I first wrote this a few days after Sept. 11th, 2001. It still holds true on the 18th anniversary of the attack.
~~~~~~
Amid images of the destruction on September 11, one set of headlines proclaims "What kind of God would let this happen!" Once again God is being used as a scapegoat for mankind's inability to live in harmony. An excuse for man to impose his selfish ways upon others, to make up his own rules and then use God to justify them or condemn them.
God has nothing to do with this! Just as a good parent teaches his children goodness and sets down rules for the child to follow, so did God. Throughout history we, His children, continually refuse to follow them. Can a good parent who has done everything to bring their child up right be held responsible for the actions of a child who makes up their own rules which may lead to trouble? Is there a parent who has not felt helplessness at a time when their child rebels? Is there not a parent who must suffer the pain of letting a child learn from their own mistakes? So it must be with God.
God did not let this happen. His children let it happen. Until His children learn to live by His rules He will take a position of "tough love". Mankind will be tested again and again until we get it right or get to the point where our total destruction is imminent. We are here to learn love. We proclaim it, but we do not truly live it. Did love attack those buildings? Will love seek revenge for the destruction? As horrible as the acts were, perhaps it is time to see it for what it may be, another chance to reverse the ways of man, deal with it the way we were taught, and perhaps send the world in a new direction.
It is man who seeks revenge for what has happened, but think for a moment. Will revenge do anything other than satisfy the moment or will it continue a way that has been with us throughout history. Revenge begets revenge and so it goes. Governments know how to deal with governments. Money knows how to deal with money. Religions know how to deal with religions. Military knows how to deal with military. Most people know how to deal with people. It starts in the homes with a bond of goodness. We treat each other as family or friends. We have a basic desire to treat each other with love and respect. It spreads through the neighbourhood and workplace. It spreads across a country. Why not across a world?
Once again it comes down to "us against them". Labels are attached. This time, they are religious labels. These are all religions that teach the same thing in different ways, love and tolerance. Every religion will have a group that will use religion as an excuse to further their own agendas. It matters not whether they call themselves Christian, Jew, Muslim, or whatever, there are bad seeds everywhere and the good end up suffering with the bad because they are all lumped into the same category. You may have a relative who has done something bad in the eyes of society. Does that make your whole family evil? Of course not! And make no mistake. How many so called terrorists of our own peoples do we have in our own countries? Are we any different? If a handful of these extremists of our own were to do harm to another country, how would we be viewed? Would it be fair? Each side claims God is on their side. Of course He is! There is only one God for all of us. God does not take sides. We just claim He does. Is that His fault? We are all part of the same God, He is part of all of us! The blame stops with our own perception of who we are and nowhere else!
As I said, people are basically loving to their own. It is time to realize we are ALL our own. Do you honestly think the majority of people in the so called "enemy" countries are any different than us? I think not! For too long has the people of the world stayed silent while so called leaders run the show. It is time for people all over the world to insist peacefully and firmly that for once things are going to be done in the way of love and friendship.
Can it be done? Do the leaders in our countries really represent us or other interests? Are they like leaders in some countries who represent themselves? I hope not, so why is it not possible? I am sure the outcry from all sides by the governments, money people and military would be horrendous as they have so much to lose, but maybe just once, it should be our turn to try. It certainly can't get any worse. America, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, and all other countries who see themselves as being good, perhaps it is time to show the rest of the world, our so called enemies, just how good we are. It is time for our so called "enemy" countries who join in our bereavement to do the same and surprise us.
Our love of our way of life is not based on any money, government, or pride in military might, but on our simple belief in goodness and fair and equal treatment of each other. People are rallying together because of this tragedy and the news is filled with stories of people reaching out to each other in many ways. Cannot this be extended across the void? We pride ourselves in aiding third world countries. We pride ourselves in aiding others in times of disaster. Would it be that much harder to reach out to the common people like us in the so called "enemy countries"? Do you not think their opinion of us is partially based on their own struggles and misfortunes. Do you not think if we became friends with these people their attitude would not change against the "serpent"?
Leaders, good or bad, are only as strong as their people allow them to be. What kind of following would a tyrant have if the people did not believe in his or her views. Who would follow? Instead of being heroes in the eyes of the oppressed they would become outlaws. There is no king without a kingdom. Nations would condemn their own just as we condemn them now. It is not necessary to push our views on another nation any more than we would like to have them push theirs on ours. It is enough to offer the hand of friendship and humanitarianism without any strings attached. Friendship should not be offered with strings attached any more than relief to a suffering people should have the strings of politics or religion tagged on as a prerequisite.
