Lessons From The Amish
by Rev. Dr. Leonard M. George

It has taken weeks of pondering some amazing Christian acts that have happened since the school shootings October 2, 2006 before I have been able to sit down and write about a group of people that have shown a greater spirit of Christ than I have ever seen in all of my 53 years on this planet.  I am referring to the reaction of those most intimately involved with the shooting of ten children in the West Nickel Mines Amish School in Pennsylvania.

 Those who died in the West Nickel Mines School shooting on Oct. 2nd include:

 Marian Fisher (13 years old)

Anna Mae Stolzfus (12 years old)

Mary Liz Miller (8 years old)

Lena Miller (7 years old)

Naomi Rose Ebersol (7 years old)

The children were members of Old Order Amish, who shun automobiles, electricity, computers, fancy clothes and most other modern conveniences, and live among their own people.

There have been some people that purport themselves to be “Christians” but have criticized the Amish people for their response to the death of the five girls killed by the gunman.  It amazes me that anyone could find any place to criticize or judge a group of people that put so much faith in God.

I have gone through article after article both in the newspaper and on the Internet reading about the shootings.  I have looked at numerous Amish and Mennonite websites also.  The psychologists are surprised because of the lack of hatred and rage in the Amish people of the Nickel Mines area and are in there trying to tell the Amish people how they should be feeling.  It seams that the psychiatric community would like to instill in that community the same reaction of hatred and rage that the rest of the world would exhibit, along with prescribing quite a few thousands dollars worth of drugs in the process I am sure. Just maybe there are a few lessons to be learned from the wonderful Amish people in this country.

One article by Associated Press spoke about the lack of grief counselors in the Amish community.

“The Amish have no professional funeral directors, grief counselors, social workers or clinical psychologists as they try to come to terms with the disaster and bury their children. But they have other resources on which to rely, according to those who have studied the Amish and members of the Amish community here. "They are able to process this in a way that others could not," says Donald Kraybill, a professor at Elizabethtown College near here who has written several books on the Amish.

 Among the qualities:

• Faith. There's a religious canopy over Amish life. They accept the killings as God's will and part of God's plan, however mysterious or painful, and believe that the murdered children are in heaven.

On one level, the Amish were not surprised by what happened Monday; they believe the world is basically evil, and incidents like the shooting simply prove it. "This reminds them they are strangers, pilgrims in this land," Kraybill says. 

The statement that they don’t have any professional grief counselors is not exactly true.  They have the only grief counselor that can truly give them total healing of the hurt and sorrow that has followed in the aftermath of the events of October 2^nd. They have God. 

We attempt to raise our children in a Christian household and teach them the values that Jesus would want them to have.  Many of us put our children in Christian schools because we want them in a learning environment that teaches Christian values. Let us look at the West Nickel Mines Amish School students and see if they are being taught values that we would want our children to learn.  

In Romans 5:1-8 the Bible reads: 

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” 

Jesus spoke these words in John 15:12-13 concerning sacrificing one's life for another:

This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

First Jesus said to love one another as he has loved us, and then he went on to expound upon this statement by saying that the greatest act of love is when a person lays down their life for his friends.

Did anyone exhibit a willingness to die for the protection and safety of another person, or group of people?  Was anyone willing to sacrifice themselves so others would not parish? We are quick to quote John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” This is what God did for us, spiritually, but few of us would be willing die for another person , even another Christian, so that person could continue to live.

 If someone was willing to sacrifice themselves to protect another would this not be a Christ-like action?  The answer to these questions is a resounding Yes, and it was not an adult that was willing to die either. In an article by Keith Herbert of the Philadelphia Inquirer I found the account of not only one child that willingly gave her life for others but also a second that had that same willingness to sacrifice her own life for the lives of others. 

According to an account related by Rita Rhodes Reed, a Mennonite nurse-midwife, they were already tied up and knew they were going to be shot. Barbie Fisher told the account of 13-year-old Marian Fisher saying she'd be first. And then Barbie said, 'Shoot me next.' The older girls were trying to save the younger girls, thinking that if they offered themselves, maybe the gunman would spare the younger girls. 

Barbie Fisher survived the assault and told her family what happened from her bed at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where she is being treated for gunshot wounds to her shoulder, hand and leg.

"I think it was just an amazing display of courage. God really had to be present in that schoolhouse to give them that courage," said Rhodes, who had told the story to ABC News and others.”

In the national media, God was glorified by these young Amish Girls. It is seldom that any national news media prints statements like “God really had to be present in that schoolhouse to give them that courage…" and I have no doubt that Jesus was holding the hand of both girls and gave them the strength to be willing to sacrifice their own lives for their friends and family members.

We have a lot to learn from the Amish in the area of forgiveness.  Many “Christians” would react with hate, and even some would want revenge for what happened in the Amish school. They would be demanding more police officers at the school, larger fences and better guarded gates.

The Amish reaction? At the new school there will still be no gates, police nor lock on the door.  They plan to trust God as they always have. What a wonderful testimony!  The Light of Christ is almost blinding in its intensity from these wonderful and Godly people! 

Let us look at the Christian attribute of forgiveness.  Jesus said in Luke 6:35-38

”But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."

Was the Amish reaction to the deaths of the five girls in line with the teachings of Christ? You bet it was.  By evening on the day of the shooting one Amish neighbor had already gone to the killer's parents, Chuck and Terry Roberts, and offered forgiveness for the shooting. The family of 13-year-old victim Marian Fisher even invited the gunman’s wife, Marie, to Marian’s funeral. Many of the Amish actually asked Marie’s permission to go to the shooters funeral, in support of her and her children.

The grieving grandfather Ruben Fisher, as he was standing next to the body of 13-year-old Marian Fisher, counseled some young boys, while speaking about the gunman that killed his granddaughter, “We must not think evil of this man.”

