Holding 9/11's Emotions Up to the Light of God (by Brian McLaren)
All of us remember this day, where we were when we heard the news, our feelings, our fears. There has been a lot of controversy about how the memory of this day has been or is being used or misused for political purposes, but I always come back to one of my life mottoes: the best antidote to misuse is not disuse -- it is proper use.
In many ways we have run from the feelings of that day ... grief, grievance, unity, confusion, dislocation, vulnerability and solidarity. In many ways, we quickly transmuted those emotions into ones that we are more familiar with, ones we know how to "work with" -- anger, lust for revenge, blame, scapegoating, offended pride, even hate.
But maybe now, seven years later, we are able to return to the feelings of that day and in some way learn from them now what we may not have been able to learn from them back then.
Grief -- we lost so much that day. Loved ones. A sense of invulnerability. A sense of transcendence over the rest of the world for whom violence is so much a part of daily life. Ungrieved grief makes us sick, and so it is good, today, to grieve.
Grievance -- we knew instantly that the people who were suffering were not guilty of the violence they were experiencing, and this sense of having been wronged filled us all. Something healthy happens in our souls when we hold that feeling up to the light -- without letting it toxify into bitterness and revenge.
Unity -- we knew that we needed each other and needed to stand together. Now, in the midst of a bitterly fought election, can we recall that understanding of our standing together?
Confusion -- we realized that the world was more complex than we realized, that there were forces at work we weren't attending to, and of the pain in being pushed from the category of knowers to seekers. Not understanding is humbling, and again, it is good to hold ourselves in that humility without relieving ourselves of it by pretending we have everything figured out according to our various ideologies and slogans.
Vulnerability -- our confidence in our own power shaken, we faced that there were other powers that must be reckoned with. We felt that we are more like our neighbors around the world than we realized: that our lives can be interrupted by those with grievances, pain, confusion, and fear of their own ... that we are connected with those who have grievances against us, and we must share the world with them, and they with us.
Solidarity -- many said that the whole world was American that day, but it was also true that we in America felt solidarity with the rest of our war-torn, violence scarred world that day. I believe at some deep level, the Holy Spirit was warming each of our hearts with a longing for shalom/salaam/peace ... since we so acutely felt its absence.
If you just read over each of these emotions, and hold them up in your heart to the light of God, you will see the ways in which these emotions can open us towards the living God of love. Then, perhaps, consider the alternatives -- anger, lust for revenge, blame, scapegoating, even hate -- and think of the effect these feelings can have on your spiritual life, how they can be "sacralized" and baptized and camouflaged under religious language. Perhaps, if you see this dark process at work in you and us, that will move you to repentance and prayer.
If you have a few more minutes, listen to this podcast from my friend Fred Burnham, who was across the street from ground zero, with the Archbishop of Canterbury, when the towers fell. His story exemplifies how we can let the experience of 9/11 be a sanctifying one in our lives, individually and together. May it be so.
Brian McLaren is a speaker and author, most recently of Everything Must Change and Finding Our Way Again. He serves as board chair for Sojourners.
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Comments
Thanks Brian, for a thought provoking post. I disagree with the suggestion that anger is sinful. It is not, although our use of anger usually is.
I wonder: where does Obama stand on pacifism? Where do you? Has he pledged himself to the Christian just-war theory? Or would that be anathema to other religions? How is one a pacifist when you know there are a million non-pacifists who are trained to die for your right to be a pacifist? For those who truly put themselves in harm's way, like Terry Waite, I have the utmost respect. While a pacifist inside a well protected fort is not a hypocrite, I still insist they are only a pacifist in theory.
Blessings,
Posted by: Witness for Peace | September 11, 2008 12:04 PM
Brian, there you go again insisting that we're not always right and that perhaps we should love the ones who strike us instead of doing the natural thing- killing them back and supposing god wanted us to hit them
Posted by: tad delay | September 11, 2008 1:10 PM
Is justice something to desire? It seems that the scriptures speak of God be just in regard to sin. Should we want to see God's just brought on those who have committed these crimes and on those who helped them to do it?
Posted by: KG | September 11, 2008 1:22 PM
Um... Tad?
This may be a dumb question, but here goes. Are we always right?
