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Forgiveness and 9/11 - a lost opportunity


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http://www.wlu.ca/page.php?grp_id=1470&amp...633&f_id=37

David Haskell

The Hamilton Spectator

1,051 words

12 September 2005

The Hamilton Spectator

Final

A16

English

Copyright © 2005 The Hamilton Spectator.

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***

Yesterday, we remembered the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

While the passing of four years has proven a soothing tonic against the shock and sadness of the tragedy, one sensation remains as strong as ever: the sense that the world has changed for the worst. Our world is a more fearful and hateful place.

On the evening of that fateful day, when President Bush spoke to his nation and promised those responsible for the horrific destruction would be pursued with "unyielding anger" his goal was to reassure the American people.

He wanted them to be comforted know that justice would be done, that retribution would be swift and severe.

But what if a different choice had been made that evening?

What if instead of launching the first salvo in his so-called war on terror, Bush let his Christian faith (of which he so often speaks) guide his actions? What if his first message to those responsible for the evil acts was not "we will find you" but instead "we forgive you"?

Critics will argue that such a declaration would have led to riots in the streets. Fired by a combustible mix of revenge and fear, Americans from coast to coast would have screamed for Bush to be removed as head of state and the more extreme would have advocated for the removal of Bush's head itself.

And even if reaction from those at home could have been contained and quelled, critics will argue that reaction from hostile forces abroad would have posed a more serious threat.

Enemy nations and rogue states around the world would have viewed his offer of forgiveness as a sign of weakness on the part of the United States. It would have been assumed that acts of terrorism could be committed with impunity and attacks would have become more numerous and heinous.

That's what critics will argue.

I believe that had Bush, leader and spokesperson for the most powerful country in the world, offered forgiveness to those who planned and carried out the attacks of Sept. 11, it would have led to the most significant shift toward world peace since the dawn of the Common Era.

Instead of riots in the streets of America, I believe there would have been a revelation in the hearts of Americans.

Psychologists, communication and cultural theorists have long been aware of a phenomenon humans experience known as cognitive dissonance.

Cognitive dissonance refers to the mental and emotional discomfort people feel when they are confronted with a discrepancy between what they say they believe and the actions they are performing.

The discomfort is alleviated in one of two ways. The person either changes his beliefs to better fit with his actions or changes his actions to better fit with his beliefs. Most people have a strong need for consistency between beliefs and actions and cannot stay in cognitive dissonance for long.

About 85 per cent of Americans call themselves Christians and nine out of 10 say their faith is very important or fairly important in their lives.

While many of these professed Christians don't have a deep understanding of their faith, the doctrine that Christians must forgive those who do harm to them is something even new converts know. It is one of Jesus's central teachings.

In the gospel of Matthew, for example, Jesus makes it clear that one's own salvation is contingent on one's ability to forgive others saying, "For if you forgive men their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions."

According to the principles of cognitive dissonance, had Christians in America heard their president offer forgiveness to the terrorists, they would have been compelled to support and join in his action or abandon the essence of their spiritual beliefs.

Given that 90 per cent of Americans say their faith anchors their life, it seems highly unlikely they would have cut the rope that holds them secure. Instead, I believe Americans would have begun to take their faith much more seriously.

They would have moved from being "hearers of the word" to "doers of the word."

In particular and most importantly, Jesus's controversial message of love even for one's enemies would finally have been accepted at face value.

There is no telling what miracles would have followed that revelation.

To argue that an offer of forgiveness from Bush would have been perceived as weakness and led to more attacks overlooks some key facts.

Terrorists are not like serial killers and other mass murderers who commit their crimes for the emotional rush.

Most terrorists are not without a strong ethical code. They know and respect the value of human life at least as it applies to their family, friends and members of their own communities.

The reason they can perform the deeds they do is that they have convinced themselves that those they kill are less than human.

Had words of forgiveness been on the lips of Bush, he would have proven the terrorists wrong.

He would have invalidated their rationale for murder.

It's said that one is most human when one is most humane. Next to selfless compassion, forgiveness is the greatest example of humanity.

Around the world, enemies of the United States would have been incapacitated by their own case of cognitive dissonance as they were forced to admit that Americans are human after all. As their beliefs about Americans changed so, too, would their actions have changed.

While I don't think one offer of forgiveness four years ago would have solved America's security problem once and for all, had such a declaration been made I am convinced the world would have been greatly changed for the better. Forgiveness is to hate as water is to fire.

The United States' claim to world military superiority has not been enough to keep it safe.

Sadly, we will never know if a genuine claim to moral superiority would have proven more effective.

David Haskell is assistant professor of journalism at the Brantford Campus of Wilfrid Laurier University. His research interest is religion and media.

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""I believe that had Bush, leader and spokesperson for the most powerful country in the world, offered forgiveness to those who planned and carried out the attacks of Sept. 11, it would have led to the most significant shift toward world peace since the dawn of the Common Era.""

And I believe you are living in cloud cuckoo land. :rolleyes:

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Terrorists are not like serial killers and other mass murderers who commit their crimes for the emotional rush.

Most terrorists are not without a strong ethical code. They know and respect the value of human life at least as it applies to their family, friends and members of their own communities.

The reason they can perform the deeds they do is that they have convinced themselves that those they kill are less than human.

