September 27, 2001

The events of the past few weeks have been staggering.

As one who lived through the protests of Vietnam, I have been deeply moved by the show of patriotism.  One incident reported on some news show (I've watched so many) spoke of people making a run on a store in San Francisco.  The clerks expected to sell batteries, bottled water, and emergency supplies only to find that people wanted to buy flags.

We have respected free speech even to the point of allowing protesters to burn flags. Yet, when America was attacked, a spontaneous reaction was to fly the flag.  Even the words of our national anthem take on new meaning.

The spontaneous turning to God as reflected in the service at the National Cathedral was moving.  President Bush has found his voice and has done well.

Equally interesting to me was the prayer service on Sunday night.  In contrast to the beautiful and worshipful cathedral service, this service was held in a stadium.  We saw different faces of America. We saw more faces of color, and we saw varied religions represented.  As those Americans involved in the Sunday night service prayed, I was reminded that America in 2001 is not merely white with a choice between being Protestant or Catholic.

In the 19th and early 20th century, immigration made many feel insecure.  Even Catholics immigrants were feared   I can remember in 1960 when John F. Kennedy, our first Roman Catholic president, had to assure some fearful Americans that the Pope would not tell him what to do. 

Do we believe in freedom of religion?  I belong to a religious tradition that is of the "born again" understanding.  You cannot force a person into a relationship with God. Passing a true/false test is not a relationship with God, and baptism at birth is not adequate.  One must (at confirmation in many branches of the Christian faith) make a personal decision for Christ.

The Christian faith is a personal decision to follow Christ and to enter a relationship with God.  Yes, I want the freedom to preach the gospel and to share my faith.  Do I want to force my understanding of God on someone?  No.  One must be free to choose Christ.

When I asked my wife to marry me, I did not hold a gun to her head and ask her to be my wife.  Her response would have been meaningless.  I wanted her to love me and to choose to enter a relationship with me.  Likewise, a relationship with God is a relationship of love.

In a sad way the Islamic Fundamentalists interpret the Koran in a way that justifies violence.  They want to force their interpretation of Islam on others.  The Taliban have done that in Afghanistan.  Some women who were aid workers with Christian organizations are still there because they had Bibles and were accused of trying to convert people to Christianity.  They were on trial when the terrorist attack occurred.

Some Christian Fundamentalists want to force a kind of cultural Christianity on America.  Some Jewish Fundamentalist in Israel have an agenda that creates tension within Israel between secular and "religious" Jews and does not always contribute to the peace process in the Middle East.

Somewhere in the writings of William Penn, the Quaker who established Pennsylvania, tolerance is promised to all except those who are intolerant in principle.  Pennsylvania early served as a model where people of all faiths could settle and practice their faith according to the dictates of their conscience.

Unfortunately, we have too many in the world who are intolerant in principle.  They become so locked within a particular system of interpretation that they cannot encounter the Living God.

We need to be prayerful for our leaders and for our world.  The terrorists want to push us into actions that will cause many people in the Islamic world to believe that we are declaring war on Islam.

Many, including our Christian president, have held up to the world our cherished principle of religious freedom.

This is not a war against Islam.  This is a war against terrorism.

Don