Posted by: Paul | September 11, 2008 1:35 PM
On 9/11 the Lectionary Psalm was Psalm 62. Read it again today. I'll wait, go get out your Bibles...read the whole thing and see if it does not resonate with the events of 9/11. Now, memorize verses 11 and 12:
"Once God has spoken, twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God, and steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord. For you repay all according to their work." (NRSV)
Find a way this day to work to overcome evil with good.
Posted by: brother doc | September 11, 2008 1:49 PM
At the time of 911, I was struck by the thought that all over the world, people are having their own personl 911's without the benefit of community to support them.
Can a parent who loses a child to kidnapping, or a family, who loses a mom to a drunk driver, or an elderly person who suffers elder abuse at the hands of a "loved one", or a victim or racial hatred or gay hatred, feel any less pain then those of 911.
What of those who seek medical care for their suffering loved one or mental health care only to be turned back at the doors because of lack of financing or insurance.
And what of those people, who have been wrongly accused and languish in jails because of the justice system.
Finally, do we know who in our community goes to bed hungry or wakes up feeling lost and unloved.
Yes we love to find a common enemy to hate, and a common cause to aspire to. It makes us feel more a part of community. Not so alone.
Perhaps 911 reminded others that life is uncertain. For me, in my short life time, my neigborhood had already let me know that.
I hope if anything 911 taught us to be aware how precious life is and to be ready always to be a good neigbor in our communities first.
Posted by: liberaliinlove | September 11, 2008 1:58 PM
For myself, the cross isn't just a means of atonement. it's equally the picture of how all Jesus followers are supposed to live.
I was taught as I grew up in church that our "rights", including the right to life, belonged to God and not to us. And that love rather than fear should be our motivator in all things.
Jesus response to "terrorism" was to die while forgiving them. Blessing not cursing. And I think it the job of his followers to be willing to do the same.
Not very sensible, I know. But God is seldom "sensible" by human standards.
Posted by: SkipinPT | September 11, 2008 2:26 PM
Good article. Perhaps everyone would like to see a website related to this topic. It is called http://www.thereligionofpeace.com
and will show you how America is wrong and should be "sensitive to those with grievances." Let us continue to seek truth in our own research. Note in particular the count around the world each day from the religion of peace. It is not America they target, folks: it is everyone who is not one of them! Read the koran!
Posted by: Michele | September 11, 2008 2:29 PM
Paul--I THINK Tad was using irony...
Posted by: squeaky | September 11, 2008 3:03 PM
snaps guys... sorry my computer decided to post my comment 4 times. my bad
Posted by: tad DeLay | September 11, 2008 3:27 PM
We still don't know who was behind 9-11. There has never been an investigation of whodunit- the cover story of the government that Al Qaida did it was based on the improbable survival of passports, when the planes themselves were pulverized!
Bush et al did all they could to block an investigation, and when they had to give way, limited the scope to "why wasn't it prevented?", rather than the basic whodunit question of all murder mysteries.
Lots of evidence- the freefall of the towers, Building 7 coming down, Bush left unprotected, etc., points to an inside job. Let's have a full, impartial investigation!
Peace,
Carol Wolman, MD
Green Candidate for Congress
CA District 1
Posted by: Carol Wolman, MD | September 11, 2008 3:27 PM
kudos to squeaky for detecting my (i thought obvious) irony. I'm quite a big McLaren fan, and get a kick out of how pissed people get at him for trying to understand and love enemies. who'd he get that from?
Posted by: tad DeLay | September 11, 2008 3:29 PM
Thanks, SkipinPT. And, of course, let's hear it for the Lectionary and the Psalms.
_____
..not ironic or sarcastic. Merely informal ;-)
Posted by: Witness for Peace | September 11, 2008 3:46 PM
Michelle, You say "It is not America they target, folks: it is everyone who is not one of them! Read the koran!"
My answer is, yes by all means do and discover for yourself that nowhere does it preach to target "who is not not one of them". The site you referred to is a virulent one specially created to foster hatred. Don't fall for such propaganda.
Will you visit a Nazi site to understand Judaism? A KKK site to fathom the African American experience?
Posted by: Blutenhalbmond | September 11, 2008 3:46 PM
True justice is not getting even, or settling scores. True justice is forgiveness and reconciliation.
