What a real "martyr" looks like

I am truly humbled by the way the Amish community reacted to that massacre.

I don't think I could find the way to forgive someone who lined up little girls and shot them. But they've responded by acts of compassion and generosity for the man's widow.

I've been the first to criticize the Amish. I think there is something dangerous about living in the past like that, not encouraging your children to finish high school, etc.

But note how the Amish have managed to "cope" (at least from what we can see) with this tragedy -- without "grief counsellors" and "family spokesmen" and "makeshift teddy bear memorials" and multi-coloured ribbons and all the other trappings of modern (for lack of a better word) secular religiosity.

Because the Amish have a _real_ religion, they don't have to make one up on the fly when something bad happens (Peter Hitchen's devastating critique of the public response to Princess Diana's death describes this phenomenon better than I can).

Yeah, I don't agree with with the full Amish way of life either, but the strength of their faith, family and community is something to reflect on.

Don't forget, the Catholic church was the main stream of Christianity during the Crusades.

They certainly didn't ponder forgiving the Muslims for very long.

They knew the future of Christianity was at stake. After all, Christ said turn the other cheek, not "let your enemy kill you."

Jesus is coming. And is he pissed.

I think the following dictum is instructive:

No forgiveness, no peace.

KNOW FORGIVENESS, KNOW PEACE.

Easy to say, but difficult to practice.

As GK Chesterton once observed:

Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried.

They're "strong" because only those with conviction stay in the community. Those who chose a different life are free to leave. What would our society be like if we were to banish all those who do not share our values? Say, if we were to state "from this day on, Alberta shall be inhabited only by Conservaites with honour, integrity, and a good work ethic". I'm willing to bet we wouldn't need "grief counsellors" and "family spokesmen" and "makeshift teddy bear memorials" either. Nor would we bicker about what direction we're headed in all the time. Things tend to be much simpler when you ensure that you're surrounded only by like-minded people.

What would our society be like if we were to banish all those who do not share our values? Say, if we were to state "from this day on, Alberta shall be inhabited only by Conservaites with honour, integrity, and a good work ethic". I'm willing to bet we wouldn't need "grief counsellors" and "family spokesmen" and "makeshift teddy bear memorials" either. Nor would we bicker about what direction we're headed in all the time. Things tend to be much simpler when you ensure that you're surrounded only by like-minded people.

Posted by: Alex at October 8, 2006 12:36 PM

This is really quite funny. Thanks.

Certainly my typical response to the latest outrage -- "Let's nuke 'em" -- is hardly edifying, to put it mildly. Maybe people like this somehow cancel me out, and keep the planet from imploding...

Posted by KShaidle at October 8, 2006 09:09 AM

And on the other hand, here's a sentiment that's not at all funny, but nonetheless worthwhile to see in print, since it's so revealing.

If Ignatief or Layton were to stand up in the Commons and accuse the Conservatives of harbouring in their ranks dangerous, angry genocidal lunatics who want to use nuclear weapons to exterminate hundreds of millions of Muslims, no one would believe them. But there it is, thanks to KShaidle.

Hey Bud,

No sane person wants to *nuke* anyone, however you obviously have a better alternate idea.

When Iran / Pakistan drop a mushroom on Israel, aside from shipping a white dove in a brown box via UPS to Iran*s madman, what exactly is your *better* idea? = TG

Viktor Frankl said that in the Nazi death camps, surrounded by all of the death and torture, there were still individuals who conducted themselves as heroes and saints.

This little girl is as brave as anyone I ever saw in the military.

I know another incident where a deranged killer had trapped people in a room and forced them to do unspeakable things to each other.

When he insisted that one young woman bite off a male's body part (I don't want this post to get caught in the filter) or he would kill her, this young woman could not bring herself to do it.

These are the people I think of when I think of what humanity and bravery are ultimately all about.

And it's one of the reasons that a lot of more superficial rhetoric about ethics and mores means little to me.

As a veteran myself, I understand that it is not until acute circumstances occur that anybody really knows how they are going to behave. The rest is just a bunch of crackling.

I wish we would stop naming our roads and buildings and auditoriums for politicians and celebrity businessmen. I wish we would stop naming wings of hospitals for people who need a huge tax write-off. I wish we would name our memorials for people like this little girl.

Budd, I'm not a Conservative Party operative. Don't think I've ever donated money to the party as a matter of fact. SDA is not an official Conservative Party site. Etc etc.

However, I would say that if given what's happened in the world since 9/11, anyone who _hasn't_ thought "Let's nuke em" just once, for a second or two, in the face of Muslim insanity, simply isn't equipped with normal human cognitive and emotional equipment.

In fact, its sadly telling that you think being "angry" is somehow a bad thing. Anyone who hasn't been angry since 9/11 isn't a morally serious person, or simply hasn't been paying attention. Ignorance and superficiality are nothing to boast about, dear.

