Why?

[Superbob]

I must say that reading the stories of all the young, bright students who were slaughtered so senselessly and tragically at Virginia Tech on Monday, I have one big question: Why?

Why would God allow an older guy like me, who had had a career and raised a family, to survive a very complicated (and, years ago, improbable) heart operation, and yet allow these young people of so much promise, who were going to go out in the "real world" and accomplish so much and do so much good for so many people (as surgeons, environmental engineers, etc etc), to be gunned down indiscriminately?

I consider myself a believer, a Christian, but I must say I am shaken by the enormity of this tragedy right here in our valley community. I feel terribly sad. I can only imagine what hurt the families are feeling. My wife and I lost an infant to leukemia many years ago, and that was plenty tough, but we just heard from a mother and father who were going to celebrate the 19th birthday of their beautiful daughter next week, and now she's suddenly gone, for no reason at all.

Does anyone have any answers?

 

[Ross]

Bob if I had a dollar for everytime I've asked that question and haven't an answer, I'd be worth more then Bill Gates. It's not for us to understand. It's to get our attention and create an impact, but why is still not something I understand.

 

[hensylee]

Bob, you have no idea how many times I have asked that question, too, after the murder of my sister, Jackie. Of my brother and my sister and me, I was always the frailest and unhealthiest of the three and should have gone first. But here I am and they are gone. I think we will never know the answers. In find it really strange.

 

[geebee]

I try to take comfort from my beliefs that God created the world and his people but he gave us free choice. Unfortunately that free choice applies to the psychotic people as well as the good people. God is here to guide us and to comfort us when bad things happen but I don't believe he is here to govern our every act.

If I tried to make sense of the craziness or the imbalance in the world, I would become unbalanced. It makes no more sense that some people have money to squander on stupid things when people are starving. It makes no more sense that good people suffer from illnesses while some bad people are in perfect health. I think we are meant to realize that we must be grateful for what we do have, to enjoy every moment and that our ulitmate reward will not be on this earth.

 

[Cooker]

Bob,

When sin entered the world all bets were off. As was said free will run riot has turned our world into a crazy, tragic place. If there is an answer to the "why" question I don't think we are meant to know. Sort of like the line in the movie "you can't handle the truth".

Of course all we wonder and ponder will bring no answers but it is therapeutic to ask the question. Just writing this allows me to grieve a bit more and to give thanks for the ones that I love.

Nothing else to say.

Tom

 

[Blanche]

Everything happens for a reason and some reasons are not known to us and never will be. When I pray, I ask not for help for myself, but help in understanding and doing God's will. It is always hard to understand those things that are so brutal and seemingly unknown to us. There are things to be learned from this tragedy. Let us look for reasons in faith that not only tell us what happened but also what we are to do because of this.
Blanche

 

[geebee]

Eyes shining, full of promise
Our children spend their days
Shaping their lives
We send them off with hope
Knowing that to let them go
Is part of letting them grow

Eyes shining, full of promise
They gather with their friends
Always busy, laughter always
We know they're safe and happy
We are assured they will return
When their lives finish this chapter

How then did this hopefullness
Change to devastation
Tragedy felt all across our nation

Eyes shining, full of tears
We gather with our friends
Mourning our babies
Death should have come
Many years from now
After success, like an old friend
They are too young to bury

Eyes shining, full of tears
We try to understand
Comprehension seems impossible
We thought they were safe
How could we have known
They would not be coming back

Eyes shining, holding hands
We remember their faces
Eternally young, always laughing
It is our only comfort

 

[Mary]

Bob,
I don't believe God promised us an easy existence. The easy existence comes when we leave Earth and go to Heaven. I think if you question this, then you should question everything. I see the tragedy as affecting both the victims and the perpetrator. Until we figure out a way to help every living human being on this planet, we will not suceed in God's plan.
I was deeply disturbed by the Amish tragedy, but the Amish community responded by embracing the man's family who killed the young girls, and then they rebuilt their school. I thought that tragedy would make others, who shared their faith, question whether it was safe to live nearby. Instead 60 Menonite families have moved closer. It is a small step, but one that takes a great deal of courage. They dare to live their faith.
Here is a link to a Paul Greenberg column that I particularly like. http://www.tmsfeatures.com/tmsfeatures/subcategory.jsp?file=20070402tp--u-a.txt&catid=1096&code=tp--u

 

[Karlynn]

As a Christian, I have a pretty simple answer. Free will. God gave us free will so that we could make our own decision whether to love Him and worship Him. He wanted it to be our choice. We are really the only species with this level of free will.

