Pope Asks God to Show Mercy on Sept. 11 Attackers

Reuters via iWon.com ^ | Sept 11, 2002 | Philip Pullella

[Pern]

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope John Paul, marking the anniversary of the attacks on U.S. cities, branded terrorism "ferocious inhumanity" but asked for prayers that God would show mercy and forgiveness for the attackers.

The pope also urged the world to change in situations of injustice that spurred the desire for revenge.

"We pray for the victims today, may they rest in peace, and may God show mercy and forgiveness for the authors of this horrible terror attack," he said in Polish, according to a translation provided by Vatican Radio.

The pope was speaking in unscripted remarks in Polish during a special general audience dedicated to commemorating the victims of the attacks by hijacked aircraft on New York and Washington landmarks.

The service included mourning music and a peace prayer.

"Terrorism is and always will be a manifestation of ferocious inhumanity, and because it is, it never will resolve conflicts between human beings," he told some 10,000 people in the Vatican's vast auditorium.

"Violence can only lead to further hatred and destruction."

But he called for changes in "scandalous situations of injustice and oppression, which continue to afflict so many members of the human family, creating conditions that are favorable to the uncontrolled explosion of the thirst for vendetta."

After his address, special prayers were read in several languages, including Arabic, for the victims of the attacks and for peace among religions.

MORE THAN 3,000 DEAD

More than 3,000 people died in the attacks on New York's World Trade Center, U.S. military headquarters at the Pentagon on the Washington outskirts and in a hijacked plane that crashed into a field in Pennsylvania.

The prayer read in Arabic asked believers of all religions to "firmly reject every form of violence and commit themselves to resolving conflicts with sincere and patient dialogue" while respecting different histories, cultures and religions.

Speaking in a somber voice in his address, the pope said injustices had to be tackled through urgent and resolute political and economic actions.

He said that when fundamental rights were violated in oppressive situations, "it is easy to fall prey to the temptation of hate and violence."

But one year on, the pontiff said it was not enough to commemorate the victims and pray for their families.

"We also want to interrogate the consciences of those who planned and carried out such a barbarous and cruel action," he said.

"One year after September 11, 2001, we repeat that no situation of injustice, no feeling of frustration, no philosophy or religion can justify such an aberration."

"On this very sad anniversary, we raise to God our prayer so that love may be able to take the place of hate, and, with the help of all people of good will, that concord and solidarity may take root in every corner of the earth," he said.

[tomahawk]

First the Vatican says the U.S. shouldn't take out Saddam because that's fighting evil with evil. Now this, forgive the murderers of innocent civilians. What next, forgive the suicide bombers, Hitler, Stalin? The only issue I trust the Pope on is the life issue.

[Corin Stormhands]

Some Christians believe that praying for the dead has merit, and that God hears those prayers.

Most do not. Unless you're saying that Catholics and Mormons are the only Christians.

[Steve0113]

Men must deserve salvation...

Nonsense. No one "deserves" salvation. We are all worthy of death and nothing more. Remember what St. Paul wrote about how unusual it is for someone to die for a good man, yet Christ died for us while we were the foulest sinners. The gift of salvation is completely gratuitous.

[Professional]

How do you show mercy and forgiveness to those who are implacable and unremorseful, who stand there ready to kill, maim, torture innocent civilians? Nah, to hell with it. Skin them, dismember them and sent their body parts to all the nations that harbor terrorist with a message - "We are coming for you next"

I'm with you. The time for repenting, and thus forgiveness, have expired.

[Orual]

Nonsense. No one "deserves" salvation.

Okay. Then live a life of hedonistic delights, sin a lot and often because that's what humans do, and then call a priest to give you Last Rites on your death bed, confess your sins, and all will be forgiven. Gee, wish I had known this earlier, I missed so much fun.

[Rebelbase]

I'm not Catholic and I have a bit of confusion over this. Where does it say in the New Testatment that praying for the souls of the dead will have any impact on God's Judgement of them?

[HamiltonJay]

It is not a matter of the old testiment v the new testiment. Those hijackers are in the afterlife, God will judge them on their eternal destination, and I am not going to petition the Lord on their behalf. The biblical quote regarding praying for ones persecutors is in regard to the living, pray for them so that god may enter their heart and they may learn the evil of their ways and repent and act as agents of the Lord.

These men are no longer persecutors, but dust. They are in the afterlife and shall be judged by God, not I, for their actions. Nothing in the new testiment at all suggests any of us should pray for these butchers. I disagree whole heartedly with the posters interpretation that it does.

[sinkspur]

Now this, forgive the murderers of innocent civilians.

God's ways are not our ways.

You ought to be eternally grateful for that, since we are all sinners.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Ummm...Jesus would have, while Judas was alive.

Do you think Atta is still alive? Maybe working at a Starbucks on 42nd street?

[Moomah]

For God's sake ... which Bible does the holy father read anyway? My Bible says those who die apart from God's forgiveness through his son Jesus Christ are banished to HELL. There is no forgiveness after death. No second chance. No mercy available.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

It is appointed man once to die, and then the Judgement. There is no waiting room where you hope your number is called. LOL~

[chs68]

My niece emailed me something yesterday that I rather like.

Here it is:

In a recent interview, General Norman Schwartzkof was asked if he thought there was room for forgiveness toward the people who have harbored and abetted the terrorists who perpetrated the 9/11 attacks on America.

His answer:

“I believe that forgiving them is God’s function. Our job is simply to arrange the meeting.”

[neutrino]

but asked for prayers that God would show mercy and forgiveness for the attackers.

I have a different prayer. May darkness take them, them and all their kin, now and forever, unto eternity.

Yeah, that's how I really feel.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Sorry, only Catholics and Jews pray for the dead. They do because of the book of 2 Maccabees. Most Protestants believe the book is apocryphal. Any protestant that prays for the dead is a Catholic in protestant clothing.

[Jerry_M]

God is destroying His enemies. This includes the 9-11 terrorists.

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish. - Psalm 1

[Sabertooth]

The Pope is speaking as Christ would have. If Judas asked for forgiveness, he would have been forgiven.

Respectfully, where does Christ pray for the souls of dead men of evil?

Didn't Jesus say:

"Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before my Father who is in heaven."
Matthew 10: 32, 33.

"For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when he comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."
Mark 8: 38.

Jesus spoke quite a bit about hell, more than everyone else in the Bible combined. It's not clear to me He thought it should be entirely devoid of souls.

If God decides to forgive the 9/11 attackers or anyone one else, I'm not going to blink twice or second guess Him. That's definitely above my pay grade.

But I don't feel compelled to pray for their mercy, and I think the Pope muddies the waters of moral and spiritual clarity when he does so.

[sinkspur]

Nothing in the new testiment at all suggests any of us should pray for these butchers.

Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.

The eternal God sees everything at once. Only human beings live in and are limited by time.

Even the Old Testament tells us that "It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead."

[Steve0113]

Then live a life of hedonistic delights, sin a lot and often...

That would be extremely risky, since I don't know when I'm going to die. Jesus had something to say about that, too. Something about being ready to die at any time.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Click here

[sinkspur]

Sorry, only Catholics and Jews pray for the dead.

No, I'm sorry that you don't.