Five Year Old Shoots Dead His Two Year Old Sister...

[birdie1971]

A five year old boy in the USA who was given a firearm (marketed as 'my first rifle') and live ammunition as a birthday present accidentally shoots and kills his two year old sister:
http://goo.gl/LRYsM

Tragic, shocking, entirely preventable and woefully predictable are some of the ways I could use to describe this event. However, since this is the R&S section, I want ask how people (both religious and non-religious) feel about the girl's Grandmother who said the following:

“...It was God's will. It was her time to go, I guess. I just know she's in heaven right now and I know she's in good hands with the Lord...”

[Mojo-Jo-Jo]

Pity is what I feel. For her loss and her delusion.

[boxtops]

There are those who believe this, that people die according to their fate. Personally, I'd question the sanity of anyone giving a lethal weapon to a five year old - I'd say that's a child protection issue.

[emmie]

deluded old bat.

[boxtops]

People who believe in fate like this therefore take no responsibility for their actions? - que sera, sera?

[emmie]

was watching a news items a few weeks ago, a child of 7 was being interviewed at a firing range, she had a new gun for her birthday, a pink coloured rifle or similar, not up on weaponry, she was happily showing the reporter her expertise in firing said weapon, not the only one she owned apparently, this was in US, let's hope she doesn't go off the deep end one day, and shoot the parents,

[RATTER15]

The American gun culture is sick, as are the parents who give children such weapons to use under such circumstances. I really hope the parent responsible goes to prison. The parents should be charged with the murder. Another death in the name chistianty, some people are sick!!!!!!

[emmie]

i don't think Christianity has much to do with this, stupid parents did however.

[Canary42]

That's right, blame God, so much easier than taking responsibility for looking after children.

Child abuse of the worst kind.

[mibn2cweus]

I'm at a loss trying to decide who I feel more sorry for, the little girl who died or the little boy who must now live with the knowledge of what he did. I can only find within myself contempt for the parents at this point.

[douglas9401]

It's just the flip side of 'the devil made me do it'. Feeble excuses abound.

[emmie]

feel sorry for both, don't feel an ounce of sympathy for those who gave him the weapon to do it, pathetic.

[Sharingan]

I can shoot. I was taught to shoot at an early age because of a zombie apocalypse or whatever my father thought might happen to me one day later in life. That's a good thing because it was a very serious learning process. I learned very early that a gun is a totally lethal weapon and used to kill things and people, and never, never to be taken lightly. What's not a good thing is giving a small child a gun, having guns lying around your house willy nilly (loaded no less), with some sort of 'Devil may care' attitude to everyone's well being, sloppy parenting in not identifying the weapon was loaded and taking it as your God given right to behave like a complete moron in doing so, citing 'God's will' when your little boy blows your baby's head off accidentally.
The Grandmother rolls everything that is wrong with the above scenario into one tiny remark, which could be roughly translated as ' We do not have to take any responsibility for the death of our child because it was God's will we gave a loaded gun to a five year old who then accidentally killed his 2 year old sister'. I only hope they take the little boy somewhere safe away from such morons.

[boxtops]

Shari, well said, my thoughts precisely. An absolute cop-out of responsibility.

[RATTER15]

Shari, I agree, I was so taught go shoot from an early age and had guns for most of my life, however I was also taught to be responsible and only once had a slip up but he recovered.

[naomi24]

I have visions of this stupid woman surrounded by a bunch of neighbourly rednecks all nodding sagely in agreement with her. Morons!

[ummmm]

I mean, who leaves a gun in the corner of the room with two young children in the house and not check if it's loaded? People that shouldn't have children!!

[Sharingan]

Yeah I think that's exactly the problem Naomi- they will get community support for their medieval ideas and ludicrous abdication of responsibility. However stupid you are though, why would you want a God that did that?

[Prudie]

The grandmother's comments shocked me more than anything I've read in the news in the last few months. I so couldn't compute it that I hoped it was an error in the press. The whole situation, with 'my first gun' etc is quite scary in that it suggests the 'Deliverance' community really does exist in the US.

[ummmm]

I don't think anyone would truly believe it was Gods will, it's just shifting the blame so they'll find it easier to live with their conscience.

[RATTER15]

ummmm, the problem is that people do believe it!! all part of God's ultimate plan, ridiculous nonsense!!

and I bet these people still look both ways before crossing the road.