The Amish, the Middle East and the security of the world

                                  

One year ago, the nation was riveted on a little Amish community in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In this unlikely place, a 32 year old community man entered a one room Amish Schoolhouse armed with a shotgun, a semiautomatic pistol and a rifle. To the neighbors, he was known as a milkman and a father of small children. But, full of anger and self-hatred, this man terrorized the children in the schoolhouse and shot (execution style) 10 little girls (ages 6-13), instantly killing four of them before killing himself.  A 5^th girl died the next day and five more were wounded.

The exemplary responses of the Amish to the schoolhouse murders became the story within the story. Although the Amish were not able to deal directly with the murderer, their compassion to his wife and family was exceptional. Did they struggle with hurt and loss? Of course! They’re human. Yet, based on years of teaching, they refused to allow bitterness to control them. This choice was hard for the rest of the world to believe. Anger and revenge seemed more natural— if not appropriate.

The Amish, however, know something we should all learn from. They realize that when bitterness conquers the heart, it fills it with a deadly venom for which it can be very difficult to find the anti-venom. And, if forgiveness is the anti-venom, most admit that it’s not always easy to practice—especially in the face of horrific evil. But when bitterness is chosen, the original act of evil multiplies the injury wherever the bitter person goes. For the Amish, instead of returning evil for evil, they are taught (based on Jesus’ words) to allow their offender to multiply the injury. This “turn the other cheek” mentality is completely foreign to most people. Yet one wonders what the world would be like if all people practiced non-retaliation.

If the Middle East, for example, could capture a small amount of the Amish way of forgiveness, the whole world would benefit. What a contrast! In the radical Islamic community, people are nurtured to hate and retaliate. The Amish are taught to love and forgive. Most people admire but don’t understand the Amish reaction to the schoolhouse massacre. Their forgiveness and mercy is based on a long history of following the teaching of Jesus. Jesus said, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you (Luke 6:27-28).

What many also fail to realize is that the same Christian principles have profoundly influenced American history and Just War theory. There are reasons why we don’t approach war the way the Islamic radicals do. There are longstanding influences behind just war theory that have been shaped by Christian teaching. Our government, generally (though not completely), approaches warfare based on the influence of Christian principles of justice and mercy.

This is where pacifists (including the Amish) misapply Jesus’ teaching. His words were never intended to trump the God-ordained role of Government as an agent to punish evil. If the perpetrator of the Schoolhouse killings had lived, capital punishment would have been as much the Christian thing to do for the government as forgiveness and mercy the right personal response among the Amish. Maintaining this balance is not easy.

 

As a Christian, I must support the government when it punishes evil doers. Yet I must do this without holding revenge in my heart. Difficult? Yes. But the peace and security of the world depends on this balance. 

 

Steve Cornell
Senior pastor
Millersville Bible Church