Another key contributing factor is they believe they have God on their side, and actions which normally would be abhorrent, are easily performed when one feels that they have a higher moral authority on their side or instructing them to do so.

I don't believe the journalist though, I mean it's an interesting and thought provoking article, but I think the critics probably would've been right, there would've been anger if revenge hadn't have been sought. Not that I believe that that was the correct course of action to take, however I believe a lot of people would've been angry if we didn't hit back at least at something

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I haven't hid my Christian faith on this board, and on the old board I used to quite frequently battle with Hermit and others discussing faith related topics, and I must say this article is the most idiotic piece I've read in ages.

The author (and anyone else who argues that "Jesus never spoke of war") have absolutely no concept, whatsoever of the divine, God given institution that we call government, and that it is put in place to protect and that they are given the right to "bear thw sword". Yes, it is often abused (and I'm including the USA) but to make a blanket statement that we should've "forgave" instead of defend, shows the authors utter ignorance of the entire message of Scripture.

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I haven't hid my Christian faith on this board, and on the old board I used to quite frequently battle with Hermit and others discussing faith related topics, and I must say this article is the most idiotic piece I've read in ages.

The author (and anyone else who argues that "Jesus never spoke of war") have absolutely no concept, whatsoever of the divine, God given institution that we call government, and that it is put in place to protect and that they are given the right to "bear thw sword". Yes, it is often abused (and I'm including the USA) but to make a blanket statement that we should've "forgave" instead of defend, shows the authors utter ignorance of the entire message of Scripture.

Hi 'StringBender'

You must not let you christian faith blind you, the teachings of Jesus were of "Peace and Love", i having studied history all my life and i find that while Christianity preaches "Peace and Love" it pratices "War and Hate". The ordinary people, of all faiths are mostly good, the evil lays in government, always has and always will. Thats why i have chosen to abandon all forms of Religious Sects and go my own way, and behave and treat people in a way i know to be right.

Most of what Jesus may or may not have said has been lost to us because it was written down between 40 and 200 years after his death. He did say that he came not to change the Jewish Religion but to get the People to go back and embrace it. So starting a Religion called Christianity would have been sacrilege to him and he would surley not aprove of what has happaned since.

But you are right in saying that governments often abuse their institutions, but it is not divine or god given as you state, and if it was do you think that God would look down favourably on all those governments who ask for his help but refuse to obey his covenant with him the you are very missguided.

If Christinanity is a religion of Love and Forgiving then that is what you should do, as Jesus said "Love thy enemy" so if you dont you are not Christian are you? and your Government is not a Christian Government is it?

The Muslim world thinks its right and God is on it's side, while the same can be said for the Christians and then there's the Communists. To me these are the three big players in the world and untill one comes out on top war will always be part of our world. I think also that the Muslims have the moral high ground, and are prepared to die for their faith so in the long run they will come out on top, just my thoughts.

Regards, Danny

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The author (and anyone else who argues that "Jesus never spoke of war") have absolutely no concept, whatsoever of the divine, God given institution that we call government, and that it is put in place to protect and that they are given the right to "bear thw sword". Yes, it is often abused (and I'm including the USA) but to make a blanket statement that we should've "forgave" instead of defend, shows the authors utter ignorance of the entire message of Scripture.

Government is not God-given...

And after many years of religious education at school, I do not remember anywhere where Jesus claimed that we are given the right to "bear the sword".

However the Bible is best taken with a pinch of salt

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Government is not God-given...

And after many years of religious education at school, I do not remember anywhere where Jesus claimed that we are given the right to "bear the sword".

However the Bible is best taken with a pinch of salt

Hi 'I have got a horsey'

But by the way Presidents and Prime Ministers put their hand on their hearts and pray that god is on their side you would think that Government is god given wouldn't you?

And the Bible and Koran and any other religious book is just a way of guideing the bad people towards being good, if you are a good person you dont need any of these books as you already know right from wrong, which is what religion is all about anyway.

Regards, Danny

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But by the way Presidents and Prime Ministers put their hand on their hearts and pray that god is on their side you would think that Government is god given wouldn't you?

"We pray to God Almighty that he see us through this election. We pray that he bless voters with the innocence to accept our derisions, yet instill them with the cynicism to reject the opposition's...We pray that the voters, through rosy clouded eyes will only ever see our kind-heartedness, and pray that the Lord blesses them with the shaprness of vision to see through the oppositions...We pray that our foibles be hailed as character, yet our opponents' be damned as weaknesses...And lastly, we pray that the Lord make the voters understand that even though we all have 'right' and 'wrong' in us, our 'wrongs' are more right than their rights...Amen".

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"We pray to God Almighty that he see us through this election. We pray that he bless voters with the innocence to accept our derisions, yet instill them with the cynicism to reject the opposition's...We pray that the voters, through rosy clouded eyes will only ever see our kind-heartedness, and pray that the Lord blesses them with the shaprness of vision to see through the oppositions...We pray that our foibles be hailed as character, yet our opponents' be damned as weaknesses...And lastly, we pray that the Lord make the voters understand that even though we all have 'right' and 'wrong' in us, our 'wrongs' are more right than their rights...Amen".

Please tell me what you have quoted this from, or have you made it up yourself? as i am baffeled as to who could write this and who could listen to this BS.

Regards, Danny

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