Following is an article from CNN.com about the Amish school shootings and how the families of the victims as well as other Amish community members have forgiven the gunman and are urging others to do the same. Another article that I read had a quote from a victim's family member saying that God intervened in that schoolhouse because the gunman also initially planned on sexually molesting them, which to them would have been worse than death. Maybe it's that I'm a little out of it today, but is anyone else overwhelmed by the families' capacity for forgiveness and truly living their beliefs?
Regardless of your religious beliefs, do you think you would have that capacity for forgiveness? While I've thankfully never experienced anything even remotely that horrible, it took a long time for me to learn how to forgive. Given those circumstances, though, I don't know if I could.
PARADISE, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- A grieving grandfather told young relatives not to hate the gunman who killed five girls in an Amish schoolhouse massacre, a pastor said on Wednesday.
"As we were standing next to the body of this 13-year-old girl, the grandfather was tutoring the young boys, he was making a point, just saying to the family, 'We must not think evil of this man,' " the Rev. Robert Schenck told CNN.
"It was one of the most touching things I have seen in 25 years of Christian ministry."
The girl was one of 10 shot by Charles Carl Roberts IV after he invaded their one-room schoolhouse in rural Pennsylvania on Monday. (Watch how the Amish have already forgiven the killer -- 2:46)
Three died at the scene and two died early Tuesday at hospitals. (Watch how Amish practices affected treating, identifying the victims -- 4:16 )
Funerals for four of the victims are scheduled for Thursday, and the fifth will be Friday.
Five girls remained hospitalized on Wednesday. A 13-year-old and a 12-year-old were listed in serious condition, and three other girls, ages 6, 8 and 10, are in critical condition, according to hospital officials.
At the families' request, the hospital did not provide details on the extent of the girls' injuries.
Schenck met with the families of two of the victims as well as the family of the gunman.
Relatives of Roberts had no hint that he would commit such violent acts, the pastor said.
Others who knew him described him as troubled.
"One person who had had almost daily encounters with him said that she noted that he never looked into anyone's eyes, he never looked into anyone's faces, and she knew that there was something deeply troubling about him," Schenck said.
"Although she did say, she was very careful to say, that Charles Roberts was not an evil person. That he was a deeply troubled man, that he had, in her words -- the sort of modest words of the Amish -- that he had problems of the heart."
On Tuesday, police said Roberts told his wife he molested young relatives 20 years ago and was dreaming about molesting children again. (Full story)
But police said Wednesday that they located two relatives Roberts allegedly molested when they were between ages 3 and 5, and both "are confident they were never assaulted by Roberts," said Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Linette Quinn.
"If there was a question of the fact that they could not remember because they were at a young age, I'm sure the investigation would look further, but I believe they are confident with the information they received," Quinn said.
Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Jeffrey Miller said Roberts may have targeted the school for its girl students and -- given various items found in the school -- intended to molest the children. (Watch police describe the molestation confession -- 1:34 Video)
Jack Meyer, a member of the Brethren community living near the Amish in Lancaster County, said local people were trying to follow Jesus' teachings in dealing with the "terrible hurt."
"I don't think there's anybody here that wants to do anything but forgive and not only reach out to those who have suffered a loss in that way but to reach out to the family of the man who committed these acts," he told CNN.
Sam Stoltzfus, 63, an Amish woodworker who lives a few miles away from the shooting scene, told The Associated Press that the victims' families will be sustained by their faith.
"We think it was God's plan, and we're going to have to pick up the pieces and keep going," he told AP. "A funeral to us is a much more important thing than the day of birth because we believe in the hereafter. The children are better off than their survivors."
When members of the community die, they are buried in wooden coffins; women in all white and men in all black, according to AP. (Watch how the Amish maintain their simple lifestyle -- 2:40)
Bodies are embalmed, but undertakers do not apply makeup. Funerals are held in the victim's home, and the dead are delivered to the cemetery in a horse-drawn carriage. A hymn is read, but there is no singing, AP reported.
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oh yes, you must always satisfy the monkey. Strong and Beautiful smells like a monkey
No I could not forgive so easily. I do not blame the gunman's family though, they are not the guilty, and I know that I could not be nice and reach out to them as the Amish have in this case.
Every time that I think about what happened it makes my blood boil, how can people do this crap? I will never understand.
Well, I couldn't do it... I take serious issue with ANYONE fucking with my family, be it kid toucher or murderer. You harm my family I WILL get you, one way or another...
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You, on your knees...
Some call me the Dark Lord, you can call me Master...
Some take delight in the carriages a rollin' and others take delight in the Hurley and the Bowlin', I take delight in the juice of the barley and courting pretty lasses in the mornin' bright and early...
its a hard call. the Amish see that it was NOT the family, and they fliped the coin to say, reach out to them losing someone also.
Its their faith tht has taught them how to live, what to expect and how to deal. The fact is what I think is they are "showing " the world to forgive and reaching out, but inside they are very hurt, angery and the like. that is called being human.
that said, the gunman did save the tax payers alot of time and money by offing himself before we had the chance.
I live in Amish country, I have several friends that are Amish. They are a very hard-working people, some are very cold to "outsiders", most are tolerant. Their religion is their way of life, forgiveness is "at the top of the list"--for lack of another word.
I have been to Amish schools and it is totally controlled by the teacher. The kids are very attentive. Yes, the education stops at 8th grade.
There is something very wrong with people today when this kind of thing happens! People are getting sicker and sicker! Society is getting too fast-paced, something is giong to break sooner or later!
USofAcop wrote: I wish I were Amish, what a simple life, except for eveyone hating your buggy in the road, I say they have it made.
No US, you really don't want to be Amish!! They average an 18 hour work day. NO modern conviences--electricity, indoor plumbing, no motorised vehicles. Most, depending on their church, are allowed certian items. There are sects that have absolutely NO "modern" stuff, just like living in the early 1800's.
oh yes, you must always satisfy the monkey. 
