Yet another of the truly perplexing aspects of Christianity!  If the father truly believed in his heart that he was doing a good thing, then would God punish him for it?

Well, the main problem is that God commands us not to murder people.  It’s not up to the dad to decide whether or not his kids would be happier in Heaven—God has already made that decision.

For Mild Bill: bad intentions can corrupt good actions, but good intentions can’t excuse bad actions.

“Low-level depression” burgeoned into psychotic depression in an already murderous man. A failed life with awful consequences for those unlucky enough to be nearby.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: if you can’t cope with life, go ahead and take yourself out; the world’s better without a pussy like you in it. But taking your children with you just reserves you a prime seat in the crisper.

Kathleen I do hope the above remark was tongue in cheek? If not then perhaps you need to check your humanity and compassion levels they might need topping up.

Seraj, consider it partly tongue-in-cheek. I have great compassion for people who suffer from depression; but I have no compassion for people who murder their children.

Good answer, Michael, but I wasn’t questioning whether what the Dad did was wrong in God’s eyes (I’d assume that God wouldn’t have been pleased) rather I was questioning if the deaths of the children were really that terrible a thing from a Christian perspective.

Allow me a moment to make it clear that I, personally, consider the deaths of these kids to be a tragedy. Having said that, consider this line of reasoning: Most Christian denominations teach their followers that Heaven is the absolute greatest destination one could ever hope to end up in, even better than Hawaii. The sort of thing you really don’t want to miss out on especially when the only other alternative is the unpleasantness that is Hell. Several different Christian sects advocate the idea that children under the age of 13 are not entirely held accountable for their sins. Regardless, children are the most capable of holding unwavering faith so a child in a devoted Christian family is more-likely than many adults to be on relatively good standing with regards to God and the requirements for getting into Heaven. Arguably, the longer you live the greater the risk that you could fall out of grace with God as you grow older and you begin to question your faith more. By killing his kids the father in the above news story may have ruined his own chances at getting into Heaven, but has probably ensured that his kids will be accepted into Heaven with open arms. By this line of reasoning what that man did was one of the most selfless acts a parent could do: sacrificing his own future with God to ensure his kids make it into Heaven. In that light, what Christian parent wouldn’t find that to be a good thing to do?

Now, in all honesty I think this guy actually was killing his kids for very selfish reasons. The note he left pinned to the fence for his wife to find makes it clear he was trying to punish her more so than protect his kids and his claim of mental disorder is total bullshit. Still it prompted me to ask the above question as I am often wont to do when I think too much about this stuff.

I’ve been to this area of B.C., and this guy and his family were already in heaven.  It’s a shame his mental condition prevented him from seeing the beauty that surrounded him.

well....first of all i would question the whole “mentally incapabable” factor. For most cases people who have a mental disorder, would not be able to give the full-fleged “speech” on how he is guilty for purposely killing his children. If he was mentally incapable he would not have been able to say that...let alone admit his guilt. If he had a lie-detector test previously or something else in which he new he would get caught...might as well take his chances now and make up trash saying that hez crazy.
As for the killing of his kids.....pure REVENGE....revenge that his wife was leaving for watever reason...fear that he might not get custody, and well....besically...if he can’t have them...she can’t either....if she wants to get away from him to be “alone”....she will be....and he said that in court.
It is pathetic....I do not judge him as a person, but his action I condemn...it is inexcusable....and personally if my husband killed my 6 kids....maybe the joys of my life and the reason my marriage would have lasted so long, to wake up to their smiling faces....then....I would want to kill him...fist thing in my human mind....but i definatly would NOT want him able to seek parol in 25 years.....
I don’t think heaven/hell had anything to do with it....it just makes him seem more insane....if indeed he is.......