On the night of the killings, Ruben Fisher, who had another granddaughter wounded in the attack, went to the Roberts home, hugged one of the killer’s young sons, and offered the Amish community’s forgiveness. What a wonderful example of the teachings of Jesus to forgive and not judge are being taught to Amish children, and are obvious in the lives of the adults.

Jack Meyer, a member of the Brethren community living near the Amish in Lancaster County, said local people were trying to follow Jesus' teachings in dealing with the "terrible hurt."

I have recently had some contact with some of the Mennonites in the area and was told “As a life-long Mennonite, I see Mennonites and Amish as ordinary people who are simply trying to be faithful to our call to walk as Jesus taught and lived.”

Ordinary people?  I have seen ordinary people react with anger and hatred after the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton, Colorado.  Cassie Bernall was martyred for her Christian beliefs in that school shooting, but the reaction to that incident was surely not Christ-like in any case that I have been able to find.  Only rage and and the demand for protection by the government was the result. There was no mention at all of God's protection anywhere that I have been able to find. I have seen nothing that describes any forgiveness of the killers or support of the killers families.

The reaction after the shootings at the Nickel Mines Amish School?  I read accounts that say things like: "I don't think there's anybody here that wants to do anything but forgive and not only reach out to those who have suffered a loss in that way but to reach out to the family of the man who committed these acts," and statements like “the victims' families will be sustained by their faith.”

Many in the Amish community have even gone as far as embracing the gunman's wife, Marie Roberts, and their three young children.  The Amish have insisted that since donations were being collected for the families of their children some of the donations need to go to the Roberts family to take care of the three Roberts children also.

One person said "We think it was God's plan, and we're going to have to pick up the pieces and keep going."  

Are the Amish and Mennonite people ordinary people?  They may be ordinary people but they are very extraordinary Christians.  They understand what Jesus was saying when He said:

“Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Mark 8:34-36

There have been some that take exception to the statement that the shootings were a part of God’s plan. They have said that it was absolutely not God’s plan or His will that the shootings took place, and have come very close to persecuting the Amish for taking this stand.  Have those groups, who would persecute the Amish, forgotten that God is still on His throne and Jesus is still Lord? 

God has both His perfect will and His permissive will.  It certainly was in God’s permissive will to allow the shootings to happen.  If it was not in His permissive will for the shootings to happen then there would have been no shootings. Sometimes God takes tragedy and glorifies Himself in the midst of that tragedy.

Was it in God’s plan that five children die?  Was it in line with God’s will? I will not attempt to judge the things of God and neither should you.  I do know that God used this event to Glorify Himself and show us how to forgive one another. 

I have had the rare opportunity to see the door open, and catch a small glimpse of a wonderful group of people that actually live the Gospel in their daily walk on earth. When that door was opened up all that shined forth was the intense bright Light of Christ.

There are those that would tell me that the lack of a television does not constitute a part of a Christian’s daily walk.  I will let The Amish Speak and allow  Monroe L. Beachy give you a rebuttal to that objection . You can find it at The Amish News.
 

The Plain Way

We dress differently and our lifestyle is different, but is that the only difference between the Amish and other churches?

Well, let me tell you a story. Some years ago a group of 52 people chartered a bus and came to Holmes County to see the Amish. They had arranged to have an Amishman meet them and answer some of their questions. The first question was, "What does it mean to be Amish?"

The Amishman thought a bit and then he asked a question of his own. "How many of you have TV in your homes" Fifty-two hands went up. "Now, how many of you feel that perhaps you would be better off without TV in your homes?" Again, fifty-two hands went up. "All right. Now, how many of you are going to go home and get rid of your TV?" Not one hand went up!

Now that is what it means to be Amish. As a church, if we see or experience something that is not good for us spiritually, we will discipline ourselves to do without. The world in general does not know what it is to do without!

Is this not a living example of what Christ said? 

And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. Luke 9:23 

Not all people that claim to be Christians bare the fruit of the tag they carry. We can see this in the example given by one of the churches that were planning on being in the Nickel Mines community during the funerals of the five dead children. Jesus spoke of people that would claim to be Christians, but are really not. 

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Matt 7:21-23 

Members of a Topeka Kansas church, the Westboro Baptist Church, were actually going to add injury and suffering to the Amish people by picketing the funerals of the five slain children. The church is an independent Baptist church not affiliated with any known Baptist conventions or associations, for which I praise Almighty God.  I would hate to think that any of the Baptist conventions or associations would actually condone what Westboro Baptist Church is doing.  One of the WBC members claimed "... those children were killed at the hands of a raging mad God to punish those families."

One of the WBC websites is named “godhatesfags.com”. What a name for a purported “christian” website.  It is a website of hatred.  They also have a link to another website named “godhatesamerica.com” which is another website of pure hatred.

I am one preacher that has grave questions about which “God” Westboro Baptist Church is serving.  In all of my 22 years of ministry I have never seen so many abuses of God’s creation perpetrated by a congregation claiming to be serving God.

I have spent weeks studying the Amish people.  Why would I do that?  Because I want to be able to immediately forgive the way the Amish community forgave the man that killed their five children.  I want to be able to say to my children without reservation “We must not think evil of this man”, or any person that might not treat me the way I feel I should be treated.

Total forgiveness and lack of judgment.  It may be that the Amish are one of the very few Christian groups on earth that have it right, and we have had the honor and privilege of seeing these Godly attributes functioning in the lives of the Amish people in the same manner Christ would have them function when adversity and sorrow comes our way.  May God be merciful and teach us these same attributes, and cause them to be active in our lives.

Thank you, my Brothers and Sisters in the Nickel Mines community, for showing us a better way.