all cases there was a conscious choice to do what needed to be done to be extraordinary. </p>
<p>This week America witnessed this principle in the most profound way. A group of peace-loving, hard-working, self-sufficient, faithful citizens laid to rest their precious children who were cut down in their early years at the hand of a man in Nickel Mines, Pa. We all know the story. The Amish community was shaken to its core as a man entered a schoolhouse, tied up 10 young girls and then proceeded to slay them. Methodically, one by one they were shot execution-style until ultimately the shooter turned the gun on himself and the horror-filled air rang silent. I can’t imagine what the scene must have been like, much less what that scene looked like in the minds of the parents who loved those children. </p>
<p>After the smoke settled and the reports started to pour forth, we watched as a group of extraordinary people responded to this tragedy as only extraordinary people would. They mourned and cried and then went about the grim task of hand digging the graves in which their children would soon be laid to rest. Afterwards they arranged, by meeting all the requirements of the state, to make the sorrowful trip to the coroner’s office to take possession of the lifeless bodies so a funeral and subsequent burial could take place. </p>
<p>They drove their horse and buggies to the gravesites and buried their dead. Every last shovelful of dirt was gently placed on the coffin with the same care and attention as it was removed by the love of a father, brother or uncle. All the while the state offered transportation, counseling and various services in hopes of making this tragedy less burdensome. The response was “Thank you, but all we ask is for our privacy and your prayers”. </p>
<p>The most remarkable part of this sad story is not what was visible but what was invisible. The invisible shows the extraordinary character of these fine people. During this whole process you never saw a finger of blame being pointed at anyone, including the gunman who took innocent life from the Amish community. The most you heard was an Amish spokesman’s prepared comments read by a policeman. The comments were filled with love, understanding and forgiveness for what took place. Comments that talked about how this man made a bad choice and they forgive him for making that choice. They didn’t blame guns, politicians, media, society or any of the other normal targets that we ordinary people look to blame. They didn’t blame God or look to make sense of what is a truly senseless act. They made a choice to live their faith and trust in God. Knowing full well God loves them and has forgiven them, in turn they forgive others even when it means the loss of something as precious as a child. They chose not to allow hate to fill their hearts. They know hate produces darkness and eclipses the light of God in man. They chose to walk in light and not in darkness. Walking in darkness can only produce more evil, and for the Amish that wasn’t even an option. </p>
<p>Some may suggest that is a sign of weakness, but I know that it is the sign of ultimate strength. Make no mistake, however; it was a choice. They could hate and seek revenge. Instead they returned evil with good. They choose to love and not hate. Their natural reaction was to reach out to the family of the killer and invite them to the funerals of their slain children. The Amish have been more concerned about the pain of the killer’s survivors then they are themselves. Perfect love and forgiveness has sprung forth from this truly extraordinary group of people. </p>
<p>What a great life lesson we could all receive if we choose to do the same as we watch Democrats criticize Republicans and Republicans criticize Democrats. We see no forgiveness from either camp for mistakes made or poor choices. Instead all we see is the constant straddling for political advantage. Who can trip up the other versus trying to heal each other’s pain. How elections mean more than truth. Human decency loses out to advantage and politics. </p>
<p>This week was a rather extraordinary week to me, for I watched Americans all across this country choose to either be ordinary or extraordinary. A man chose to walk into a school and kill innocent kids. A group in D.C. postured and played political gamesmanship to beat an opponent. They both walk in darkness because their motive is hate. Then there is a group of folks who chose to be extraordinary simply by living their faith in a God of love. They didn’t blame or criticize. They didn’t look to gain advantage in order to destroy their opponent. No they loved and forgave and chose to walk in light. </p>
<p>Some call the Amish old-fashioned. They don’t watch TV or listen to the radio. They don’t fill their minds with the toxic waste coming from Hollywood. They work hard, love their families and love God. I think we all owe the Amish a collective sense of gratitude, for they have shown us this week what America could be if we shut off the iPods, turned off the TV, ignored the agenda-driven media and simply walked in light. They chose to love and not hate. I can only hope each member on Capitol Hill and across the nation heard the message coming from Pennsylvania this week. </p>
<p>To the Amish, I express my heartfelt sorrow and mourning for your loss. The nation grieves with you. But we also rejoice in knowing your faith proves to us all there is more than this life. We know those beautiful young ladies are walking with Moses, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They have now spent time with Paul, James, Peter and Silas. They have all now seen HIS face.</p>
<p>beautiful column, She. Thanks for posting that.</p>
<p>The Amish - what a stark contrast to our “advanced” world. They are incredibly beautiful as a society.</p>