Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Faithful Democrats

Home
Politics and Religion
The Wisdom of the Amish

The Wisdom of the Amish

Last updated on: May 9, 2013 at 6:09 am by Faithful Democrats

The Wisdom of the Amish 2013-05-09T06:09:59-06:00 Faithful Democrats

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

After the Oct 2, 2006 shooting of an Amish school, the world was astonished by the words of one of the Grandfathers of a slain girl. He said "We must not think evil of this man."

Many asked the question could I have the courage to forgive?

This is the question we now face after the wake of the tragedy in VT. Do we have the courage to forgive?

This is the question I have wrestled with for many years, and the current events have made this almost a moment of clarity within my own soul.

I have waited for the right words, and I found them last night on Larry King Live.

KING: Dr. Lipkins, how come it's never a woman?

LIPKINS: I don't know. You know that's a good question. But I think that we shouldn't argue about his diagnosis. We should really try to take mental health out of the closet and start to discuss it in a reasonable way and realize that our children are in pain and we need to fix the system.

KING: We don't do that?

LIPKINS: No, we don't. We have a broken mental health system. I'll guarantee you that. And we have students across the country in high school and college who are in pain and don't have enough services.

KING: That seems idiotic.

LIPKINS: It does.

KING: I mean don't the counselors see it?

LIPKINS: There are not enough counselors. They're overwhelmed. More and more kids are going to college with preexisting emotional disturbances. They're medicated for depression and anxiety. Everybody has sleep disorders.

This brings me back to a moment in my life, still a child, where I found myself tossed casually aside into a ditch; left to die. Everything had been stolen from me, my dignity, my innocence, my pride.

I staggered home, and took the obligatory shower, where I cleansed my body, if not my soul. I was dead, if not physically, inside, my soul was consumed by darkness. What was to follow was years of despair. My shame a secret which had to be hidden, from everyone, including myself. I was a question mark, afraid to look into anyones eyes, for fear that they might see the the shame within my soul.

And yet, the Lord works in mysterious ways. I was fortunate in that I was mentored by a good man. Dr. Leon Aller jr. the 1985 Family Doctor of the Year. A man who had served his country through three wars, who even after the tragic suicide of his only son, continued to serve the community around him. his greatest boast, was that though the wars, and the years that he had spent in missionary service thoughout the most troubled regions in the world, that he had never killed a man.

It was through this example, that I found myself with one question. Would I succumb to the evil that had entered my life, and prey on the innocence of our children, like the monster who had done the same to me, or would I live my life in the service to others like my mentor?

It was this question that lent me strength through the darkest of nights. And so it was that the example of one good man conquered the evil that hid within my soul. And it was through this example that I learned to forgive.

Then one day, after the support of a loving underground community, I did find the courage to forgive. And after that, the Lord entered my life with a chorus of angels, and vanquished the demon within my soul.

The Demon Ax Ishmael.

The International Day to end Violence against Women

Reader Blogs

Previous Post

April 20, 2007

Jesus, Howard Dean, and the Easter Bunny

Next Post

April 22, 2007 Liberalism's Troubled Search for Equality

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category About Us About Us Action Center Advertise Ask a Theologian Ask a Theologian Blogs Books Campaign Blog Candidate Spotlights Commentary Donate Facebook Featured Writers Fellows Fellows From the Pulpit General Information Hillary Clinton Interfaith Blog Latest Media Center Media Center Media Center MyBlog MyBlog News Newsflash Newsflashes Our Team Reader Blogs RSS Sermon of the Week Shop Social Networking Static Items Support Talking Points Test blogs The Basics Theology Uncategorized YouTube

Select a Month November 2020 October 2020 February 2020 August 2019 July 2018 July 2017 March 2017 February 2017 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 June 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 January 2006 August 2004

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

True or False: Song of Solomon is also called Song of Songs.

Select your answer to see how you score.

FALSE TRUE