This country is predominantly Christian. 9 out of 10 of us want to retaliate for the terrorist acts of Tuesday. I’d like to know, of those of you who attended a Christian religious observance after the attacks, how many heard anything about “Love your enemies”, “turn the other cheek”, “forgive him seventy times seven”. Or did someone discover a Bible verse that says “Bomb the bastards to h***”?
At a Mass for the victims Tuesday night, we were told to pray for our enemies, that they may be turned into friends, because Christ commands it. I did it, but through gritted teeth. The vast majority of our time was spent praying for the dead and injured, their families, the brave rescue workers, and our country and giving thanks for the thousands of acts of kindness and heroism that have already brought this country together.
I find it telling that neither the Pope nor the archbishop in St. Louis are talking about forgiveness or turning the other cheek. When someone declares war on you, they seem to understand that the correct response is not “oh, that’s okay. I forgive you and I’ll pray for you. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” There is such a thing as a just war.
I think forgiveness may come, eventually, but if it does it will be a supernatural act. I know that I as a mere human being am not capable of it.
I went to an interfaith service at the cathedral, conducted by a priest. Did he mention forgiveness? Yes. Certainly the focus of the service was to pray for those who were suffering or who had died and to re-affirm our faith in the face of this enormous awfulness, but he did also remind us that one way to affirm our faith is through forgiveness. I would not say it was the main theme, however. I think it is too soon for that, both in terms of people being too angry and in terms of them having other chief concerns (namely the victims).
Yes, at Mass Tuesday and last night, but more about healing.
The Old Testament reading my parish used Tuesday was the story of Cain and Abel, from Genesis. I’m sure it was chosen because they thought it was fitting.
I didn’t go to services last weekend. But this thread has brought to mind the first Sunday after Desert Shield became Desert Storm. I did go, and I clearly remember Father Whoever saying, “And, strange as it may seem, bless Sadaam Hussein and his troops. Let them see the error of their ways, and let them stop being pawns of evil.” Nice sentiment, I thought. Though I heard a bit of rumbling from the congregation.
I went to an Episcopalian service (First time I’ve been to church on a non-holiday in about 3 years) and it was pretty cool, I thought.
They prayed for the attackers as well as the victims, prayed for forgiveness and healing and all that. Prayed for tolerance of all the peace-loving Muslims also.
I can’t say that I want to feel any forgiveness at all at this point, and I doubt I ever will. But, I do believe that is the role the church should be playing, instead of being separatist and divisive which is what I am used to from churches. I was raised in a somewhat fundie baptist church, all I would have heard there was demonizing, I’m sure.
I’m Jewish and was at Rosh Ha’Shanah services this week. Our rabbi relayed conversations he had with Christian pastors at his regularly scheduled interfaith dialog meeting during the week. Various pastors were indeed bringing up the issue of praying for the terrorists (which he admitted had never crossed his mind). He relayed that on the way out he mentioned to a pastor-friend “Okay, pray for them, but do me a favor, and don’t pray too hard for the bastards.”
Yes.
Many people spoke at Meeting about how they prayed for a non-violent response. This is not something I am personally so much into right now, but it was nice to hear something besides “Let’s bomb the bastards into the Stone Age!” for once.
ELCA Lutheran.
Yup.
Yes. But not under the impression that it’ll be possible for the west to forgive and the world to turn into a peaceful paradise. More in the sense that we’re all going to need it more and more as individuals, because there’s a STORM coming, and we’ll turn on one another if we’re not careful.
Sorry - we’re somewhere under the Pentecostal/charismatic type thing.