Amish and terror

There have been various responses to the brutal murder of five Amish girls recently. Here’s one that’s well worth reading, from the National Catholic Reporter.

it was not the murders, not the violence, that shocked us; it was the forgiveness that followed it for which we were not prepared. It was the lack of recrimination, the dearth of vindictiveness that left us amazed. Baffled. Confounded.
It was the Christianity we all profess but which they practiced that left us stunned. Never had we seen such a thing.

And here’s another, from Sojourners.

As my husband and I talked about the spiritual power of these actions, I commented in an offhanded way, “It is an amazing witness to the peace tradition.” He looked at me and said passionately, “Witness? I don’t think so. This went well past witnessing. They weren’t witnessing to anything. They were actively making peace.”

And, another, from Ben Witherington.

Somewhere out there, there is someone who is muttering about meekness being weakness. There is someone out there suggesting that violence is the way to answer and silence senseless violence. There is someone simply ignoring the words of Jesus that those who live by the sword die by the sword.

pax et bonum

Article posted at 1:51pm on 12 October 2006
Category: Faith, Links, Politics

They’re inspirational, such an example of what Jesus was all about. If only all Christians could be that much of a witness (and I include myself in that statement).

Jo () (URL)
12:20am on 13 October 2006