Wanna-be Amish

There have been several excellent pieces written by UM bloggers, editorialists, and others about how the Amish in Lancaster County PA were able to forgive the shooter who murdered their children in school so much so as to even attend his funeral. Such is the portrait of grace to which we should all aspire. Maybe much of this was written in response to Westboro Baptist's intent to "protest" at the children's funeral as a contrast to what genuine Christianity looks like. Either way, it was good to see and the Lord was indeed glorified by the sheer poetry of their grace.

Compare the Amish response to such a tragedy to a typical American social response when children are hurt. Those who do such harm are regarded as nothing more than "monsters" who are condemned in the harshest language possible - all before a trial has even begun! Once the accused has had his (or her) photo published, it's all over for them. They are guilty before they set foot in a court room.

This attitude toward those who are accused of heinous crimes violates two fundamental principles: a constitutional guarantee of being presumed innocent until proven guilty, and Christ's call to love our enemies. Why is it that the Amish are the only ones who seem to get it?

I cannot help but to think that perhaps their simple life style has much to do with an ability to be more spiritually focused and not so consumed with the trappings of this world. We with our cars and boats and homes and jobs and schools and ambitions and desperate climbs up the corporate ladder and designer clothes and ....

Of course we hurt when we are threatened; even more so when we perceive danger for our children. And perhaps it is a natural response to anger when our young may be in trouble but judging by such comparisons, it is clear that we all have a long way to go before we can come close to being compared with Jesus. It is no small wonder that the general public seems to view Christianity with more than a little suspicion especially when such groups as Westboro enter into the fray.

For what it may have been worth, I sort of wish the Westboro people had gone through with their lame "threat" to protest (what the heck was there to "protest" anyway??) the Amish funerals. More than the Patriot Guard riders, the Amish - with their quiet, unassuming way and Christ-like demeanor - would have surely put the Westboro people in their place ... without uttering a single word.

Then again, maybe it is not necessarily the Westboro people who need to pay attention to the Amish.