Another Evangelical Voice We Need to Hear Regarding 9/11

This past Friday, I posted an article regarding misplaced anger that many people in our country have (especially in the Christian community) that Islam in general was responsible for 9/11 and not just Muslim extremists/terrorists.

I experienced this misplaced anger firsthand during my previous church appointment when a Muslim community desired to build a mosque in our area a couple of years after 9/11. A church located in the general vicinity where the mosque would be located made hundreds of phone calls to residents of the community to warn them that a Muslim presence in the community would potentially lead to more terrorism.

After writing a letter to the editor of the local newspaper that this particular church's anti-Muslim position was not a view that was held by me or by many other Christians within my denomination, I ended up receiving some letters in the mail from citizens who read my editorial stating that I was blind to Muslim propaganda.

As this misplaced anger continues to rear it's ugly head from time to time, particularly around the 9/11 anniversary, thank God for people like Dr. Ben Witherington, an evangelical New Testament bible scholar who offers this voice of reason in a recent post on his excellent blog on Belief Net.

On 9/11, we remember those who lost their lives and their surviving family and friends, and the police and fire fighters who risked their lives. We pray for peace in a world in which terrorists would do such horrible acts of violence, and pray for our global leaders as they pursue justice and peace in our broken and torn world.

And yesterday on the 9/11 anniversary, I gave thanks to God that I was part of a church that took gifts of appreciation to our local police and fire departments to let them know that we were thinking of them and supporting them in their vital work in our community.

Last but not least, on every 9/11 anniversary, I think about a member of my previous church whose brother died in the World Trade Center. As a way of responding to such a painful event in the life of their family, the following year, they chose to help build a home for an impoverished family in Mexico in loving memory of her brother.

They chose to respond in this way because as Christians, we are called to the way of the cross and to the way of sacrificial love.

Misplaced anger doesn't do any good. But the way of the cross makes all the difference in the world.

We Like Drama

The sad events in which a small church in Florida is threatening to burn Korans and the accusation from the church that a Muslim leader lied to them regarding a deal to not proceed with the burning if the proposed Ground Zero mosque is located elsewhere, just goes to show how much we like drama.

Don't get me wrong. Drama can be a good thing. Plays, a good story, a moving book, or movie, can help us see things from new perspectives. But the drama that is going on now with this church in Florida is a sad commentary on serious issues that are facing our world.

The media knows that we like drama or why bother to cover a story several weeks ago about a small church wanting to burn Korans on the 9/11 anniversary. To add to the drama, now we have troops in danger, the inciting of violence, and dirty laundry being aired of a pastor's miscommunication with a Muslim leader.

And all of this on the eve of the 9th anniversary of 9/11. I honestly thought this was the kind of drama we were going to have next year on the 10th anniversary. But remember, we like drama so why not start early.

I don't think we would have this level of drama on the eve of 9/11 if this one basic truth would be embraced: "Extreme Muslim terrorists were responsible for the acts of 9/11, not the Islamic faith in general." When a peace loving and observant Muslim reads about extreme Muslim terrorists hijacking his/her faith through terrorist acts, this doesn't mean that the peace loving and observant Muslim is a terrorist as well or that Islam is a terrorist based religion.

Or if a dishonest used car salesperson continually cheats his/her customers, this does not mean that all car salespeople are dishonest or that all car dealerships are unethical.

Or if a professed Christian abuses family members in the name of his/her religion, this does not mean that all Christians are abusers or that Christianity promotes abuse.

Or if a small church in Kansas protests at military funerals by spewing hate language at those who are grieving and those who have a particular sexual orientation, this does not mean that all churches have a propensity toward this kind of behavior.

Quietly and with no fanfare, a dear friend sends me an e-mail this morning which I receive while I'm watching this Florida pastor being interviewed on the Today Show. The e-mail says that she will be attending a Christian/Muslim gathering at a nearby mosque today as a display of how different faiths can coexist in peace and promote peace throughout our communities and world.

This peace gathering won't make CNN or Fox News. No, today we'll get a steady diet of segments about a certain church in Florida that has not embraced the basic truth mentioned earlier in this post, that "extreme Muslim terrorists were responsible for the acts of 9/11, NOT the Islamic faith in general."

Why won't we hear anything about my friend's inter-faith gathering today?

It's sad, but true. We like drama.

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