And actually, if Iggy and co got up in Parliament and made the accusation as you state it, EVERYONE would believe them, not "no one." People believe all kinds of crazy things about conservatives; you just proved that. You're comments really aren't well thought out. How old are you? I'm guessing 21, 22...

Greg, excellent!. Me too, and Budd, I*m still waiting for your *better idea*. = TG

there are several large amish communities around my city.

easy to spot with the straw hats and bonnets.

the amish are not the simple minded naive country hicks made out to me in popular attitudes. they are savvy and well versed in human nature and freely choose to reject modern trappings.

what immense bravery and sacrifice at that age. wow.

"no greater love"

Budd, there are numerous Liberal/NDP supporters who advocate "rounding up" Conservatives and sending them to re-education camps, so rather than go for the ol' knee jerk righteous indignation I suggest a more enlightened approach whereby political movements with millions of voters aren't defined by the actions of a few politically incorrect statements from their followers. A poll in may showed less than fifty percent of Tory voters supported the Afghanistan mission; in light of this it is absurd to pick out the politically incorrect yet honest remarks of one of their supporters and attempt to smear Conservatives in general. It is a sleazy move and you are a sleazy blog commentor.

I'm not fond of the "Nuke em all" scenario but may I remind you that the incoming Liberal leader Michael "Torture Boy" Ignatieff favoured the Iraq invasion, favours torture, and is more of a Bush-style hawk than Harper has ever been. I'll bet Iggy would support the use of tactical nukes to attack Iran, many of his type do.

Since we've established that pending Liberal leader Iggy likely supports nuking some or all of "them" just like Shaidle does, what's next? Maybe someone could email the Iggy campaign and see why he supports the use of tactical nukes against Iran...

How many of you know that Wal Marts opened a store in a large Amish area and caters to the Amish way of life. No electric apppliances, no tv, lots of lanterns, bolts of cloth, and other necessities to their life style.
They could teach the muslims a lot about forgiveness.

"made out to BE" also substitute 'eschew' for 'reject'

I am just a little relieved that someone else (and a fellow Canadian) actually dares to say out loud that "let's nuke 'em" is a typical response, if only in your head. We know it's not the RIGHT response; we know it's knee-jerk; and we know we should never say it out loud.

So, thanks for that :)

"Budd" Campbell intoneth from on high:

And on the other hand, here's a sentiment that's not at all funny, but nonetheless worthwhile to see in print, since it's so revealing.

If Ignatief or Layton were to stand up in the Commons and accuse the Conservatives of harbouring in their ranks dangerous, angry genocidal lunatics who want to use nuclear weapons to exterminate hundreds of millions of Muslims, no one would believe them. But there it is, thanks to KShaidle.

Good lord, I've never seen such a segment of the population so terrified of pissing off the little voices inside their own head. I'm guessing that no one here has their fingers anywhere near the buttons that can send nukes off anywhere, so wtf does it matter what someone thinks?? Do you call the police when you hear some kid say "Oh god, my mom is going to kill me if I don't get home before midnight!"? You must be fun at parties.

Careful andrea. Budd is an informed and enlightened progressive, but if pushed too hard he will use invective against neander-cons such as you.

Cheers

Thass okay. I got a new mastodon-tusk club today.

Sorry to rain on this ultra-feminine hug fest, but we need to recall that one of Jesus' last commands was for his followers to sell their cloaks and buy a sword. He put that much emphasis on defending one's self and others, particularly in rough and dangerous times.

Those of us who are trying to do what God wants, both men and women, should keep our priorities right. A godly good shepherd doesn't offer roast lamb to a wolf or say, "here, eat me first." His objective is to protect the sheep by killing the wolf, and he will fight that good fight, even if the odds are hopeless and he dies standing between the wolf and his prey.

Those who would like to read a novel with precisely that perspective might try E. M. Forester's The Good Shepherd. It's the story of the captain of a destroyer in WWII, the son of a Lutheran pastor, who tasked with protecting a convoy from a U-boat wolf pack. Time and time again, he hurls his ship into danger to protect the convoy, time and time he shows his willingness to lay down his life for those he is swore to protect. That's what true spirituality is.

Unfortunately, all too many believers push the Scripture way too far, thinking that in exaggerating one passage (while ignoring many others), they are being even more spiritual. Not true. Exaggeration itself is a heresy--in this case a failure to be a good shepherd protecting the weak. Jesus said that we were to turn the other cheek to personal slights, i.e. getting cut off in traffic. He didn't say that if someone rapes your wife, you were to offer the rapist your daughter too. Small evils are to be brushed off, in part to leave us with the resources to fight great evils. And forgiveness only becomes an issue after the evil-doer is stopped.

This may anger some, but I'd be more impressed if both these girls--each well into her teens and thus not a small child--had attacked their killers, clawing at eyes and kicking where it hurts. And if each had managed to get hold of the gun, they should have already been taught by their fathers (or mothers) how to use it with effect.

