On October 2, 2006, a shooter entered an Amish school in Pennsylvania and shot ten girls aged between 6 and 13, killing five and injuring the other five. The shooter then took his own life.
The Amish are a traditional Christian community that I had the chance to visit a year before the tragedy. They practice an old-fashioned way of life and lead a humble existence, rejecting all forms of modernity. Their lives are primarily centered around family, farming, studying the Bible, and showing respect to everyone. They advocate for and practice non-violence. You couldn’t ask for a better neighbor than an Amish person.
The children at the school had never seen a firearm, and considering that they do not have access to the internet or television, some of the children may not even have known what it was.
Despite the horror of the situation, the Amish expressed their forgiveness toward the shooter on the very day of the shooting. That same evening, they visited the widow and mother of the shooter to express their compassion and forgiveness. Many of them attended the shooter’s funeral and shared donations they had received with the family of their tormentor.
At the time, I was deeply moved by this gesture, as were millions of people around the world. Even today, it stands as the most beautiful example of unconditional forgiveness I can think of.
It must not have been easy for the parents of the girls.
The Amish are very devout, very fervent, but they are human like you and me. They felt immense pain, anger, and sadness—emotions that are entirely normal and appropriate in such a situation. Some community members mentioned that, even though they sought to forgive, they experienced internal struggles to overcome the pain and loss. As a parent, I can’t even imagine the grief and resentment they must have endured. It is inhumane to kill a child.
Nevertheless, the Amish made the choice to forgive, demonstrating extraordinary moral strength. They refused to give in to hatred and resentment.
Their faith was also put to the test, as for some deeply devout Christians, life’s trials are seen as a way for God to test their spiritual commitment. Despite this, they managed to preserve their faith and community cohesion in the face of an act of barbarism that is completely incomprehensible in their world.
Forgiving does not mean forgetting the offense or excusing the behavior of others. It is a conscious choice to let go of anger, resentment, and the desire for revenge. It is making peace with the other, but it is also making peace with oneself. Forgiveness allows one to free themselves from the emotional weight they carry, that bitterness which can sometimes gnaw at us from within and prevent us from fully enjoying life.
When I think of the events in the Middle East, Ukraine, and other regions affected by conflict, where people hate each other deeply from generation to generation, I can’t help but admire the tolerance shown by the Amish. I do not know of any other community capable of forgiving so quickly and unconditionally, of course. But I believe that burying the hatchet can sometimes be part of the solution.
Eric,
Thanks for the post, it was thought-provoking as usual.
This story of forgiveness is a remarkable one, albeit one that occurs infrequently. I say that in the context of the group rather than the individual. As individuals, we are probably more likely to forgive than we are when we are part of a group. In this case, the Amish have a deep faith that joins them together, and one that (presumably) preaches tolerance and forgiveness. Absent such a deep faith, I wonder how forgiving a community would be when such a heinous act is committed on its members.
I am reminded of the example set by Turkey (now Turkiye) in the aftermath of the Gallipoli campaign. As Australians, we are able to commemorate the Gallipoli campaign at Gallipoli. Just think about that for a moment. Australians, as part of the larger British and French force, launched an invasion of Gallipoli. We lost around 8700 dead, and the Turks roughly 85000. As you know, the Gallipoli campaign saw the Turks victorious. Despite defeating an invading foe and losing 85000 of its sons, Turkey has ‘forgiven’ Australia the extent that every year, thousands of Australians come to Gallipoli to commemorate the landing, and the Turks tend to the graves of Australian soldiers. That is an extraordinary act of forgiveness.
Mate, having had the chance to visit Gallipoli not once but twice, I can only quote Mustafa Kemal Atatürk as an extraordinary example of reconciliation: “Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives … You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side here in this country of ours … You, the mothers who sent their sons from faraway countries, wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.“