The following letter was drafted by a handful of religious leaders including Jim Wallis, founder of the progressive Christian organization Sojourners, shortly after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. About 4,000 of the nation's religious leaders (from a number of faiths) endorsed the letter and it was soon printed in the New York Times as an advertisement.
I hope everyone can appreciate the sentiments of these words, regardless of your own religious beliefs. I can only wish that the nation's political leaders had heeded them over these past seven years:
"Deny Them Their Victory: A Religious Response to Terrorism
We, American religious leaders, share the broken hearts of our fellow citizens. The worst terrorist attack in history that assaulted New York City, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania has been felt in every American community. Each life lost was of unique and sacred value in the eyes of God, and the connections Americans feel to those lives run very deep. In the face of such a cruel catastrophe, it is a time to look to God and to each other for the strength we need and the response we will make. We must dig deep to the roots of our faith for sustenance, solace and wisdom.
First, we must find a word of consolation for the untold pain and suffering of our people. Our congregations will offer their practical and pastoral resources to bind up the wounds of the nation. We can become safe places to weep and secure places to begin rebuilding our shattered lives and communities. Our houses of worship should become public arenas for common prayer, community discussion, eventual healing, and forgiveness.
Second, we offer a word of sober restraint as our nation discerns what its response will be. We share the deep anger toward those who so callously and massively destroy innocent lives, no matter what the grievances or injustices invoked. In the name of God, we too demand that those responsible for these utterly evil acts be found and brought to justice. Those culpable must not escape accountability. But we must not, out of anger and vengeance, indiscriminately retaliate in ways that bring on even more loss of innocent life. We pray that President Bush and members of Congress will seek the wisdom of God as they decide upon the appropriate response.
Third, we face deep and profound questions of what this attack on America will do to us as a nation. The terrorists have offered us a stark view of the world they would create, where the remedy to every human grievance and injustice is a resort to the random and cowardly violence of revenge -- even against the most innocent. Having taken thousands of our lives, attacked our national symbols, forced our political leaders to flee their chambers of governance, disrupted our work and families, and struck fear into the hearts of our children, the terrorists must feel victorious.
But we can deny them their victory by refusing to submit to a world created in their image. Terrorism inflicts not only death and destruction but also emotional oppression to further its aims. We must not allow this terror to drive us away from being the people God has called us to be. We assert the vision of community, tolerance, compassion, justice, and the sacredness of human life, which lies at the heart of all our religious traditions. America must be a safe place for all our citizens in all their diversity. It is especially important that our citizens who share national origins, ethnicity, or religion with whoever attacked us are, themselves, protected among us.
Our American illusion of invulnerability has been shattered. From now on, we will look at the world in a different way, and this attack on our life as a nation will become a test of our national character. Let us make the right choices in this crisis -- to pray, act, and unite against the bitter fruits of division, hatred and violence. Let us rededicate ourselves to global peace, human dignity, and the eradication of the injustice that breeds rage and vengeance.
As we gather in our houses of worship, let us begin a process of seeking the healing and grace of God."
7 comments:
What? Do you mean religious people don't have to be knee-jerk reactionaries who are more concerned about the letter of the Old Testament law than they are about what's really Christian and right? The guys that wrote this are so going to hell.
But seriously, it would have been nice to have seen a reaction guided by these principles instead of the lack of principles that caused what happened soon after. I also think there would be a lot fewer people who are blind knee-jerk reactionaries against religion if more religious people were like the people who wrote this.
I also think that a serious investment in infrastructure and business in countries that tended to grow terrorism or instability that affected us combined with a rational and intelligent use of force against those who did resort to violence would go leagues beyond our current kick ass, take names, and turn the guy's brother into a terrorist brand of anti-terrorism we have now.
You'd also be building new customers for your American companies.
If I were in any position of authority, I would have endorsed that letter too. Considering our illustrious president claims to be such a religious man, it would have been nice if he'd heeded this advice, but I think we all know how that turned out. Sometimes I really can't blame other countries for hating the U.S. so much.
Jacob and Courtney covered it. I agree with them.
I also concur. It's interesting how religious leader like this aren't quite as loud as the Jerry Falwells of the world, eh?
Good point, Meaghan.
Unfortunately, in pretty much any issue or situation, the radicals are always the loudest -- on both sides of the issue.
Layoffs come at a time when our teenagers are struggling with their futures. These students from all over our country are struggling to decide what they are going to do when they graduate from high school.
With plummeting achievement scores in many of the urban cities there is an immediate need to have an entrepreneurial approach to education.
Entrepreneurship teaches you ways to approach goals and obstacles that bring out the skills needed for success in any venture-it tests your adaptability, creativity, resilience, and vision for what you want to accomplish. Learn more about the benefits of the experience of entrepreneurialism for high school students as well as adults at www.entrepreneursnow.org
Layoffs come at a time when our teenagers are struggling with their futures. These students from all over our country are struggling to decide what they are going to do when they graduate from high school.
With plummeting achievement scores in many of the urban cities there is an immediate need to have an entrepreneurial approach to education.
Entrepreneurship teaches you ways to approach goals and obstacles that bring out the skills needed for success in any venture-it tests your adaptability, creativity, resilience, and vision for what you want to accomplish. Learn more about the benefits of the experience of entrepreneurialism for high school students as well as adults at www.entrepreneursnow.org
Pamela Gail
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