The Amish Blog

Sunday, October 15, 2006

Tragedy Strikes the Amish World

Tragedy struck the Amish community when an armed gunman shot 10 young girls in a local Amish school, then committed suicide. Read a summary of the shooting and the resulting forgiveness by the Amish. Learn more about the aftermath of this tragedy, including how you can help. Express you comments here.

posted by PaDutch.com at 5:47 PM

36 Comments:

  • I ask God to bless you for your truly Christian response to this appalling tragedy

    By Blogger Clare, at 10/16/2006 4:08 PM  

  • The world has come to know about the Amish after the recent shoot out incident, But the Amish have made themselves known to the world in a totally unbelievable way which leaves us with some hope for this wicket world. I find no words to describe your response to this tragic incident. Only the true disciples of Our Lord Jesus can respond in this way. Really inspiring ......

    By Anonymous Paul, Dubai - UAE, at 10/16/2006 4:45 PM  

  • I know from own experience how hard it is to forgive, but it is the best way. Forgivness is not weak, but strong. I have respect how the amish people deal with this tragedy. My prayers are for the concerning families, the girls in hospital and for the family of the man who is responseble for this tragedy. I wish you the mercy of our savior the Lord Jesus Christ.

    By Anonymous Rene' - The Netherlands, at 10/16/2006 4:47 PM  

  • The example of forgiveness shown by the Amish Community is truly inspirational. It made me realize how petty some of the grudges I hold really are. In the light of such an example, I have genuinely forgiven those who I believe have wronged me.

    Michael, United Kingdom.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10/18/2006 2:25 AM  

  • To the Amish community in Nickel Mines Pennsylvania. Words cannot express the intense pain that I feel for the loss you have suffered in the community. The tears that I have shed still fall after all this time. I am a grandmother of two and a mother of two adult chilren. I cannot even imagine how the parents-family of these babies can move on. I don't seem to be able to. You must truly be God's chosen because I don't know if I could forgive as you did; if something like this happened to me and my family. I couldn't sleep at night the first week and I still think about the other children (survivors) constantly. This world has become so bad that I am afraid for my grand to do anything. Please pray for me. I am an African American woman that wishes I had your fortitude and wisdom. I am not working right now; but I am going to send you some money somehow, because I read that you all don't receive money except for all you work for. I don't think that I will ever be able to stop thinking of the bravery those little babies faced when they offered themselves up for each other. We need to learn from you. I read the bible too and somehow the humility you have learned has not sunk in my heart enough. My name is Marsha and I pray for you and support your ministry anyway I can. I pray that the remaining girls will continue to grow strong and get better with healing. I admire your ability to do what you did with the Roberts family. May God continue to bless you in everything you do. My email address is kesmar503730@yahoo.com

    By Anonymous Marsha Grimes, at 10/18/2006 5:34 PM  

  • I am so very sorry for you loss.Please know we care!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10/20/2006 2:11 AM  

  • I feel deeply sorry for what have happened to you and at the same time I feel tremendously inspired for your sense of forgiveness. May the Lord Bless your community and each and everyone of its members. May the whole world follow your example. Your are truly precious and unique people. My thoughts and prayers are with you and I, myself, will try to be a better person everyday of my life.

    Claudio, Coral Gables, US.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10/21/2006 3:03 PM  

  • The strength of the Amish community and their brotherhood is truly amazing. Though I personally would like the killer to rot in hell, its commendable that the amish forgave him immediately. If we could all be a little more like the amish, hte world would be a much better place.

    By Anonymous Amish Furniture, at 10/24/2006 5:02 PM  

  • My sincerest condolences to all the families who lost a daughter in this tragedy. I can't imagine how they are all feeling, but their attitudes are courageous and wonderful- a lesson for that many of us Englishers could learn from.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10/27/2006 1:22 AM  

  • I share in your heartfelt loss of your beautifully spirited children. We know that they are with our Father in paradise. May God console you as only He can, knowing we will be with God also one day. I keep you all in my heart and prayers. Audrey

    By Anonymous Audrey, at 10/28/2006 1:10 AM  

  • its horrible what happened and i feel terrible for you, just know that people do care!

    Peyton, Missouri

    By Anonymous Peyton G., at 11/03/2006 11:11 AM  

  • What does the Amish community know about the war on terrism in America? How are they informed about such issues if there is a chance that these issues will affect them?

    By Blogger Jane, at 11/03/2006 5:49 PM  

  • i would just like to say i think the Amish are amazing people and they set an incredable example to others.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11/06/2006 2:47 PM  

  • The Lord has blessed the world with Christian examples such as the Amish. I often think of how world events effect them. As it is a sin to worry,however, I'm sure that they do not worry over such things as terrorism, and I know that the Lord will bless them for this and many other reasons because of their choice of lifestyle. I am still curious as to how much knowledge they have of the things like the war in Iraq, and threats made on the U.S. No disrespect. Just concern.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11/08/2006 1:57 AM  

  • Because of the recent events, I am interested in speaking with someone about Amish traditions concerning forgiveness. I am doing a research paper on this very thing. Any information would be appreciated. It is not meant to make fun of, it is to encourage others to forgive as well.

    By Blogger Tfreund, at 11/10/2006 1:27 PM  

  • To the Amish Community in Pennsylvania - My my sincere condolences on the recent tragedy and on your losses.
    To me you are truly Christian folk and are a great inspiration for all. I admire the way you follow your way of life and your forgiving and simple way of life is a fine example. I know praise is not your thing - but - you truly do inspire.