Posted by: Debra | September 11, 2008 3:58 PM
Brian,
You have been a consistent voice that calls us to transcend knee-jerk reactions and thoughtfully and intentionally consider how catastrophic moments like September 11th and our actions reveal who we "really" are and not who we theoretically are. This is the deeply Biblical path of wisdom you're teaching and seeking to lead us to walk on.
If disciples of Jesus are able to live free of the fear of death and the selfishness that grips our world, then surely we are called to be a people who step up in times of crisis to remind others of a higher vision than retributive justice, which is no justice at all.
Thank you for your thoughts that give people room to grieve, as people must do if we are to heal. Your words reminded me of the words of Dr. John Steward, who worked with the Rwandan people to seek reconciliation. One of Steward's greatest learnings was, "Time doesn't heal, healing heals." Basically, healing doesn't come without being intentional about exploring everything the trauma brought up.
Posted by: Nathan Myers | September 11, 2008 4:12 PM
While forgiveness and reconciliation are admirable virtues, they offer an insignificant defense against ruthless terrorists who do not subscribe to these virtues.
Posted by: judithod | September 11, 2008 4:17 PM
And Brian,
And thanks for reminding us that Sept 11th shook us out of a comfortable existence, one we are lulled into by our relative wealth, and confronted us with a different world. What it revealed to me (beyond the evil of the plane hijackings/crashes), was that the world as a whole is suffering to prop up the comfort and wealth of the wealthiest. And as long as the wealthiest neglect the truth that our ease comes at the expense of their dis-ease, we feed the injustice of the world rather than the call to justice. While Sept 11th was about extremist Islamic militants, most conflict to come will come as people trying to feed their families quit passively serving as slaves/serfs for the wealthiest and rise up in acts of "terror" because they don't have conventional armies that can match up to the US and Western Europe.
Are we gutsy and courageous enough to realize the nuances of the situation today? Will we speak truth to the powerful of our world while working to elevate those storing up hatred and wrath as their children die from lack of access to clean water and food?
Nathan Myers
Posted by: Nathan Myers | September 11, 2008 4:22 PM
it seems to me that the people of afganisan are much better off than the were in 01. so maybe our response in the long run was the right thing to do. roger
Posted by: roger | September 11, 2008 4:24 PM
Jesus never promised citizens of the Kingdom of God protection from those who would harm them. In fact he promised that they would be harmed- just like he was.
He said: Don't fear those who can hurt the body, fear ( that's respect) the one who has complete authority over your body and soul (in other words: God).
And he tells us to forgive freely and with the understanding that our forgiveness is dependent on it.
But forgiveness isn't ignoring the wrong that's been perpetrated. Forgiveness comes in two parts (as described by Volf and Wright Exclusion (the naming of the wrong done) and Embrace (the release of forgiveness).
And it's important to mention that forgiveness does as much for the one offering forgiveness as it does for the one forgiven. When we forgive we release ourselves from the need to be angry bitter or vengeful- or all three.
I know this will sound crazy, but what if after our shock and anger had settled a bit on 9/11, all of God's people across the world- had in sorrow and humility turned our collective other cheek to our assailants and prayed: Father, forgive them for they don't know what they are doing?
Peace
Posted by: SkipinPT | September 11, 2008 5:11 PM
judithod - We don't get to decide who's worthy of forgiveness. Jesus doesn't make forgiveness and reconciliation negotiable. Thank God, for who among us is worthy of God's forgiveness and reconciliation.
Posted by: Heather | September 11, 2008 5:27 PM
"it seems to me that the people of afganisan are much better off than the were in 01. so maybe our response in the long run was the right thing to do." roger
Posted by: roger | September 11, 2008 4:24 PM
I choose to believe that you too are using irony with that statement.
Posted by: canucklehead | September 11, 2008 5:39 PM
it seems to me that the people of afganisan are much better off than the were in 01. so maybe our response in the long run was the right thing to do.
Well, the Taliban are regrouping, so ...
Posted by: Rick | September 11, 2008 5:44 PM
Brian,
Just beautiful. Thank you for naming, unpacking and rekindling those emotions as a way toward a better response... as you say, to perhaps learn from them in ways I wasn't able to 7 years ago.