The well off from these nations flock to our countries leaving behind the weak and poor. Why is that? How easy is it for bad elements to manipulate a people who have little or are oppressed by outsiders, let alone their own leaders? We see it happen in our own nations all the time. Movements start, cults form, religion is used in the name of money and self fulfilling causes. We are no different! It all boils down to the one law we were given, LOVE! Someone has to take the first step. If we are as wonderful as we think we are, then perhaps it should be us.
As hard as it may be to get over the events of the past week, perhaps some good can come of this. Perhaps all those innocent people will not have died for nothing. Perhaps instead of seeking revenge and perpetuating the ongoing cycle we should instead take our selves and some of those billions set aside for war purposes and give a present to the common people like us of those "enemy" nations. Let not the leaders, religions, or military benefit, just the people like you and I. Would they not be surprised to receive blessings instead of bombs? Would there then be dancing in the street every time misfortune befalls our nations? If we did not insist on being the bogeymen their leaders would have them believe we are, would they believe it?
Change is hard and changing the ways of the world is even harder but it must start somewhere or the hatred, suffering, and violence will continue until we are no more. America, you may be #1 but this time you may not survive. This is a new kind of war and not like the ones you have fought in the past. A new strategy other than public relation or hidden agenda bombing is called for, and although it has always been with us, it has never been used. No political scenarios, no United Nations with their own agenda, no multi-national manipulations, no contrived skirmishes and wars for economic gain, just a simple turn the other cheek and reach out and love as you have been loved. So simple, so true and so untried. The magnitude of the recent destruction would make the gesture all the more stunning! How much more tragedy must befall us before we wake up and take the way taught us by our universal Parent?
Before we see ourselves off on another "holy crusade" or "holy war" how about just being holy? Good can destroy the evil in other nations and it can destroy it in our own and ourselves.
The heartbreak and shock of this week's events can't be reversed but perhaps some good can come of it in the names of those who died. Will it happen? I highly doubt it. The world will bury it's head in the sand and continue in it's old way, learning nothing, accomplishing nothing. Politics and profit will reign (and no doubt use this event as a justification of their search for power and money). We obviously will never learn from our mistakes.
Where is God in all this? Sitting back in sorrow watching his children do it their own misguided way and taking to Himself those who have fallen victim to our rebellious paths. The truth is the enemy of this life. Disasters like this will continue around the world, and quite frankly, we deserve it!
Sept. 15, 2001 © ...timothyu
~~~~~~
Amid images of the destruction on September 11, one set of headlines proclaims "What kind of God would let this happen!" Once again God is being used as a scapegoat for mankind's inability to live in harmony. An excuse for man to impose his selfish ways upon others, to make up his own rules and then use God to justify them or condemn them.
God has nothing to do with this! Just as a good parent teaches his children goodness and sets down rules for the child to follow, so did God. Throughout history we, His children, continually refuse to follow them. Can a good parent who has done everything to bring their child up right be held responsible for the actions of a child who makes up their own rules which may lead to trouble? Is there a parent who has not felt helplessness at a time when their child rebels? Is there not a parent who must suffer the pain of letting a child learn from their own mistakes? So it must be with God.
God did not let this happen. His children let it happen. Until His children learn to live by His rules He will take a position of "tough love". Mankind will be tested again and again until we get it right or get to the point where our total destruction is imminent. We are here to learn love. We proclaim it, but we do not truly live it. Did love attack those buildings? Will love seek revenge for the destruction? As horrible as the acts were, perhaps it is time to see it for what it may be, another chance to reverse the ways of man, deal with it the way we were taught, and perhaps send the world in a new direction.
It is man who seeks revenge for what has happened, but think for a moment. Will revenge do anything other than satisfy the moment or will it continue a way that has been with us throughout history. Revenge begets revenge and so it goes. Governments know how to deal with governments. Money knows how to deal with money. Religions know how to deal with religions. Military knows how to deal with military. Most people know how to deal with people. It starts in the homes with a bond of goodness. We treat each other as family or friends. We have a basic desire to treat each other with love and respect. It spreads through the neighbourhood and workplace. It spreads across a country. Why not across a world?
Once again it comes down to "us against them". Labels are attached. This time, they are religious labels. These are all religions that teach the same thing in different ways, love and tolerance. Every religion will have a group that will use religion as an excuse to further their own agendas. It matters not whether they call themselves Christian, Jew, Muslim, or whatever, there are bad seeds everywhere and the good end up suffering with the bad because they are all lumped into the same category. You may have a relative who has done something bad in the eyes of society. Does that make your whole family evil? Of course not! And make no mistake. How many so called terrorists of our own peoples do we have in our own countries? Are we any different? If a handful of these extremists of our own were to do harm to another country, how would we be viewed? Would it be fair? Each side claims God is on their side. Of course He is! There is only one God for all of us. God does not take sides. We just claim He does. Is that His fault? We are all part of the same God, He is part of all of us! The blame stops with our own perception of who we are and nowhere else!