    12/11/2006 1.00pm

    By Blogger Jacqueline O'Sullivan, at 11/11/2006 7:16 PM  

  • Through you Jesus speaks and we will listen.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11/11/2006 10:34 PM  

  • Thank you for your living testimony of God's love. You have lived out scripture (Romans 13 v. 17-21) in your response to this tragedy. I will keep your community in prayer.

    Thank you for this Christian response that encourages my own spiritual growth. Cheri

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11/13/2006 8:49 AM  

  • Its funny, I have been asked by friends in the past who have sufferd a loss: Why did God allow this to happen?-- An obviously negative outlook. However, the Amish outlook is: Now is a time to trust in the Lord. He has sent a hardship our way to test our reliance on him. Lets trust that he knows what is best.-- Isn't it beautiful?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11/14/2006 12:27 AM  

  • May the world learn from the Amish people and their true sense of Christianity. The question is why would he pick to such peace loving people? The answer will come at the end of time, until then please know that are sincere condolences go out to all the families, including the shooter.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11/14/2006 8:35 PM  

  • God bless you.You are true followers of the Lord and an example to all of us.My thoughts and prayers will always be with you.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11/14/2006 8:38 PM  

  • Me and my fantastic friend sian are in love with you amish people. you are a true inspiration to us! i'm buying her an amish doll. She loves you. I love you. We want to join you. please reply to this telling us more on the amish...god u rule.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11/15/2006 5:33 AM  

  • WE sooo just sent a comment to the amish!!!!! tell me where i can buy some of your fantastic dashing clothes PLEASE! YOU ALL inspire us

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11/15/2006 5:35 AM  

  • I wish the community all the best. I hope I'll be able to visit you some days and help in whatever way that I can if you accept it. For now I'll send over a cheque.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11/16/2006 12:43 PM  

  • To my mind, the Amish response to this horrific tragedy was the most loving and wise I have heard of in my lifetime. Then, when I read in Newsweek that the two oldest girls being held as hostages volunteered to be shot first, in hopes that the others might be saved, just made me collapse in tears at their courage and self-sacrifice and strength of character. That this was an unrehearsed response from 10 and 12 year old girls, is more than humbling. We have a lot to learn from these people.
    Paranthetically, I am wondering what the Amish stance is to the greater politic. Do the Amish, for instance, vote in general elections?

    By Blogger FreeAcre, at 11/16/2006 2:26 PM  

  • Two random unrelated questions:

    One, how do the Amish celebrate Christmas?

    And two, while I can relate to their position against war, violence and the military and am aware of the biblical scriptures that support it, I am very curious to know how the Amish reconcile this position with figures like the warrior King David and with God's charge to the Jews to "destroy the inhabitants of the land they are being given to possess" (paraphrase) in Deuteronomy 7? Or would a member of the Amish community say that I'm misinterpreting that scripture?

    I'm sincerely interested because this is the kind of rebuttle believers sometimes encounter when expressing their position against violence.

    By Anonymous E, at 11/20/2006 11:55 AM  

  • Amish it is very good people.Live as plain people this very good.Amish end Mennonit it is conservativ christian,it is very good. :-)

    By Anonymous Vova from Ukraine.I'am Russian., at 11/21/2006 1:38 AM  

  • sorry for your loss in the community

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11/25/2006 5:45 PM  

  • I have concerns that just probably the amish faith may be hyper-legalism, as an evangelical I know the believer can know they are saved
    from their sins thru the shed blood of our saviour Jesus Christ and what he did and not what we can do. We otherwise cannot please God outside his son's redemptive work nor in addition except to obey and pray and to share with others what God has done for you. All that Jesus
    ever called were called publicly and
    to go into all the world and win the lost. A command and mandate of our lord. Paul said in Romans, that the jews had a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

    By Blogger clarence puckett, at 11/30/2006 2:33 PM  

  • i was very happy to knw that there is a community in world which has such big hearts n such high sense of human values
    i really think we can learn frm the amish who were emphatetic towards there enemy
    n if we learn it i think our world wud b a peaceful place to live in

    By Anonymous prerna, at 12/03/2006 3:51 AM  

  • I am a christian and find the amish way of living very inspiring. I would like to join your community but God has called me to a ministry of my own. I see the evil in america and it has even crept into the church. pray for america and the back-slidding christians.

    By Anonymous Timothy, at 12/04/2006 9:28 PM  

  • I visited the Amish Country 30 years ago with my husband. It was our first vacation after we were married.

    It is amazing how these peaceful, beautiful people have lived in the past and live now.

    My heart was so saddened when I heard about the little girls who lost their lives in the school house. My heart went out to their families and loved ones. My prayers are sent up daily in hopes that Lord Jesus will grace them with eternal peace.

    I also wish the whole world lived like the Amish People do. So peaceful, loving and caring the Amish Country is. What a much better world this would be.

    Thank you,
    Sandy
    Bristol, CT

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 12/06/2006 5:22 PM  

  • What is Rumspriga?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 12/08/2006 4:22 PM  

  • Why does Wal mart sell amish how to guides? And how are you guys on the internet?
    love,
    curious from chicago

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 12/08/2006 11:10 PM  

  • If the Amish does not want their photos taken why are thier phots on this web site?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 12/19/2006 4:57 PM  

  • I need someone tell me what is going on with the amish people
    why dont they look at us worldy people or talk to us or say hello they will take our money but turn thier backs on us? they can't know the jesus we know he will show love and be kind to all and they think we are evil. I use to think high about them until I saw how cold they are to us. the young girls will not even look at us more less the family. also ITS NOT FAIR they dont go to war and our boys and girls are dying for them to be safe and making a living ON OUR MONEY. I DONT SEE CHIRST IN THEM they will help each other but the hell with us ok

    By Blogger Guy, at 12/21/2006 11:16 AM  

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