Posted on 10/14/2001 10:17:29 PM PDT by websterglobe
BLAMING THE VICTIM - You can always count on liberal Christianity. Parts of a pastoral letter on the September 11th attack from Rev. Dr. Konrad Raiser, general secretary of the World Council of Churches, follow. The complete text of the letter can be found by clicking here.
Dr. Raiser offers words of condolence, noting that the whole world has felt our pain, but urges us not to act hastily. After all:
Words of condemnation and the language of "war" come so quickly to the fore. Blame is easily assigned to "the enemy". These are reinforced by the images and messages streaming across all our television screens, wherever we live. It is far more difficult to regard ourselves in the mirror of such hatred, and to have the courage to recognize how deeply violence is rooted within ourselves, our communities and even our churches. These are lessons we are all trying to learn in the Decade to Overcome Violence.
Right. This country is ravaged by suicidal Presbyterians hijacking airliners and flying them into skyscrapers. Happens all the time. But never mind. Dr. Raiser goes on to remind us that there is a Christian or two in that part of the world who could be in serious trouble if we react too violently. And a violent reaction on our part won't sit too well with much of anyone over there, Christian or not:
No one should be allowed to forget that in the places often mentioned as primary targets of military retaliation, Muslims, Christians, and people of other faiths live side by side. Minority Christian communities and those majority communities with whom their lives are shared stand to suffer severely at the hands of religious extremists if the "Christian" West strikes out yet again.
Especially since September 11th was all our fault anyway:
The United States was one of the early architects of the United Nations and was once among the strongest advocates for the international rule of law. In recent times, however, it has repeatedly ignored its international obligations and declared its intention to ignore the rest of the world in pursuit of its own perceived self-interests. This it does to its own and the world’s peril. The events of 11 September have again reminded all nations that all are vulnerable and that the only true security is common security.
Right. If the US had just paid its UN dues and ratified the Kyoto Treaty, September 11th would have never happened. But maybe if we repent of our sins, the world will cut us some slack:
The United States, so often accused, has now been the beneficiary of the sympathy and solidarity of the whole world. It could respond in kind and with humility by reversing its course now and rejoining the global community in a common pursuit of justice for all. It could set aside its reliance on military might at whatever cost and invest in efforts to find non-violent solutions to conflicts generated by poverty, mistrust, greed and intolerance.
No wonder conservative Protestants want nothing to do with this religious monstrosity. No wonder the Roman Catholic Church will not touch this unclean thing.
It should be noted that nowhere in his letter does Dr. Raiser explicitly condemn the attack or call the attackers evil. As far as he is concerned, September 11th might as well have been a tornado or a hurricane. But the letter was helpful in one respect. The Editor is now firmly convinced that he will die Southern Baptist, Eastern Orthodox, or some other Christian denomination that takes the Gospel seriously. Liberal Christianity is deservedly doomed.
World Council of Churches. Nobody listens to them anyway.
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