Sep 19th, 2001 Issue 35 - Vol 2

At this time, many many of us find ourselves focused on the evil that befell the good citizens of the United States of America last week. It is natural and necessary that we grieve what has happened. It is also important that we find closure in terms of identifying and bringing to justice those responsible.

I pray that we also find the strength to find a silver lining in the huge black cloud that has obscured our sun.

The sheer magnitude of last week's terror has had the effect of "breaking the ice" between many traditional foes around the World. Countries that would not acknowledge each other at all are suddenly speaking of co-operation to end terrorism. All over the news are reports of governments urging their people to be tolerant of those different from themselves.

Isn't it always true that great calamity brings out the best in people? Perhaps there is a chance for World Peace after all.

We hope so!

This week the Galloping Geezer brings us a Prayer for Children. After all, they are our Future.

Full Story

Eye for an Eye



An eye for an eye only leaves everyone blind...
Let us demand justice, not revenge...

Steve Loxton, Wyoming, Ontario, Canada

RE: Last Weeks Newsletter

How soon will it be before we are able to see good in the face of every stranger? The sooner we start using positive language and thoughts, the sooner we will change the world for the better.

Baz Bailey , BC

RE: Last Weeks Newsletter

In light of the possibility that the terrorists entered the US through Canada, we MUST ensure we provide the proper security. We are a peaceful nation and only want law abiding citizens. We must ensure are borders are safe from this scum.

Rick

Right and Wrong, Vengeance and Mercy

I feel sad and sympathetic. I don't feel forgiving, but I don't want more blood. I'm glad we all think the attacks were "wrong," but on what basis? The terrorists didn't think it was wrong in the same sense. Right and wrong can't be defined by personal preference or even culture, but only, absolutely, by the person of God, who created reality. This killing is wrong because God is life and therefore life has value and therefore he says, "You shall not murder." People have suggested that the solution is to change terrorists' way of thinking. The only hope, though, for that kind of radical change is for the power of God by the Spirit of Jesus to change the heart. In fact, that's the only hope for any of us. Most religions, including Islam, promote good deeds, but the extreme wings of religions see people as enemies. The New Testament makes it clear that we are not to fight people; the enemies are our own selfishness and interference from Satan. Even if we call people our enemies, Jesus is clear: love your enemies. Internationally and politically, I have no idea how to do that. It's hard enough to do that interpersonally. But I do know change is possible, by the grace of God.

Some thoughts on vengeance (related partly to Jack Downey's comments at http://www.canadianculture.com/geezer/index.html):

"He hit me in the face on the playground, so I hit him back," said the victim. Now the bully looks for another chance to hurt and the victim lives in fear and anger. But what if the teacher says, "I'll deal with both of you after school," and comes up with a fair punishment as well as an opportunity for both parties to understand, confess and forgive. Wouldn't that be great? It's not unrealistic, but it is uncommon.

Author Calvin Miller puts it this way:

VENGEANCE (ven'jens) noun
1. Eye for eye, tooth for tooth; a fair, satisfying and rapid way to a sightless, toothless world.

MERCY (mer'se) noun
1. The infrequent art of turning thumbs up on an old antagonist at the end of one's rapier.

I have very little idea what would happen if the U.S. didn't kill anyone over this. Probably the terrorists would do more harm. Certainly it is the responsibility of government to protect its people and territory, so I expect the U.S. to kill people in retaliation. But it is unwise to justify this with religious rhetoric, to associate the U.S. Giant with the Lord, even though there are many christian things about American history and many of its people. Though I don't agree with everything in the recent movie, "The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc," Dustin Hoffman gets to say some pretty strong things about people and nations who think God and justice are on their side as they kill others. We will have a world at war unless people and nations with more moral courage than their enemies stop the cycle of vengeance. You stop it by not hitting back. Jesus didn't hit back. "Well, look where it got him--beaten and tortured to death." And then what? God had the last word and the world was never the same after the resurrection.

I know the world won't be the same after this, and I think the U.S. should defend itself from outside threats and root out conspirators from within its own borders, but regarding attacking other nations who encourage terrorism, I think they should wait till after school, when the Teacher can administer justice.

I know this is too long and perhaps too-something else to publish, but I wanted to express myself anyway!

David Kruse
Winnipeg

RE: Last Weeks Newsletter Comments

Thursday, September 13, 2001 6:42 AM
Subject: RE: Canadian Culture - This issue we join our American neighbours in mourning

Thank you for your most recent e-mail. I appreciate your taking the time and the effort to write to me and send me a copy of the most recent issue of the Canadian Culture Flash, sharing your thoughts on the tragic events of September 11th. Our hearts go out to the individuals and families who have been struck by this terrorist tragedy. They started their day, as we all did, expecting the ordinary. And suddenly, without warning, without reason, they became the innocent victims of a terrible, pre-meditated strike against order and humanity. We have all suffered personal losses, but this goes beyond the experience of most civilized societies, and we can only offer our deepest sympathy, our prayers, and our determination to ensure that, while terrorists can take lives, they cannot destroy free societies, or our faith in our ability to prevail over the must brutal instincts of human kind.

This was a calculated act to destabilize society. Our response must be to find out who was responsible, to hunt them down, to hold them to account and - most of all - to ensure that the principles of a free and ordered society prevail.

As a neighbour of the United States of America, I speak on your behalf of all Canadians, to the citizens of a country that truly is a land of the free, a home of the brave. The United States today - as it did at Pearl Harbour, as it has so often in history - paid a price for defending freedom, for providing leadership. This was an attack on the American ideal - an ideal of freedom and accomplishment which has transformed the modern world. We Canadians are a different nation, but this was a cold-blooded attack on all people who value free, and orderly, and modern societies.

No one knows who these terrorists are, or where they came from. We should make no assumptions until we have hard facts in hand. But we do know that theirs was a calculated attack upon the kind of open and safe society in which we Canadians believe so profoundly.

So it was an attack on us too, and part of our resolve now must be to put panic aside, to deny the terrorists the psychological victory they seek, and to demonstrate that free societies can recover quickly from the most brutal of shocks, and organize ourselves to protect and assert the civilized values that were so deliberately attacked.

Thank you again for your correspondence.

Sincerely,

Joe Clark - Clark.J@parl.gc.ca

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