09/14/2004: "Let us pray"

 

The Web site of the National Council of Churches offers a litany of remembrance for September 11. The first half dwells on the memory of those who were victimized that day and those who sacrificed. The second half...well, you be the judge:

[All:] We light a candle, in penitence, recognizing that we have not done enough to address the sources of anger, hate, dehumanization, rage and indignation that lead to acts of violence

One: In our sadness, horror and shock we acknowledge that our own fears turned murderous and we have sought revenge, sometimes against even the innocent.

All: We confess and regret our own anger and recognize its dangers to our spirits, our health, our community, and others.

One: In the midst of the aftermath of the events of September 11th, 2001 we have been tempted to seek only our own good, hear only our own truth, acknowledge only our own suffering

All: We know that peace will come to us and to our children only when the concerns of justice anywhere become the subject of political and social will everywhere, and that no justice leads to no peace

One: In striving for national security and domestic peace we run the risk of confusing might for right and participating in the very behaviors we condemn

All: Guard and guide our country that in our search for security we may not trample the rights of the innocent nor disregard the rule of law. Let us not confuse leadership within the global community as the voice for the whole community.

Repentance means to turn away from wrong deeds. Repentance means choosing instead deeds which require moral restraint, and are more beneficial to all persons who suffer.

We light a candle to light the way to a better world for our children and our children's children, and all the children of God.

One: We recall with joy the unity we felt in the outpouring of help, kindness, thoughtful words and deeds from at home and around the world.

All: We must hold firmly to our unity, borne forward now not of tragedy but of loving kindness.

One: We place fresh confidence in international organizations and conversations that bring the diverse gifts of the world to the problems of poverty, injustice, terror and strife

All: We long for wise policies that forego short term gain for long term stability, justice and peace.

One: In a year filled with tragedy we dare to hope for an era yet to come in which the slaughter of innocents, greed, the ambitions of power, and cultural, racial and religious bigotries are but memories of a dim and unenlightened past.

I'd be interested to know, readers: would you pray that in your church?


 

Replies: 11 Comments

on Wednesday, September 15th, Christopher Johnson said

I'd be the one walking out down the center aisle, never to return, after, "We have not done enough to address the sources of anger, hate, dehumanization, rage and indignation that lead to acts of violence."

on Wednesday, September 15th, Christopher Culver said

I'd pray that. I *do* pray that. It seems to me an entirely Christian response of blaming oneself instead of the aggressor. To do otherwise, to say that something like "They hate us for our freedom" is pride, pure and simple.

on Wednesday, September 15th, Priscilla said

C.C.

May I ask why you think blaming oneself rather than the agressor is the more Christian response? I certainly haven't read that in the Bible anywhere. Jesus made it clear that Christians would have enemies, told us to pray for them, but never suggested that we blame ourselves for their actions - that deprives humans of the divine gift of self-choice and subsequent responsibility in actions. The idea, all through the New Testament (and Old as well) of forgiveness does not involve discounting the atrocities perpetrated against oneself - but being willing to forgive anyway. To rightly say why agressors act as they do is in no way non-Christian. Also, read Romans 13 for an explanation of the functions of government, which include punishment of wrongdoing - that also involves blaming the agressor, not the victim. Is is more Christian to blame the rape victim than the rapist? Of course not!

on Wednesday, September 15th, joe said

Wow, what a deja vu. Up till last year we attended a Mainline (note the capital M) church across the street because, well, it was across the street. New in the neighborhood, it seemed like a good idea. But after about 5 years of TRYING and trying to put on a cloak of understanding while listening to sermons and prayers just like the above, I found that - as the Buddha said - "this does not lead to edification." The people were lovely but certain things put me in an uncharitable state of mind. So we left - extricated ourselves would be more like it, with all the committees we had to quit - and have been attending an evangelical Presbyterian church about 25 minutes away. Best thing I've done in the past few years. I feel bad for those who are still there and have to absorb the continual stream of self-blame.

on Wednesday, September 15th, Bob Koch said

Excuse me, is this a "prayer"? It sure sounds like alot of mush-brain people talking to themselves and nodding in agreement...

on Wednesday, September 15th, Bob Koch said

Excuse me, is this a "prayer"? It sure sounds like alot of mush-brain people talking to themselves and nodding in agreement...

on Wednesday, September 15th, Bob Koch said

Excuse me, is this a "prayer"? It sure sounds like alot of mush-brain people talking to themselves and nodding in agreement...

on Thursday, September 16th, Ogre said

Sure, I'd pray that prayer -- if I hated America and blamed myself for the acts of evil committed by others. But, like Christopher Johnson said above, if it were said in my church, I'd stand up and walk out.

on Friday, September 17th, anonymous said

Since apparently, according to Romans, that is, it is the function of government to punish wrongdoing, I was wondering exactly what wrongdoing the 30,000 Iraqis (including many women and children) that we have slaughtered were guilty of. Was it having survived gassing by their ego-maniacal dictator? Maybe it was because they missed being raped and tortured by his psychotic sons? Isn't living in the godforsaken place punishment enough? So therefore haven't we, in fact, punished them for being punished? And while we're at it, who will be responsible for punishing the United States for carrying out an ILLEGAL WAR against a nation that had NO weapons of mass destruction and NO discernable ties to September 11? May God forgive and help us all.

on Friday, September 17th, Athanasius said

30,000??? Jeez, even iraqbodycount.org puts it at only a third of that. They also admit that a large number of those (especially the civilians) have been killed by Baathist insurgents and others who want to bring back Saddam's tyranny. That number also includes those whom we and our allies have killed who were trying to kill either coalition forces or civilians, or the poor schmucks training to be decent police officers who might bring some order and security to ordinary people's lives. I think you need to put down the Noam Chomsky omnibus and find out what's really going on.

on Friday, September 17th, Chuck said

The facts seem to be ignored by the blame America first lefties in this discussion. The "Illegal War" that we find ourselves in began a long time ago and is anything but illegal. The attack in the late nineties on the Cole and various Embassy bombings are the first salvo of attacks in the war on terror. We just did not know we were at war yet.

The fact that Iraq had been supporting terror groups like Hamas since the eighties and that Saddam had strengthened the alliances with other terrorist groups after the first gulf war seems to have been forgotten. (sounds like a discernable tie to me) The call for Jihad against the "great satan" was an eye opening statement that helped Saddam build close relationships with many Islamic terror groups. Saddam was even tied directly to one of the terrorists that bombed the Trade Center in 1993. (not Sept. 11th but still terror)

The "illegal war" we are engaged in is actually more justified than the Bosnia Conflict (war) we undertook under the previous administration and yet, I heard no calls about the "Illegal Action" being taken then.
The Iraq war has freed more people, released more prisoners, and stopped more ethnic cleansing than the
Bosnia War ever could. The main reason the war is justified is that the terror links that Saddam had continued to cultivate were a real and growing threat in the world.

Ultimately, the main problem is that some anonymous people blame America for all of the problems of the world and refuse to admit that the U.S. has ultimately tried to fight on the side of good. I guess that we were wrong to fight Hitler since only the Japanese attacked us in WW2. (Just taking it to the same "Blame America First" conclusion that the anonymous among us would in their current mindset.)