Amish forgivness

megsmomma

I saw a part on the Today show where Matt was asking if it was possible an emotional disconnect to be able to forgive immidietly after such a terrible tragedy. I personally feel it is not natural to be able to forgive something so big so quickly and it makes me think they all put on a front because they are a cult-like group too. If they said "One family is forgiving, and another family is mad as H*ll about the whole thing,"it would be much more believable to me.

I lived right by an Amish community in Orwell Ohio for a time and once when a friend came to visit from Az, we were doing laundry in the L-matt, and so were some Amish wemon. My friend was surprised because she expected them to be all quaint....like eating home-made miffins and reading the bible as they did laundry....but they were eating Dorito's, drinking Pepsi....and saying "sh*t" when the washing mashine wasn't working right. We are all just human and I think it is so unfair that any humans are forced to be a certain way, and not be able to express their true selves.

mouthy

My personal beliefs is they are a works group. Just like JWS- Some are true believers & KNOW they must "work" for their Salvation .I live near the Mennonites - Horse & Buggies ,no electriciity, no phones, etc: They do believe in God Just as the WT does, but it is a god that wants Works.... It is not by works we are saved it is Faith....So many of their young ones sneak off & smoke ,swear ,etc....Isnt it sad the we were /& are so misguided when all we really have to do is Know we were Created.I believe I have a Creator, I know I screw up on many occasion But I know HE forgives me -just as I would MY kids ( & have done) when they screwed up.. Lets hope that because of the publicity they are getting about them forgiving ( & if they truly do I think it is wonderful) that others dont get into the group.

Satanus

I agree, they are extremely suppressive. I say this because my ancestors' background is mennonite. Mennonites have the same origins as amish, only that mennonites went liberal (decadent by amish standards). I see the same self suppression in my ancestors. If they expressed themselves, you would see the same nonforgiveness and vengance type attitudes as in others.

S

greendawn

They do make their lives more difficult by denying the use of many modern inventions yet that is a more physically active and healthy lifestyle. It also makes me recall the satyre song of Jankovic adapted from Coolio's "Gangsta's paradise" called "Amish paradise". This Anabaptist group practice shunning like the dubs do.

DevonMcBride

I live in Philadelphia, not far from Lancaster, PA. On several trips to the Amish communities, I've seen them using cell phones and allowing their 12 yr old sons to smoke. A friend of mine worked for a health food store and used to take their e-mail and phone orders in which they paid with credit cards. Their is a huge drug problem among their teens. This is one of the many stories about it. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/1998/06/24/national/main12508.shtml.

About a year ago an Amish man was convicted of a serious crime and sentenced to jail. The Amish community complained how incompetent the "English" mans court system is. They also have their share of pedophile coverups and like the Watchtower, they refuse to call the police in.

As you can see from the above link, they're not as innocent as the majority of the public believes.

LongHairGal

I am sure the Amish have their share of problems that are covered up because they are a closed community and I guess the temptations of the modern world make inroads even on them.

Years ago I was there on a tour with my family and in one of the towns I was standing on a corner waiting to cross the street. A horse-drawn cart came along and turned a corner. It is a good thing the horse was doing the driving because the man in the cart didn't take his eyes off me even as his cart turned the corner. It was rather funny to see. (I was wearing tight jeans and a top so I guess this is like porno to them.)

As far as Amish forgiveness is concerned, I don't know. But I do believe their community is forever changed by this recent tragedy. Probably from now on somebody will be standing guard outside their schools so this never happens again.

LHG

Gadget

On one hand I think it must be hard for the families to have to put on a front of forgiveness for the sake of their community when it must be the opposite of what they must be feeling inside, but on the other the strength of faith they have must be like a rock helping them through this.

Why Georgia

Back to the original thought of people forgiving instantly when something awful is done to them or a family member.

Last year we had 2 cases here in Massachusetts, that struck me very deeply, not because I knew the people or it directly affected me.

One was a woman was drunk and high and backed out of her parents driveway and drove over a man then drove off , he was killed. This was a good man, the neighborhood do-gooder. The guy that would shovel your sidewalk in a snowstorm and help in anyway he could. His wife said " I love my husband, I will miss him, but I know I will see him again someday because of my faith in God. I feel sorry for her parents because their ordeal is just starting."

The other was a little poor girl was sitting on her porch and was killed in a drive by shooting. The mother was on the news and immediately saying she forgave the person who did this and she would pray for them.

I don't know where this kind of stregth, faith, love comes from....because I don't have it. I don't have any of it. I was just floored by these peoples kindness in the midst of their loss. If it was me, I'd go for the eye for an eye justice.

Best Regards,

Chrystal

bebu

I think if I had to forgive someone something like that, I don't know if I could immediately say it. I think I'd be screaming or fainting. I think it would feel like heaven and earth moving inside me to be able to resist my angry reflexes too...

But then I think that the decision to forgive is what will lead eventually to feeling merciful. Sometimes it seems like a process--that is, that I end up re-nailing the issue each time the nails of closure seem to pop off.

Maybe it's like a fire drill to the Amish, when there is finally a fire. They have preached forgiveness a lot, but the opportunity is now here and they "know what to do" even though they may not really feel (all of them anyway) very forgiving. Time will really tell how individuals decide to process it, imo.

bebu

AK - Jeff

I personally have known many Amish. I have spent hundreds of hours witnessing to them. I worked with many. I ate lunch with them. I have done business with them.

I believe that there are people who can deeply sound the principles of their religion into the deepest part of their personality.

Try and remember how deeply held some of your beliefs were as witnesses - for instance the belief that God's personal name was and is Jehovah, and that we had the assignment to make that known. If confronted with a situation, while in the deepest time of your witness 'spirituality', that something happened to challange that - what would you do? Would it - to you - be real or contrived when you took a position based on internalized beliefs.?

To the Amish - even if they are in some sort of denial - it is part and parcel of their faith to forgive sins of others, turn the other cheek.

I do not find it hard to believe they are sincere in that. As far as doing anything to send a 'witness' to others - nope. I doubt many even understand the wide reaching effects of communication and it's effects on the world. They know a bad deal happened. They know it is on the news. They have no idea how much of a spectacle to the world they are at this time. IMO

Jeff

Amish forgivness

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