Amish School Shooting Aftermath

Perhaps the saddest news item in America this week was the death of five Amish girls, and their murderer, in an Amish schoolhouse in Pennsylvania. Unlike many school-shooting tragedies, the killer was neither a fellow student nor directly connected to the students, but instead was a troubled 32-year-old milk truck driver.

Although such tragedies often seem inexplicable, it is important to remember that the root of senseless violence and, ultimately, death and suffering was the Fall of our ancestor Adam. Furthermore, we must remember that although we speak of “innocent” individuals dying, none of us are truly innocent (Romans 3:23), and we are all deserving of death (Romans 6:23). None of us can escape the consequences of the Fall. Even the Amish, who shun modern technology, live simply and are generally very religious, cannot extricate themselves from this fallen world. Only through Christ can Redemption occur—not only for us as individuals, but for the entire heavens and earth as well.

We should also take heart in the Christian behavior of the Amish family and friends of the victim. News reports say that one girl asked that the killer shoot her and let the others go free—echoing John 15:13. The Amish also emphasize forgiveness for the killer, and have requested that a fund be set up for the killer’s widow and children (honoring Matthew 6:14).

Ultimately, murder can be traced back to shortly after the Garden of Eden, when Cain murdered Abel. But in recent times, the erosion of faith in the Word of God—partially due to acceptance of Darwinism—has contributed to a growing sense of purposelessness in individuals and weakens morals to be merely subjective opinions. It is no surprise to learn that the murderer of these Amish girls was reportedly mad at God.

Brian Rohrbough, father of a Colorado student murdered in the Columbine massacre, apparently shares our perspective:

This country is in a moral free-fall. For over two generations, the public school system has taught in a moral vacuum, expelling God from the school and from the government, replacing him with evolution, where the strong kill the weak, without moral consequences and life has no inherent value.