It was their time to die. God decreed that they die. God was on the golf course. God was sleeping. God doesn't care. God expected all those people with guns to step in and stop the carnage.

That's American Fundamentalist faux Christianity - that god will spare the good but those he chooses to die he loves even more.

Actual Christianity isn't a coin with two heads, it is perfectly clear:

Luke 13
Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

Everything happens for a reason, and that reason is that the US hasn't got the political will to take access to guns away from the mentally ill. Not much "god" involved.

It is "Divine Intervention" when it is convenient and "God's Will" when it is not. Example...A child survives a car crash, then it is Divine Intervention". A child dies in a car crash, then it is "God's Will". It seems to be the only answers they can give in these types of situations. Apparently, their god pics and choose but doesn't get involved because of "Free Will. It's all so confusing.

Because as they are so fondly of saying "God has a plan for us all and who are we to question it." The "true believers" don't ask why, they just accept it as Gods will.

I saw some vapid blonde on Faux News say that is she was ever going to get gunned down, she'd want it to be in church, close to Jesus. And I heard someone else say "the Lord chose to take them to Heaven that day." God seems to be a bit of an asshole if you ask me. Oh, and let's not forget the time he asked that guy to sacrifice his only son to him, as a test. Nice bit of mental torture there God.

I suspect that deep down... WAYYYYYY down, believers are asking that question. "WHY?" However, if they allow themselves to entertain that question, it will challenge their core beliefs, which would leave them without "answers." So they're going to do everything in their power to suppress that question before it becomes too prominent.

It doesn't matter. They are all in a better place now (singing their heart out in heaven).

"The Lord works in mysterious ways."

That's their catch-all answer for everything.

I'll use one of the most commonly used comebacks : that "everything happens for a reason"

So does this mean god was pissed at the people that were killed ? And the ones who got shot , but didn't die, weren't quite as bad - or maybe they prayed better or harder that morning - giving them more holy "points" ?

I guess god has no bulletproof shield that can be in place at a moment's notice. You'd think there would be one !

It's examples like the one you bring up , that disprove all those standard religious arguments for the existence of an all-knowing, loving god that takes care of everyone who believes - eh ?

Or the Pelham GA church where 20-something little kiddies were wiped out by a tornado while rehearsing for the Easter pageant. Or the General Slocum. Or the Estonia - Finland ferry sinking with a large contingent of Bible students. Why do churches have lightning rods?

Well, you know--free will, god's plan...blah...blah...blah... But in this, they fail to realize that they cannot have it both ways: if god has a plan, there is no free will. And, if there is free will, this god cannot have a set plan.