Posted on 11/18/2005 6:29:44 AM PST by Dr. Scarpetta
Lancaster County, PA - One man said he was thankful that Justin Borden, who is in the Army, returned from Iraq and was able to see his parents "before You called them home." He said the Bordens' oldest son, James, who lives in Chicago, had planned to return to Lititz for Thanksgiving to introduce his girlfriend to his parents.
At a prayer service Wed at Monterey Chapel in Leola, church members and visitors prayed for the children of the late Michael and Cathryn Borden, and for the forgiveness of the Bordens' accused killer, David Ludwig.
More than 100 people gathered for about two hours inside the Borden family's home church -- a simple chapel with just 24 pews -- where members learned Sunday during morning services that Mike and Cathy had been shot to death in their Lititz home hours earlier, allegedly by Ludwig, the 18-year-old boyfriend of their 14-year-old daughter, Kara.
The congregation sang three hymns to open the service, including one of Mike's favorites, "Be Thou My Vision."
"We know tonight where Mike and Cathy are," church elder David Sheaffer said. "They're with the Lord in heaven, and we rejoice in that."
Sheaffer asked for prayers for the Borden and Ludwig families and those close to them, and for the authorities working on the homicide investigation.
He emphasized the need to forgive.
"If you listen to the news, you kind of get a sense that a young man has been condemned already," Sheaffer said.
Men only were invited to pray aloud, and more than a dozen stood one by one and spoke about the five Borden children and the faith of their parents.
After 45 minutes of prayer, the service ended with a hymn.
One church member, who asked not to be identified, said he has forgiven Ludwig, who is in Lancaster County Prison awaiting a preliminary hearing.
"Without a doubt, I know that's what Mike and Cathy would want," he said. "They tried to work with David in a loving way."
Many church members who are close to the family said they have not seen the Borden children since the murders.
William Sobieray, 25, and his wife, Alyssa, 27, of Lancaster, said the Bordens were like second parents to them when they moved to Lancaster two years ago.
"They were our role models," William said. "(Mike) was my mentor. He was who I looked up to for everything.
"They'd want forgiveness for David. They'd want prayers for his soul."
The Bordens visited church member Kristen Landis, 29, of Lititz, 11 weeks ago when her son was born, Landis recalled, choking back tears.
Susanna Hartman, 18, a church member from Brownstown, said Mike and Cathy were high school sweathearts in Missouri, and that Cathy still had a Southern drawl from the years the family spent in North Carolina.
Hartman said she doesn't like the media's coverage of their deaths.
"People don't know them, and people say stuff, and I don't like it," she said.
Hartman's father, Dale, worked with the church youth group along with Mike. He described Mike as a truthful, gentle man.
"Why are we so violent?" he asked.
After the service, Sheaffer said he and the other church elders are meeting with leaders from the church Ludwig attended, Lititz Christian Church.
"The only way we can handle this is to ask for the Lord's help," he said. "We've got to bear each other's burdens.
"Yes, he might be convicted and spend life in prison, but life in prison without the Lord is going to be hard for him to handle," he said. "Life in prison with the Lord is going to be a blessing to him."
A funeral for the Bordens will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Good Shepherd Chapel at Lancaster Bible College, 901 Eden Road.
Not to be picky, but you cannot forgive sins that were committed against anyone except yourself. Only God has the power to do that.
Was the Bordens' daughter complicit in this, or wasn't she? It was the most ambiguous aspect of the case and it remains ignored and completely unanswered.
I heard an editorial on KYW radio which blamed the Bordens because of the way they "confronted" David while still angry and that parents should avoid that. I was so angry that I had to make a special effort to keep my car in the road. I didn't hear it again, so maybe other listeners called in to complain.
The good church members can forgive him all they want to, but the killer(s) still have to answer to the law.
Two different things.
Ping
They are treating her with kid gloves--one reason is that she was in such shock as I understand it. They will certainly get to the bottom of it. I personally doubt that she was complicit in their murder, but she was probably glad that he was going to talk with them... We'll learn more later.
I heard on the news last night that she hasn't been questioned yet.
but what you dont seem to understand is that all liberals and lefties are higher than god in the pecking order, just ask them.
I'm sure that the church members wouldn't have it any other way.
Yes
Yes and no. If you are holding bitterness against someone for some action, whether it personally harmed you or not, then you have a duty to God to forgive the action.
Link to conversation with Kara and her friend on 9/22.
http://www.xanga.com/karebear0001/353102413/item.html
This is pretty sad in many ways. I go to a church that is loosely affiliated with the Borden's church. In fact, The Borden's were a friend of a friend of a friend.
Ping
It's a small world, sometimes.
I was shocked to find out that my parents go to church with some good friends of this family. My parents' church is in California.
What is the denomination?
>>>Was the Bordens' daughter complicit in this, or wasn't she? It was the most ambiguous aspect of the case and it remains ignored and completely unanswered.>>>
Since she was captured in Indiana, the law there says they cannot interview at all, a minor without guardians present. Since this bozo killed her guardians, they have to wait until the state appoints her new guardians before they can even talk to her.
You don't have that duty. You may not carry hatred in your heart but you aren't required to forgive someone who doesn't ask for forgiveness. Centainly not when their actions weren't directed toward you or yours.
To forgive is to put in the past as if it never happened. Such is not the case here. At least this boy has a long way to go before his actions can be put into the past.Hopefully they will be put into the past with his execution.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.