I love the movie Bruce Almighty. Morgan Freeman- God, tells Jim Carey - Bruce, when he lets him take over the job of God that there are only 2 things he cannot do. He cannot tell people who he is (they must discover it on their own.) and he must never mess with free will.

Unfortunately this Free Will, is a real mixed bag and has many implications past our own personal well-being and lives. A person has the free will to drive drunk. They get in an accident and kill a group of teenagers. Is it God, or is it the person's free will. Companies dump chemicals into the water supply and people get cancer. Is it God giving people cancer or is it the free will of the company's executives who want to cut costs? Corrupt governments divert money intended for their starving people and line their own pockets and the people continue to starve....God, or government officials' free will? Our own personal acts of free will don't always directly affect us, but can affect those we will never see.

Can God intervene and does He? Probably and yes, sometimes. But why and for whom, I don't think I'll ever come up with an answer for that. I just believe that someday, it will be made clear, as all things that my human mind cannot wrap itself around, will be. God takes a lot of blame for things that occur because He gave us the ability to think and act for ourselves beyond our basic biological needs.

What I do know for certain is that God can work all things for good. We already are hearing so many stories of the bravery and selflessness in some of the people affected (or whose lives were taken) by this tragedy. And we learn and become better people for it.

What I learned today, for the first time, is that my area grade school district has Code Red drills. A Code Red is "Gunman in the building"! I was incredibly shocked to hear this. The drill is teachers closing and locking their classroom doors, turning off the lights and having the children lie on the floor. I asked the friend of mine who told me about this, if the children knew why the drill was done. She said "Oh yes." My thought was "What has this world come to that we have to teach our children to fear a gunman in their school building?"

 

[Mary]

Karlynn,
Elementary schools been doing code red drills since Columbine.
Many teen-agers have had years of exposure to the nagging fear that they might be the next school victims on tonight's news.
I spent more time than I would like to remember trying to plan what I would do if an armed gunman entered our classroom.
The problem is much bigger than any of us; that's why we all have to work on solutions.

 

[kbheart]

Eyes shining, full of promise
Our children spend their days
Shaping their lives
We send them off with hope
Knowing that to let them go
Is part of letting them grow...

Gina, what a beautiful poem! The tragedy is so hard to understand but talking about it, writing poetry, or expressing our grief in other ways helps.

My daughter leaves for college in one more year. I know letting her go will be difficult. But the tragedy has reminded me that I could work harder to express my views on gun control and programs to help troubled youth. Hopefully, it will be a wake up call to everyone who has ideas about how to keep us safer.

 

[dj/utvolsfan]

Bob,

We wouldn't be human if we didn't question. It's our nature. I truely believe in my heart that most of us, the majority of us are peaceful, loving creatures. You know, maybe the Amish have the right idea. They didn't have access to 24/7 coverage. Forgiveness came remarkably swift. We could learn from them.

For me anyway, it is just so darn shocking and it's impossible for me to wrap my head around it. We are now bombarded with nonstop coverage of this monster .... his videos, his pictures, his nonsensical utterings. I swear. It seems like such an injustice to expose everyone, and ESPECIALLY the survivors, victims' families, VT students to more and more of his poison. He surely doesn't deserve this ongoing platform.

As a teacher, I see our guard dropping post 9-11, post Columbine. This is the first year we no longer have a policeman on campus with us. We now allow students to carry backpacks, purses, jackets into class. We now don't say a word to the kid wearing the long, black trenchcoat day in, day out regardless of the weather. Slowly, but surely the Zero Tolerance Policy is loosening up. It's frightening.

I have my students write in their journals the first few minutes of class. It amazed me this week how unsafe many of these kids feel in their worlds....both here and at home. My God, I wish I knew how to make things right. It's incredibly disheartening.

I heard (did not catch the name) of a woman speaking at the candlight service at Virginia Tech. Her words were simple, yet powerful...a rallying call for the Hokies to begin healing. It brought tears to my eyes and hope to my heart. That is what we (they) need to hear more of.

Let the healing begin, Hokies, let the healing begin.

 

[Superbob]

Thank you sincerely for all the thoughtful answers.

I struggle with the seeming contradiction between "free will" and God having a big plan for everything.

I also struggle with the Christian concept of forgiveness. I don't think I could ever forgive someone who premeditated this slaughter of innocents for months and then carried it out in cold-blooded fashion. "Mental illness" doesn't cut it as an excuse for me.

Sorry to raise such questions. There are plenty of folks on here with stronger faith than I.

I think I will just have to take a break for a while. I can't get all this off my mind.

Thanks again.

 

[marky]

Thank you sincerely for all the thoughtful answers.

I struggle with the seeming contradiction between "free will" and God having a big plan for everything.

