Terrorism has struck not only within the borders of our land, but
within our hearts, sounding a distressing alarm. We now more fully
understand the preservation of Israel, as America's future has been
prophetically tied to her reestablishment (Isa. 49:23). Faith, fearlessness and
unity of resolve are all important. We must not allow ourselves to be
held hostages of fear and division as the enemy desires.
The upcoming generation has never faced the issue of patriotism
and our nation has never fought an enemy so illusive and secretive. There are
great events unfolding that will affect all of us, whatever
our personal inclinations. Each of us must answer the question of what
our citizenship requires in terms of service towards protecting our fellow
citizens. These questions must be answered in the quiet of our souls. Some
may lift up arms, others may lift up prayers. Some may do both. Let us not
judge each other, but support and pray for our leaders, that they may make
wise decisions. I believe in peace, but I also know that freedom is not free.
It comes with a price. If we hadn't gone to war to fight Nazism in WW11, we
would all be speaking German now! Of course, there are ways for people to serve that do
not include killing, that include medical, clerical and other support services.
Perhaps this is still too much patriotism for some, but in the last great war
between good and evil we are all enlisted whether we like it or not. We will
all have to make choices we would rather not
As a Latter-day Saint and holder of two Honorable Discharges from The US Army,
I refer to the Book of Mormon which urges against bloodshed and only condones
going to war in order to preserve one's country, liberty and family.
It would show an utter lack of love to stand by and allow more of our loved ones
to be killed. Many people died needlessly on September 11, 2001, but it definitely was not a “tragedy.”
A tragedy is when a loving father backs out of his driveway and accidentally kills
his little angel son or daughter. This was not a tragedy, it was cold, calculated slaughter.
Perhaps the media wanted to use a softer, more gentler word to soothe our collective
shell-shocked souls, but the barbarity of the act will not be dissipated by such
obvious ignorance of our language. Use of such a temperate word is not comforting
and civilized countries have reached a point of diminishing returns regarding
patience for terrorist criminal activity within their own borders
Our own American Indian Peoples on this continent fought bravely to defend
their People against aggressors of all tribes and races. American Indian warriors
have fought bravely in all modern conflicts to protect the United States. All
pow wows and special dances are first opened by honoring the service Veterans,
both men and women. Recently, a well known lady radio host asked an
Indian caller if Indians were Americans citizens first, and Indians second. The
answer was instructive and wise, given the fact that the caller was undoubtedly
caught off guard. The Native woman caller spoke well for her People when she replied,
in essence, that it was impossible to separate the two – an American and an Indian,
as this country has always been theirs!
Personally, I have always advocated peace; there is no one more interested
in peace than a soldier, which I was trained to be. Does this seem at best ironic,
if not a simple dichotomy? Look at it from the soldier’s point of view: He or she
is bravely standing between you and the enemy with deadly shrapnel, bullets and
other ballistics seeking to tear away their body from their spirit. Are they not
the ones most anxious to see the end of conflict that they might return to their
family and live in peace? Now with the additional threat of unspeakable biological
terrors, we should see that love of something greater than oneself strengthens
and motivates our “service” men and women.
An all out war on terrorism has never been fought in the history of the world
and that is what makes this conflict a spiritual rather than a territorial war.
These psychotic killers have no goal beyond their single-minded desire to see all
Israelis and all Americans dead. There are no demands and there will be no
concessions for their lack of rational intent and murderous agenda precludes such.
If we seek to appease such insanity, it can only be at the cost of more lives, since
that is the only appeasement they will accept. This unnegotiable, unresolvable agenda
can only be called spiritual terrorism.
Hitler and the Nazis are brought to mind by this ugly display of blind racism.
If Hitler’s goal had really been the ethnic cleansing of Germany, he could have driven
them out to other countries, but his real inspiration was from the prince of darkness
who only wishes that all men might be miserable like unto himself.. Complete and utter
destruction of a people, a holocaust, is the intent and driving force of terrorist
activity.
It is clearly important to realize that the over-whelming majority of our
Muslim brothers and sisters abhor the terrorism recently exacted on the United States.
There are approximately 1 billion Moslems, only a small fraction of which are involved
in extremism. These are primarily located in Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan,
Pakistan, Egypt, Lybia and a few other poverty stricken regions, such as the Philippines.
Conversely, a small fraction of a billion is a large enough number as it is, which could
swell exponentially due to fear, ignorance and perhaps even Chinese Muslim terrorists
from the north. If this is the final approach to Armageddon, it will be a long drawn out
process that will eventually fulfill every whit of Biblical prophecy.
There are approximately 7 million Muslims in the United States, of which only
1 in 8 is of Arab extraction. To attack or molest or fellow Americans because of their
religion is to operate from the same dark place that the extremists act from. We must
stand for our fellow brothers and sisters, whatever their faith might be. Judaism, Islam
and Christianity all claim Abraham as their father and all must be treated according to
their acts not their appearance, for as Christ said ”By their
fruits ye shall know them.”
It is now the hope of terrorists to draw all other Islamic countries to turn
against America by invoking past resentments against Israel and the Palestinian
situation, but this is a last ditch effort as it never was about the Jews, they are
only an after thought, since all else has failed. It has always been about US troops
stationed in Saudi Arabia and the bombing of Iraq. Most of the Moslem world is smart
enough to realize this, but the fraction that lives in degraded poverty and ignorance
created by their corrupt governments is too frenzied by oppression and hunger to think
straight.
These governments that allow evil men to live in luxury while their people live in
squalor are the ones who will eventually be held accountable by Allah, Eloheim, or
as most Americans refer him now, God the Father.
We must strive to see the bonds that unite us, not those that divide us. We
will need each other as we step forward to participate in the great spiritual war
against fear and terrorism. We may feel small in the face of such great evil, but we
are not without comfort and hope. To lose hope is the worst fate that could befall us.
Our kind and wise Creator has given us this spark of faith and divinity to light our
way back into His presence. We must hold to our faith and to each other as believers
in a just God and His Son Jesus Christ if we have accepted Him as the Son of the living God.
Some may rail at God and be angry, but He still loves all His children . . . enough to
give them their free agency whereby they may destroy or build up.
We may be proud of those on United Airline Flight 93 who knew about the
other passenger planes that had crashed into the World Trade Towers, but willingly
chose to stand up to the terrorists in order to protect innocent people on the
ground. They paid the ultimate price to be their brothers keeper. May Heavenly Father's
grace and mercy be with all of His children as we go forward toward our individual
destinies and the light. In peace,
Laura Martin-Bühler ©Oct 11, 2001
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