Posted by: Cory Trenda | September 11, 2008 6:06 PM
If I may, the beauty of forgiveness is that people don't have to give it to you. What you deserve is to be held accountable for your actions. Sometimes, tough love requires it, like getting a family member into 12-step program, and then not giving them what they want (like drinks or bailing them out of lost jobs, etc.)
So the other side of that piece is that I cannot require that someone I've offended forgives me. If I've wronged them, the ball is in their court to do what they want me with me. It doesn't make them a horrible person. If I cheat on my husband, it would be wrong of me to think him the lesser person for not forgiving me.
While I know it's best for me to forgive, we also need to be understanding of those who just aren't there yet.
Posted by: U TOO | September 11, 2008 6:27 PM
Melkam Addis Amet!
Meskerem 1, 2001
Posted by: neuro_nurse | September 11, 2008 6:34 PM
Tad Delay exclaims: "Brian, there you go again insisting that we're not always right and that perhaps we should love the ones who strike us instead of doing the natural thing- killing them back and supposing god wanted us to hit them"
"Love the ones who strike us"? Strike us? I never knew that Iraq had struck US! Our government starts a war based on lies and deceit(very unChristian) then proceeds to devastate a country, kill over a million people, pulverise their infrastructure beyond repair and yet there are people as Tad Delay who have the audacity to utter with such an innocent air that we were attacked and how superior we are to those barbaric Muslims.
Second, as for 9/11, it was a criminal act and its perpetrators should individually be hunted out as criminals. Again, we do not go and bomb the cities and villages of Afghanistan, women and innocent children and say we are fighting terror when our own actions are thousand times worse than any terrorist's. US armed forces have killed thousands more innocent civilians who had never never harmed us than than all the Americans dead in 9/11. Who is the more vile of the two? Who is the less Christian?
Finally, all this would not happen if Americans were more devout Christian rather than paying mere lip service to Christian principles. When Americans comprising only 3% of the world's population consume 70% of its natural resources and spew forth again, over 70% of the total pollution, I ask, is such a lifestyle according to the precepts of Jesus? And how much evil that the US Government does emanates from the need to maintain such an unChristian lifestyle? The Death Squds in Central america, the revolutions and coups formented in LAtin America, how much of the injustice meted out to the Arabs and the Palestinians has to do with maintaining this very evil non Christian way of life that we have espoused?
Come Christmas, millions of dollars will be spent on purchasing useless Chinese products that we hardly need and on drink and on debaucheries to celebrate the birth of a man who preached simplicity and brotherhood. Why do we not instead go to church every day and spend the whole month in fast and prayer contemplating on our sins and asking God for His forgiveness rather than run in debt in the shopping malls and beer halls of America?
If you do this, then the very seeds we sow that breed terrorism shall not be sown any more. In short. abandon the ways of the pagan Romans and become Christians, true God fearing Christians who sincerely believe in Christ.
Posted by: Blutenhalbmond | September 11, 2008 7:02 PM
blutenhalbmond,
Tad was being ironic in his comments. I don't think you caught that...or read past that comment where I explained that and he confirmed me.
I appreciate your points, though.
Poor Tad...I appreciated your irony, but I suspected some might not catch it...sigh...what's this world coming to when we good irony is unrecognized?
Posted by: squeaky | September 11, 2008 7:32 PM
Squeaky, the problem is largely with the medium. IF Tad had spoken those words, those who heard him would easily recognize the ironic tone in his voice. Not so with electronically generated words on a computer screen.
D
Posted by: Don | September 11, 2008 8:52 PM
Don and Squeaky,
Armed only with my high-school education, I caught the irony in Tad's post.
I think a larger problem that detecting irony in these written contributions is wading through so many misspelled words and paragraphs that ramble on forever.
Posted by: Sister Marie | September 11, 2008 9:19 PM
How can any of us ever forget September 11, 1973, the day that a U.S. backed coup in Chile ended the legally elected government of Salvador Allende, and replaced it with the brutal dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet. Never forget!