I'm even more disgusted by the high school males (I won't call them men) at Columbine. In a matter of seconds, a strong teenage boy with any masculinity worthy of the name could turn a table into a quite effective weapon by turning the table's legs into clubs. And as any experienced cop knows, getting hit with a bullet doesn't necessarily stop someone, particularly when their adrendeline is pumping. That boy's last act in this world might have been to smash in the skull of one of the Columbine killers, but it would have been a good, fitting and quite godly way to die. The Good Shepherd does lay down his life for the sheep. And if several guys had rushed the killers in mass, there's no way every one of them could have been shot. It's always better to die fighting than to let those smaller and weaker die wimpering and cowering in fear.

And yes, there are situations where fighting is impossible and all we can do is die noblely. And last night I watched a movie based on the Count of Monte Crisco, and I agree with the priest in the tale that we should not let our lives be consumed by a thirst for revenge. But leaving vengence to God does not mean that we leave off protecting the weak or that we can neglect to bring a measure of justice into this world.

And I might add that, in general, it's the role of women, wives and mothers, to put backbone into their men and insist that they get their fat backsides away from ESPN and do something to ensure the safety of their children. Greek women did just that when their men went off to war, telling them to return, "With their shields or on them." Since a shield was the first thing thrown away when an army retreated, they were telling their men, "Win or die trying. We will accept nothing else."

And this matters on a scale far beyond the personal. Right now I am working on three books that will explore from different angles G. K. Chesterton's warning during World War I that, if Europe did not deal sternly with the evil that was lurking in the German heart, within 50 years there would be a war that would make World War I pale in comparison. He was wrong about the 50 years, it only took 20. But the horrors to come exceeded even his imagination. And much of what he warned against was a too-easy forgiveness that failed to exorcist a deeply entrenched evil, bringing a still greater evil.

--Michael Perry, Inkling Books, Seattle

I say we issue every Muslim chick over a certain age with a .38 Airweight, 200 rounds and free range time to practice.

Bud Campbell probably has some brilliant reason why this makes me some kind of knuckle dragging racist/sexist/homophobe bigot, but I still think it might cut down on the stoning episodes.

Hard to throw stones with a sucking chest wound, y'know. Spoils the whole affair, really.

Hey, Andrea, good to hear from you, I was a fan of one of your earlier blogs, Twisted Spinster, and lost track of you. Next thought running through my mind is poor Budd and t. schmuckJ esq if you chose to stay around for awhile.

I guess I'm begging you to stay.

Budd, You did read my 2:36 above and you have had hours to gather your wit. . er, thoughts. Still no constructive answer? = TG

'lets nuke 'em' can result in BEING nuked in case there are some unawares that lots of other countries have The Bomb and thousands of nuke engineers are available to build them.

I say we issue every Muslim chick over a certain age with a .38 Airweight, 200 rounds and free range time to practice. Bud Campbell probably has some brilliant reason why this makes me some kind of knuckle dragging racist/sexist/homophobe bigot...

Don't know what that fellow-travellin' bozo would think, but it does make you a bit of a clod.

I mean, hell, let's just give them a copy of "The Anarchist's Cookbook" and itineraries of various political-economic notables while we're at it!

Andrea always says what i wanna say, but says it so much better.

Let's nuke 'er!!!

And let's stop to remember and give thanks for the lives of these beautiful Amish children, who lived in the grace of God--and knew it. How rich they are--were--in a world so heavy with its false riches, it's falling over and apart.

Kyrie eleison.

TG,

Budd has been challenged on dozens of occasions to provide a coherent argument or alternative rather than the typical calumny he employs. He has never done so.

He's a terrific example of the NDP brain trust.

And I wouldn't hold your breath.

I've been reflecting on the photo I've just seen of two young Amish women walking home, by the looks of it, through a field, arm in arm, having just visited a grieving family.

They are wearing the usual white cap, their hair is tied back in the modest Amish way, and, of course, they are all in black. Their eyes are downcast, and there is something very beautiful about them. In their "plainness" they are lovely.

My reflection has to do with comparing their demeanour to many young women today, where one is hard-pressed to see any modesty or decorum.

Whatever criticism people may have of the Amish, thinking that they "live in the past," the strength of their faith and the closeness of their community will ensure that this tragedy is most likely dealt with in a much more healthy and realistic way than most people today who, without either faith or community, would fall apart if this kind of tragedy were ever to happen to them.

Deep faith, practised daily, strengthens and prepares us for tragedies in our lives; it helps us to come to terms with evil and to attempt a loving and forgiving response to it. Faith doesn't lessen the pain of the tragic and violent loss of a loved one, but it does help us cope with it.

Dudley Morris, it seems you have not been paying attention to the war.

We are not having a problem with Muslims generaly, we are having a problem with a certain class of Muslim -men-. One of the identifying features of these creatures is that they don't treat their women right.

Give their wimmenfolk the power to resist, and we will not hear another peep out of them. Its that sucking chest wound thing, y'know.