Maybe it's just me but I think it's beyond time to move beyond 9/11 - and all the misguided patriotic and religious fervor it induced.
Our response to an uncertain and, at times, frightening world is one we get to make on a daily basis. It saddens me to see how frequently people chose to act out of fear rather than trust, out of isolation rather than inclusion.
In the name of "9/11", we have justified torture, the suspension of civil rights and due process, entered into armed conflicts in countries with centuries of entrenched disputes among tribesmen, mortgaged our children's futures to pay for them and imposed restrictions on our freedom to travel without interference.
At a time when there are more 'Christian' radio stations filling the airwaves than ever before, more people who identify themselves by that title are acting in ways that are decidedly un-Christian, at least as I understand that belief system.
For me, one of the central tenets of Christianity is LOVE which leads to an increased awareness of our interconnectedness with all other created beings and the natural world.
Be not afraid.
At its best, faith should expand our understanding of our place in the world, our relationships with each other and our relationship with the Creator.
Faith should not diminish or reduce our connection to include only those few who think, believe, look or act as we do. As Anne Lamott wrote: "You can safely assume that you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do."
Christians who live and act out of fear also forget that the most frequent phrase in the Bible is "Be not afraid". Of all the quoting of chapter and verse coming out of some mouths about abortion, issues of sexuality and politics, I'm curious about why we don't hear them mention that more often.
Be not afraid.
Not a bad motto to live by.
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