Posted by: Jim Allyn | September 11, 2008 10:18 PM
WHICH IS EXACTLY WHY WE NEED TO HAVE SOME KIND OF CYMBAL AS TO WHAT KIND OF INFLECTION WE HAVE IN OUR VOICES WHEN WE POST SOMETHING HERE!!!!! WHY CAN'T YOU PEOPLE GET IT????????
Posted by: CANUCKLEHEAD!!!! | September 11, 2008 10:21 PM
"WHY CAN'T YOU PEOPLE GET IT????????"
Posted by: CANUCKLEHEAD!
Because they're too much like John McCain?
Posted by: JamesM | September 11, 2008 11:54 PM
"How can any of us ever forget September 11, 1973, the day that a U.S. backed coup in Chile ended the legally elected government of Salvador Allende, and replaced it with the brutal dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet. Never forget!"
Oh please, let's not forget Operation Ajax in 1952, when the CIA overthrew the democratically elected prime minister of Iran and reinstated the Shah!
Why?
OIL!!!
We created our own problems in the Middle East - no one else.
Pax Christi
Posted by: neuro_nurse | September 12, 2008 12:17 AM
Before the Surge began in Iraq one of our Generals began having tea on a regular basis with local Sunni leaders. He learned some very useful things that allowed him to turn their loyalty from Al Qaeda.
We don't know if Petraus found the best solution yet, but I hope he is still having tea with those Iraqi leaders. And then I thought if we could keep everyone busy drinking tea maybe it would give us enough time to find better solutions to the problems that are faced by these communities.
After a good bit of prayer and consideration I have one suggestion in regards to influencing the decisions of our future generals and leaders.
Let us all send them boxes of Tea with our petitions. Big boxes of Tea. Green Tea, Black Tea, Oolong Tea, Chai. Every kind of Tea. Lots and lots of Tea, enough to last the next 8 years.
And then attach a note that says something like: "Please take this gift with our prayers for you and our nation and please do not return from Iraq and Afghanistan until you have learned everything you need to know in order end the conflicts in the regions concerned. If you need more tea we will be happy to send it to you."
Posted by: Ms. Cynthia | September 12, 2008 12:32 AM
"Come Christmas, millions of dollars will be spent on purchasing useless Chinese products that we hardly need and on drink and on debaucheries to celebrate the birth of a man who preached simplicity and brotherhood. Why do we not instead go to church every day and spend the whole month in fast and prayer contemplating on our sins and asking God for His forgiveness rather than run in debt in the shopping malls and beer halls of America?"
Because if we stop spending, our economy will collapse like a windblown house of cards. If we take the month of December off and not spend ourselves into debt, it will be the ruin of almost every major retail outlet that depends on our stupidity and greed to make their year end bottom line look better.
Take away our holiday spending (do you REALLY want to insist that it be called Christmas only) and the economy of this country grinds to a halt. Unemployment will hit double digits easily. Stores will close across the nation. Many chains will go bankrupt. The stock market will collapse.
It would be economic suicide if even 25% of the population in this, the most self-declared Christian nation in the world, followed your advice.
Posted by: RJohnson | September 12, 2008 1:02 AM
Hey, I didn't know we were discussing the economy but if things keep going at the pace they are lately we may be facing double digit unemployment whether we want to or not.
A deep recession would very likely reorganize our national attention, alright. We are in danger of sitting home with our families and watching something like Dallas. lol
Seriously, if we don't start engaging in a new energy economy we will not be able to escape the oil/terror trap we are in now.
We need to start doing something sustainable before fear sucks all the air out of the atmosphere, literally!
Posted by: Ms. Cynthia | September 12, 2008 2:31 AM
Nathan, While I agree with your sentiments, and thank you for sharing this:
____
"And thanks for reminding us that Sept 11th shook us out of a comfortable existence, one we are lulled into by our relative wealth, and confronted us with a different world. What it revealed to me (beyond the evil of the plane hijackings/crashes), was that the world as a whole is suffering to prop up the comfort and wealth of the wealthiest. "
____
..._I wonder: are you certain who has been shook up, and which wealth causes the most jealousy? You speak of "nuances," while darkly hinting that rich conservatives are to blame. I don't know many liberals who are shook up enough about this to sell their SUV's. One well known liberal lives in a brick mansion a few miles from some of the worst poverty in our country.
