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As CNN's Charles Feldman reports, we may never know the reasons behind the Colorado tragedy (April 22)
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April 22, 1999
Web posted at: 10:37 p.m. EDT (0237 GMT)

From Correspondent Charles Feldman

LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- Theologians say that somewhere deep in the human heart is a need to gain wisdom from tragedy -- to try to understand why events such as the Littleton school slayings occur.

"The human mind is such that we try to figure out what goes on around us and why it goes on, and I think it's ... healthy for the culture to ask why these things happen," says psychologist Jessica Gillooly.

And so, the human mind does what the human mind does best -- trying to fit things into neat categories and easy explanations.

"I think that we have to look at television, we have to look at cable, we have to look at the gratuitous levels of violence in our theaters. We as parents have to look at the Internet," said Colorado Gov. Bill Owens.

However, theologians might argue that not all things can be easily explained -- and that the state of "unknowing" might even be beneficial.

"Sometimes we sit without any quick answers," said the Rev. John Coleman. "I'm actually partially evoking a great religious classic called 'The Cloud of Unknowing.' Going to religion is not simply to get quick answers but also to sit longer with reality as it is, even though you don't have answers.

"There are some religious voices that would say there is no Eden anywhere," he said. "The human heart is capable of great goodness but also of unspeakable evil."

"Maybe we won't find all of the answers or the answer. Maybe we won't find any answers. But I think a lot of the healing and a lot of the health comes in the search," Gillooly said.

The two alleged shooters in Littleton reportedly idolized Adolf Hitler, and the attack occurred on the anniversary of his birthday. That provides symmetry, in a sense, because after more than a half century, no one has been able to really explain Hitler either.

And it may be unreasonable to expect that easy answers served up in short-order time will really be able to explain what happened in Littleton.