Tragedy strikes again, this time on the campus of Northern Illinois University, where former student, Stephen Kazmierczak, open fired in a crowded lecture hall. He killed 5 people and wounded 18 others before taking his own life. (Current unconfirmed reports are suggesting that some of the wounded have since died.)
It was only 10 months ago that we were hearing similar reports from the Virginia Tech campus. And with each rampage, the same issues arise. There is little I would add here that I didn't bring up then, so I would encourage to go back and read two key posts through the lens of this current tragedy.
April 16, 2007: "How does a tolerant society confront the evil at Virginia Tech?"
April 21, 2007: "Facing down evil"
If you've never read these posts (and the comment board for each one), or even if you read them back then, they're worth re-reading. Because we cannot ignore some of the critical issues that such school shooting tragedies raise about the things which matter most.
On final thought I do want to raise here is related to people's natural tendency to look to God in times of crisis. I talked about this back during the Virginia Tech incident as well (April 19, 2007: "Petitioning our 7-Eleven God"). How do we explain this reaction? Is it because the naively faithful people among us have been brainwashed toward that reaction? Is it because there really is something there, Something beyond us toward whom our hearts naturally turn? How do we explain it?
I know there are some of our readers out in TDDland who hold differing views about God and his existence. If any of you are willing, I would be genuinely interested in getting your perspective on where people who hold no religious faith turn when a major life crisis happens? As always, this is not intended to ridicule or denigrate that perspective. It is simply to help the rest of us understand a perspective different than our own.
In the meantime, for those who are inclined to pray, we must continue to lift up the victims and their families in prayer. And let us not forget the biblical mandate to pray even for the perpetrator's family as they struggle through their own version of grief. As the Bible reminds us, it is the unnatural willingness to forgive, even those who have done us unimaginable harm, which sets Christianity apart from all other belief systems. (After all, even while hanging on the cross Jesus pleaded for forgiveness for those who had put Him there.) 
Honestly the thought that keeps coming to my mind is, "Come Lord Jesus soon....let Your Kingdom reign here on earth". It really feels like the end times to me...but then people have been saying that for centuries....
Posted by: Abby | February 15, 2008 at 04:09 PM
I've led a pretty charmed life and haven't had to deal with any major crises. But, I imagine atheists turn to the same people the religious do; family, friends, and maybe a professional mental health specialist. I also tend to do some introspection, which I suspect would be interpreted by the religious as communication with god.
One nice thing about not believing in god is that you don't spend time asking the that pesky question 'why?'. If there's no grand plan, then there requires no further explanation. It's quite liberating. Why did all these NIU students die? 'Nut with a gun' is all the answer I need.
Abby - this year wouldn't even make it in my top 10 from the last century of 'Years to Expect Armageddon'. WWI, WWII, Cuban Missle Crisis... We live in a great time
Posted by: Resident Atheist | February 16, 2008 at 02:27 PM
Thanks for the perspective, RA. You're right, atheists aren't the only ones who turn to family, friends, and their local therapist (Of course, those of us who grew up in the house of shrink, had the benefit of that as a 3-in-1 option.) Obviously, those options aren't necessarily the first means of help for the person of faith.
To your other point, I do wonder where the answers lie for the non-religious person who does happen to look deeper below the surface explanation and explore the question, "Why?"
Posted by: John | February 16, 2008 at 04:25 PM
In general, I would guess that atheists aren't particularly dependent people. It takes a lot of self confidence to say 'I am alone in this universe. No one has a plan for me, and I can truly only depend on myself and those closest to me.' My point being, people who need help working through problems aren't likely to be non-religious in the first place.
Second point: it's not that the non-religious person doesn't look for deeper meaning, it's that they know there's no answer. There's no grand scheme. Asking the question 'why' makes an assumption that the universe cares that we're here. The non-religious likely thinks that we are here through a series of unintentional events, so asking 'why' makes no sense. 'Why' is for people who need to feel needed.
Posted by: Resident Atheist | February 17, 2008 at 12:54 AM
the non religious person is just as apt to ask "why did this happen?" as the religious one, i think.
the difference is that if you start out with a presupposition of god existing the question is "why did god allow this to happen to me?"
when real bumps in life happen i now simply hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and try my best to maintain an outlook that is neither overly cynical nor stupidly optimistic --- an outlook that will put my brain in a place of being useful and productive.
useful and productive is a fantastic way to be when life gets hard.
it does not require faith in an outside source -- though i admit that it can be MUCH HARDER to gear up hope in hopeless situations without such a faith.
hard, but possible.
hopelessness simply breeds inaction and a self-defeating cycle, and that's no good for anyone.
it is also hard to answer children's questions about WHY when the answer is honestly "DUNNO"
its easier, by far, to just say GOD WILLED IT THUS
Posted by: chris corwin | February 18, 2008 at 01:34 PM