..._If folks overseas are enraged by our wealth, doesn't Hollywood and their indulgent portrayal of sex and money share much of the blame? And yet those nasty conservatives, and Tipper Gore, (years ago) are the only ones who raise a cry of "enough" to their excesses. Creating wealth is not bad. Yes, it's bad to create it while exploiting the bodies of women, but creating jobs in the private sector is often a great way to fight poverty. In my days of youthful liberalism, a wise black man pointed this out to me. I hope to meet him once more in Heaven!
Blessings,
Posted by: Witness for Peace | September 12, 2008 7:47 AM
Robyn Leach, aka Canucklehead
"WHICH IS EXACTLY WHY WE NEED TO HAVE SOME KIND OF CYMBAL AS TO WHAT KIND OF INFLECTION WE HAVE IN OUR VOICES WHEN WE POST SOMETHING HERE!!!!!"
Well, as a percussionist, I'm all for cymbals crashing around on this site. For emphasis, we could use a pair of crash cymbals. For little jokes, maybe a ba-dum-dum-crash. Maybe a little splash cymbal when we make a subtle, but compelling point. Then we could just have a ride cymbal and hihat when we are just furthering the discussion along and it is rolling on smoothly like butta.
Yeeeeaaaaaahhhhhhh...cooool, man...jazz Sojo...I'm getting my drumsticks out right now...ssss--da-da-ssss-da-da-ssss--da-da-ssss--da-da
Posted by: squeaky | September 12, 2008 4:12 PM
Hi Squeaky.
I this a COMMUNITY or what. have you heard one of the services at Church of the Redeemer in Manhattan is, informally, the Jazz Service? Check it out1
Posted by: Witness for Peace | September 12, 2008 8:36 PM
Hey everyone that's been jumping to defend my (i though highly obivously ironic) comment.
Let me just be clear: I think killing is a bad thing. I think it's hard to imagine killing someone you love and would be willing to die for like Scripture says we should do for enemies.
I think the normal human thing to say, the "there is no way to deal with hardcore terrorists other than to kill them" thing is far more naive than choosing to love with great risk- far more brave too.
Posted by: tad DeLay | September 13, 2008 12:57 AM
Yes, it is a brave thing to say, and only you know, in your heart of hearts, if you mean it. I was a pacifist once, almost, and may still be. But living behind a strong and diverse shield of weaponry here in the U.S., pacifism is merely a theoretical position. Unless we are TRULY in harm's way, what does it mean to imply criticism of those who differ from us? Especially when THEY are the ones in harm's way, armed though they are.
Think about it,
Posted by: Witness for Peace | September 13, 2008 7:21 AM
'witness for peace'-
you seem to imply i haven't thought that through before
Posted by: tad DeLay | September 13, 2008 10:21 AM
Someone else on these blogs pointed out that Jesus' response to terrorism was to die while forgiving those responsible for his death. Isn't that a lesson for us?
Posted by: George, Jr. | September 13, 2008 10:54 AM
"While forgiveness and reconciliation are admirable virtues, they offer an insignificant defense against ruthless terrorists who do not subscribe to these virtues."
Posted by: judithod | September 11, 2008 4:17 PM
We don't really know how significant they are; we've never relied on them and stood in the face of evil believing the power of God with us is greater than whoever is with the "enemy."
Didn't Elisha say something like that when he looked out his window and saw countless enemy chariots surround his hom? "He who is with us is greater than he who is with them?"
I don't know that the answer is always fiery chariots from God and opposing soldiers struck blind, but the Holy Spirit is endlessly creative when giving power to respond to what would like, in the name of evil, to overcome us.
Posted by: openeyes | September 13, 2008 10:08 PM
Don't you wonder if Jesus or MLK would have been willing to have a cup of tea with their enemies? They were much more proactive than waiting around to become the victim. They persued their enemies with an interest in discovering their humanity.
Do we have any potential enemies that don't like tea?
I think we would all benifit from a cup of tea right now.
Posted by: Ms. Cynthia | September 15, 2008 8:26 AM
I'm all up for a roundtable with a hookah pipe. I think that's the way to go. Tea's good, but hookah..
Posted by: tad DeLay | September 16, 2008 1:58 AM
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