[NYer]

AFP - Fri Oct 6, 7:31 PM ET

Amish girls peer out the window of a buggy as they pass through town before the start of a funeral procession of Anna Mae Stoltzfus, age 12, a victim of the Amish school shooting in the town of Nickel Mines, Penn., on 06 October 2006. Four other victims killed by Charles Roberts were buried 05 October 2006. Five other girls remain in critical or serious condition.(AFP/Timothy A. Clary)

[NYer]

Catholic Ping List
Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list

[dirtboy]

As the Sabbath Day approached, close friends expected to spend Sunday paying visits to the victims' families.

Thank goodness they will be able to make their rounds in some semblence of peace.

[oyez]

"It was just, 'Get out of dodge, get out of our town and we'll pull together.'"

Words the media needs to hear a lot more of. We would all be a lot better off.

We stand to learn a lot form the Amish.

[MineralMan]

Once again, the Amish demonstrate their fidelity to the teachings of Jesus. It is an impressive, and awe-inspiring thing.

They mourn the very man who caused the death of their children. Few can do this, and only through devotion to the teachings of Jesus are they able to do so.

Their strength of faith should be a beacon to other Christians, in my opinion, and an inspiration to non-Christians. They certainly inspire me.

For those who are interested in learning where this forbearance on the part of the Amish arises, all that is needed is a careful reading of Matthew, Chapters 5-7. It's all in there. It is the core of true Christianity.

[TomGuy]

TROPs could learn plenty about tolerance and forgiveness from the Amish.

The Amish have shown a quiet strength to the world in this.

[lexington minuteman 1775]

Looks like the Amish really do turn the other cheek. In a day of high tech, we don't have time to talk to nieghbors yada yada, these simple folks live out the Gospel in quiet yet powerful ways.

[bolobaby]

I'm sorry but...

God hasn't forgiven the gunman, why should the Amish? (If I can presume to divine God's will here.) According to the Bible, you would have to repent your sins and accept Jesus as your savior before being allowed into God's kingdom. Since the gunman's last sin was suicide, he never had the chance to repent and is therefore damned.

I find it hard to respect the Amish for their forgiving ways. It's nice and all, but every now and then PEOPLE need to take a stand against evil. How great does the sin have to be for them not to forgive? Would Hitler be forgiven? Their conscientious objection to judgment, let alone violence, makes them sheep to the slaughter and endangers the lives of their children.

The gunman is trash and I'm thankful he's dead.

I'm guessing someone might find this post offensive, but it is not meant to attack anyone personally. When one looks at the parallels between a willingness to fight against terrorists and conscientious objection to that fight, you may see my point. Those that would always refuse the fight are ripe to be slaughtered by Islamofascists.

[Rte66]

These are wonderful pictures, words, deeds, concepts that have been spread around the world by the media that y'all are all so mad at.

I wouldn't have it any other way - why hide the Amish light under a bushel basket? Proclaim it to the world. *Then,* go away.

[4yearlurker]

How difficult it is to live like Jesus told us to live in these days. The Amish show that it can be done. How out of step I feel when it comes to walking with God!

[Rightfootforward]

The Amish are a dear and wonderful people. If the world hasn't learned that from this tragedy, we are in a great deal more trouble that I thought we were.

[mel]

I read this story and weep.

[McGavin999]

Every once in awhile, when you get to be my age, you try to assess your life and you come out thinking, I'm doing OK. I'm a decent human being, I try to be generous and kind, yep, I'm doing OK.

Then you read something like this and you realize that you're going to be very, very, very lucky if they relegate you to some tiny dark closet on the far reaches of heaven where you can only see the reflected light of His passing through the cracks in the wall.

[Mojave]

Those Amish mourners are better people than I could ever hope to be.

[TheRedSoxWinThePennant]

Very awe inspiring. Better than I could be I fear.

[Zeroisanumber]

The Amish who attended that funeral are far better people than I am.

[bad company]

As democrats and republicans fight tooth and nail for the high moral ground in the wake of the foley scandal, all of us, to a man, have just been humbled.

[nutmeg]

"It's the love, the forgiveness, the heartfelt forgiveness they have toward the family. I broke down and cried seeing it displayed," said Bruce Porter, a fire department chaplain from Morrison, Colo., who had come to Pennsylvania to offer what help he could and attended the burial. He said Marie Roberts was also touched.

"She was absolutely deeply moved, by just the love shown," Porter said.

ping...

[Quix]

PRAISE GOD FOR THEIR FAITHFULNESS TO CHRIST'S NATURE, SPIRIT, PRINCIPLES AND WORD.

SO WONDERFUL that some in the world can still display the courage to live out Christianity authentically.

Such love and forgiveness are costly . . . as Christ's was costly.

Buyt they are also what it's about.

And they are not wimpy.

Wimps cannot measure up 1/100th to that measure of love or forgiveness.

[PghBaldy]

The prevailing wisdom suggested a new school would be built. I sometimes see things that aren't there, or mis-see things. I thought it said: The prevailing wisdom suggested a new WORLD would be built.

[Dan Lacey]