"The ONLY solace, if there is to be ANY, that I can find in all this is that those twenty precious angels, whose last moments on earth were filled with such TERROR are now safe in the arms of the Lord in Heaven. Twenty sets of Moms and Dads who tucked their babies into bed last night won't be able to tonight, or ever again."

Sorry, Steven, but this irks me:  Where exactly was God's Fickle Finger of Fate when these children were being sprayed with bullets in the first place?  He'd rather torture 20 children's families for the rest of their lives, rather then give the killer a flat tire on the way to the school?

Shaun, I completely respect it if you don't share my beliefs.

According to my beliefs, God has a plan for everything and everyone.  Plans I'm not meant to understand.  As he did when I lost my older brother three years ago.  I believe I'll see him again.  So, while I'm sad he's gone (ask anyone, I was a wreck when he died) I know I'll see him again.  Doesn't mean it was any easier to take when it happened.

That said, I can't say I'd feel the same way if it were MY two six year old kindegarteners among the victims.  Or if my eight and ten year old kids were forever scarred emotionally because of what happened.  As I said, the thought of these angels in God's hands is solace for ME.  No way am I deluded enough to think the parents of these children feel the same way.

What kind of mind embraces such a concept? What kind of sick thinking can wring happy pictures of little angels from a scene of blood and fear and agony, and a lifetime of grief for the survivors?

There must be a "Plan" to all this, right? Otherwise we might be forced to confront the terrible reality of it all, and maybe even do something about it. No. Easier to hide behind fantasy. Dead children. God's Plan.

I hope not. If we're really in the hands of such a monster, we are well and truly screwed.

Hear, hear. 

Maybe it's thread drift, Stephen, and maybe it's a conversation for another time, but it just burned my ass having to listen to some people on the radio saying that what we needed to do was put our faith in the Lord and pray for the families of the deceased.  Which sounds well-and-good at first...

...but aren't we in essence being asked to pray to a God who allowed this to happen in the first place?  Or was the shooter simply doing God's bidding because He needs 20 more kids up in heaven, while their parents, sisters, brothers, grandparents, other family & friends must suffer and be haunted by this heinous day for the rest of their lives? 

Nope, not a God I want to pray to, either.  Which is why I too believe this "God's plan" stuff is a crock.  Or maybe God should explain Himself every once in awhile...?  If there's a reason 20 kindergarteners need to be shot up in cold blood, less than 2 weeks before Christmas, I think we're all entitled to hear that one.  Or, at the very least, their parents deserve a mighty convincing explanation.

You have your way of working it out, Shaun.   I have mine.  I don't believe mine is any more a "crock" than yours.  That's why it's called a "belief".

You're right.  We need answers.  But we're not going to get them.  Never have, never will.  Whether you believe in God or not.  Just the way it works. 

I shake my fist at God for many reasons.  ALL of them infintesimal compared to this.  I shake my fist at God for allowing this horendous carnage inflicted on these small children too.  But I can't change what happened.  All I can do is use what I believe to help me understand it. 

Just like you.