I also struggle with the Christian concept of forgiveness. I don't think I could ever forgive someone who premeditated this slaughter of innocents for months and then carried it out in cold-blooded fashion. "Mental illness" doesn't cut it as an excuse for me.

Thanks again.

there is a book called the Hiding Place it is the story of Corrie Tanboom..
She was in a nazi concentration camp.. she saw here sister raped adn killed by Nazi's..
Many years later she met one of those men after a church service that she had spoken at.. He extended his hand to her and she immediately knew that she needed to forgive him..but she couldn't..So she asked God to forgive him Through her.. that wasa the only way she could do it.. Not by her will but HIS.
WE are really unable to do such Big acts of forgiveness without the Grace of God.
I know that I am powerless to do those things myself..

And now I am just praying for the 33 families who are grieving the loss of their loved ones.. and yes I am praying for the familes of the murderer too.. I can't imagine how awful it would be do know that your own son did such a hiddious crime.

 

[MaryC]

Bob,
That's the question of the ages, isn't it? I ask myself why do people die from any illnesses or tragedies, why are children harmed and abused, why are animals harmed and abused...and on. I believe all we can do is try to live our lives with purpose and meaning....but I don't believe we will have the answer until later.

As far as forgiving the person who does such an act. I believe it's more about finding peace within ourselves & taking our life focus away this individual . If we continue to direct our anger and pain at this person, it takes away from our energy and spirit. If we don't, this person will continue to harm by ruining more lives.

 

[hensylee]

"she needed to forgive him..but she couldn't.."

There are two people who have done damage to my life - both on purpose, and I am unable to forgive. I figure these two are not my responsibility to forgive so if forgiveness is theirs, it isn't coming from me. It's left up to the Main One, not me. I just don't understand how people can forgive an awful act that is seemingly unforgiveable. Please don't try to explain it to me. I already know the instructions.

 

[Karlynn]

I think forgiveness is easier when the person in need of the forgiveness has seen the wrong they have done and is apologetic or remorseful. The families who lost loved ones won't have the benefit of knowing if this young man would have lived to regret his actions. That's tough.

I nearly stood up and applauded all by myself, when NBC announced that the Today show had scheduled several family members of victims to appear on the show and they withdrew after NBC chose to air the video and writings of the killer. This national attention was exactly what the killer wanted and NBC and every other tv news company chose to let him be successful. I've refused to watch it. I hear someone on the news begin to talk about it and I turn off the tv.

 

[Cooker]

I think forgiveness is easier when the person in need of the forgiveness has seen the wrong they have done and is apologetic or remorseful. The families who lost loved ones won't have the benefit of knowing if this young man would have lived to regret his actions. That's tough.

I nearly stood up and applauded all by myself, when NBC announced that the Today show had scheduled several family members of victims to appear on the show and they withdrew after NBC chose to air the video and writings of the killer. This national attention was exactly what the killer wanted and NBC and every other tv news company chose to let him be successful. I've refused to watch it. I hear someone on the news begin to talk about it and I turn off the tv.

So true. The focus needs to be on thoses who have lost there loved ones. I also have not and will not let this individual rent space in my mind or take up one minute of my time that may be used to help, love or care for someone in need.

Tom

 

[Mary]

So true. The focus needs to be on thoses who have lost there loved ones. I also have not and will not let this individual rent space in my mind or take up one minute of my time that may be used to help, love or care for someone in need.

Tom

Using this reasoning, then the focus will gradually shift to the killer's family, and the people who were around him and perhaps recognized that the potential was there for him to react in this manner. If you can't forgive him, can you forgive the others?


How do you reconcile our Christian beliefs, that Jesus suffered unbearable agony to bring forgiveness to all of us, but then say you can't forgive? Where does the blame end? How long does it continue?

 

[Dennis S]

Forgiveness on the cheap.

Forgiveness on the cheap.

I have had good reason to spend a lot time thinking about this topic. In those cases where we have been horribly and painfully wronged:

Many of our friends, or even ourselves are so quick to declare or recommend forgiveness that we turn something that is nearly miraculous into another triviality of life. Where this miracle of forgiveness for serious wrong occurs, its greatest effect is to comfort and in important ways free a victim from what appeared to be a life sentence.

As a Christian, I have found help in meditating on the following words, which I have taken from a message of my long time pastor in Minnesota, John Piper.

One way to put it is this (I take it from a great commentary on Proverbs by Charles Bridges, p. 478): ?We are the disciples of him, who died for his enemies.? Are you a Christian? Then you are the follower of one who died for his enemies. Are you not a Christian? Then you are being pursued by one who died for his enemies?Jesus Christ.

There is nothing cheap, easy or trivial about real forgiveness, and may God help us all as we confront this mystery.