How can I understand this event
from the perspective of a Christian?
God created humankind with free will,
that is the freedom to choose one's path. A person is free to choose
God's way or to choose evil. Many have chosen and are choosing evil.
There is a large force of evil through men at work in the world.
Often, there is nothing to stand in the way of evil. Nothing stood
in the way September 11. Why? We don't know exactly. Why
were warnings missed? How can the billions spent on intelligence not
protect us. We keep knives out of schools, why not out of
airplanes? Were the people in government distracted? Probably! The acrimony and obvious sin in Washington in the months
and years leading up to September 1 was sickening. We are not here
to assess blame, but a lot went wrong for America in last few months (and
years).
But, could this be a new wake
up call for America. We have had wake up calls before from terrorist
acts. Will we return to God--we have now for a week! God will
not bless a sinful country or generation. There are hundreds of
examples in the Bible. Let us pray that we heed the warning.
Jesus still calls for all to come to Him. His burden is light, and He
gives freedom. Our job is to simply do what He asks, with His power.
How can God allow an event like the hijacking of
airplanes and the murder thousands of innocent people? Where was
God?
We (America) have been given every resource
to prevent these atrocities. Human failure to carry out technical
things, to pray, and to intercede are just a start for our own
failures. The Lord would that none would perish, but He has given us
(humankind) the earth to manage. When we as Christians are walking without much faith and
in the ways of the world, there is nothing to stand in the way of
evil.
God has been present, obviously: We see that He wants
to save us despite our
shortcomings and sin. What incredible love He has for us. We
see Him in the rescue workers, the medical teams, the sacrifice of
Americans who confronted the terrorists on the plane over Pennsylvania,
and the dedication of the civil servants. We see Jesus in the
willingness of firefighters and policemen in New York to die trying to
rescue people from the World Trade Center.
Why does God allow evil in the world?
God created humankind with free will,
that is the freedom to choose one's path. A person is free to choose
God's way or to choose evil. Many have chosen and are choosing
evil. However, in choosing the path of evil, God's justice demands
consequences if there is not repentance and sincerely turning to
Him. God's love demands that the opportunity for salvation must be
held forth even to the most evil of people. Of coarse, we do have a
hard time understanding this.
If there would be evil if humans have
free will, then why did He give free will to us. This is a question of the
ages, similar to the question children ask and adults don't often ask-
"Who made God?" We simply do not know the answer. We
do know, however, that not one is beyond the reach of the arm of God to
save (to live in communion with Him). We must concentrate on
bringing that message and God's healing to each generation, which is lost
before it knows Jesus and confesses Him as Lord.
How can I explain the destruction and murder of
these events to children? What should I tell them?
This is summarized and quoted from Comforting
Children in Times of Crisis on the Assemblies of God website.
Please go there for the complete article.
Across the USA, people of all ages are mourning the
death and injury caused by the terrorist attacks in New York City and
Washington, D.C. The mourners include young children. The extensive media
coverage is bringing bloody images into the homes of young children,
children who would traditionally be shielded from such graphic suffering.
Here are six suggestions for responding to young
children who are trying to understand this recent tragedy.
-
Expect different responses from different
children. Responses may range from tears and sadness, to fear or
confusion, or to talk of how to get revenge or punish the bad men who
hurt so many people. Respond to the reaction of each individual child.
If the child is sad, for example, but not scared, look for ways to
comfort him without raising any fears.
-
At first, acknowledge, accept, and, if
appropriate, even share a child's emotional response. For example,
if you and a child are both feeling sad about all the people who were
hurt or killed in the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and airplanes,
it's OK to cry together. Listen carefully.
-
Begin to share biblical insights into the
tragedy. During the Oklahoma City memorial service, Dr. Billy
Graham said he took comfort in knowing that the children who died were
taken straight into the arms of God. Share with children what is
comforting to you.
-
Pray with children about the tragedy.
Encourage the children to pray in their own words. When they finish,
or if they don't want to pray aloud, pray yourself. Using childlike
words, tell God how you and the child feel. Ask God to help both of
you find good ways to respond to bad events.
-
Help the children find good responses.
Already, in New York City people have responded to the evil of the
terrorists by donating blood to help the injured. Children you know
may want to draw a picture, dictate a note, or choose a card to send
to New York City, to Washington DC or to families of the air plane
crashes. This kind of response helps everyone.
-
Help the children to enjoy everyday activities.
Some children may feel guilty about playing or returning to other
activities they enjoy when the people in New York City and Washington
DC are still hurting. You might say, "You have prayed for the
people. You have talked about the losses. God will help all of us.
Loving people in the cities are too. It's OK for you to play
now."
During times of tragedy, God's Word can bring comfort
and direction. A few short Bible verses are listed below.
Sadness: My peace I give you....So don't let your
hearts be troubled. Don't be afraid. John 14:27.
Fear: Lord, keep us safe. Always protect us from
such people. Psalm 12:7.
Worried: Give all your worries to him, because he
cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7.
Anger: My friends, do not try to punish others
when they wrong you. Wait for God to punish them with his anger. Romans
12:19.
Response to evil: Defeat evil by doing good.
Romans 12:21.
For everything that was written in the past was written
to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the
Scriptures we might have hope. Romans 15:4, NIV.
*All verses are taken from the International Children's
Version for easier understanding by young children.
Quoted from material from Sharon Ellard, Early Childhood
Specialist
Are Muslims to blame for this? What should
be my response to them? What should I think about them?
People who practice the Muslim religion
are not responsible for the terrorist acts. God loves all of His
children, including those who look different, speak different, and have a
different culture from Western Culture. We must be seeking their
welfare and protection through prayer and by other practical
means.
The ones to blame in Islam are the
radical, fundamentalists that support Holy Wars and the terrorist
methods. We must let our government figure out who they are.
Our response must be to pray for the
people and for those who hate us, revile us, and do all manner of evil
against us. We must pray for their salvation- all of them.
Pray for the radical Muslims and clerics to receive Jesus,
miraculously. Pray for peace, the peace of Jerusalem, the peace of
the Region of the Middle East. Pray for God to show Himself strong
in the events and in the lives of the people. And pray for the
miraculous release of the Christians in prison in Afghanistan.
What is the possible future coarse of events
related to the terrorists and how should I relate to it?
The media remind us constant that the
future is very uncertain. And, that will be your view, if you don't
have any faith in God. But, we believe that God is in charge, that
he will make something good out of the present situation, and that nothing
can separate us from His love. He will use America to defeat the
enemy and the source of this evil, Satan. Our part is to pray, to
intercede, and to support all who are doing His will.
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