As I said, people are basically loving to their own. It is time to realize we are ALL our own. Do you honestly think the majority of people in the so called "enemy" countries are any different than us? I think not! For too long has the people of the world stayed silent while so called leaders run the show. It is time for people all over the world to insist peacefully and firmly that for once things are going to be done in the way of love and friendship.
Can it be done? Do the leaders in our countries really represent us or other interests? Are they like leaders in some countries who represent themselves? I hope not, so why is it not possible? I am sure the outcry from all sides by the governments, money people and military would be horrendous as they have so much to lose, but maybe just once, it should be our turn to try. It certainly can't get any worse. America, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, and all other countries who see themselves as being good, perhaps it is time to show the rest of the world, our so called enemies, just how good we are. It is time for our so called "enemy" countries who join in our bereavement to do the same and surprise us.
Our love of our way of life is not based on any money, government, or pride in military might, but on our simple belief in goodness and fair and equal treatment of each other. People are rallying together because of this tragedy and the news is filled with stories of people reaching out to each other in many ways. Cannot this be extended across the void? We pride ourselves in aiding third world countries. We pride ourselves in aiding others in times of disaster. Would it be that much harder to reach out to the common people like us in the so called "enemy countries"? Do you not think their opinion of us is partially based on their own struggles and misfortunes. Do you not think if we became friends with these people their attitude would not change against the "serpent"?
Leaders, good or bad, are only as strong as their people allow them to be. What kind of following would a tyrant have if the people did not believe in his or her views. Who would follow? Instead of being heroes in the eyes of the oppressed they would become outlaws. There is no king without a kingdom. Nations would condemn their own just as we condemn them now. It is not necessary to push our views on another nation any more than we would like to have them push theirs on ours. It is enough to offer the hand of friendship and humanitarianism without any strings attached. Friendship should not be offered with strings attached any more than relief to a suffering people should have the strings of politics or religion tagged on as a prerequisite.
The well off from these nations flock to our countries leaving behind the weak and poor. Why is that? How easy is it for bad elements to manipulate a people who have little or are oppressed by outsiders, let alone their own leaders? We see it happen in our own nations all the time. Movements start, cults form, religion is used in the name of money and self fulfilling causes. We are no different! It all boils down to the one law we were given, LOVE! Someone has to take the first step. If we are as wonderful as we think we are, then perhaps it should be us.
As hard as it may be to get over the events of the past week, perhaps some good can come of this. Perhaps all those innocent people will not have died for nothing. Perhaps instead of seeking revenge and perpetuating the ongoing cycle we should instead take our selves and some of those billions set aside for war purposes and give a present to the common people like us of those "enemy" nations. Let not the leaders, religions, or military benefit, just the people like you and I. Would they not be surprised to receive blessings instead of bombs? Would there then be dancing in the street every time misfortune befalls our nations? If we did not insist on being the bogeymen their leaders would have them believe we are, would they believe it?
Change is hard and changing the ways of the world is even harder but it must start somewhere or the hatred, suffering, and violence will continue until we are no more. America, you may be #1 but this time you may not survive. This is a new kind of war and not like the ones you have fought in the past. A new strategy other than public relation or hidden agenda bombing is called for, and although it has always been with us, it has never been used. No political scenarios, no United Nations with their own agenda, no multi-national manipulations, no contrived skirmishes and wars for economic gain, just a simple turn the other cheek and reach out and love as you have been loved. So simple, so true and so untried. The magnitude of the recent destruction would make the gesture all the more stunning! How much more tragedy must befall us before we wake up and take the way taught us by our universal Parent?
Before we see ourselves off on another "holy crusade" or "holy war" how about just being holy? Good can destroy the evil in other nations and it can destroy it in our own and ourselves.
The heartbreak and shock of this week's events can't be reversed but perhaps some good can come of it in the names of those who died. Will it happen? I highly doubt it. The world will bury it's head in the sand and continue in it's old way, learning nothing, accomplishing nothing. Politics and profit will reign (and no doubt use this event as a justification of their search for power and money). We obviously will never learn from our mistakes.
Where is God in all this? Sitting back in sorrow watching his children do it their own misguided way and taking to Himself those who have fallen victim to our rebellious paths. The truth is the enemy of this life. Disasters like this will continue around the world, and quite frankly, we deserve it!
Sept. 15, 2001 © ...timothyu
