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NAPF Officers Reflect on September 11

Many Nations Under God

In response to the events that took place on September 11, we, the officers of the NAPF, would like to share a few thoughts.

We as a whole are truly outraged that it took such a horrific event to provoke people to show affection toward one another. The plane crashes in New York and the Pentagon were events that took the lives of thousands of people. However, out of the death of those thousands, a country was united. Good can come of evil; however, in no way can these events be sugar coated. We’re involved in a war unlike any other. This is a war that cannot be fought with guns or knives or any other conventional weapon. Romans 12: 17-21 reads, “Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay says the Lord.’ On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

In this we mean we should not retaliate so hastily. We must make a distinction between justice and revenge. If anything we should kill our enemies with kindness. After all we are “One nation under God.” The taking of innocent lives should not be avenged by the taking of more lives. We as Americans should love our brothers, who include the Muslims. A whole nation should not be punished for the actions of a few. For we are not only one nation under God but we are many nations under God.

Ryan Hite, Franklin, Indiana;
Laura Grove, Salt Lake City, Utah;
David Gorman, Royal Oak, Michigan;
Steve White, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

HOPE Response to Sept. 11

They Hate, They Lose

The goal is to “strike at the head of the monster.” Indeed there are monsters in this world, but didn’t the monsters that flew planes into the skyscrapers believe they were striking at the head of the monster? They were willing to give their lives for a cause, but they were the worst of sinners: they wanted to be GOD. They cast judgment and decided to take it upon themselves to make decisions that only God is entitled to make. They were really incarnates of Satan because they craved for and caused the destruction of life (including their own) rather than the creation and the saving of it. They obviously were far away from God—they didn’t feel blessed because they didn’t value anyone’s life—not even their own. To be close to God is to value all life. 

There is a dilemma: could it be right to take revenge on those that attacked? Is it stupid to not intervene? Is it laziness to let them meet their own demise someday? Somehow? By God’s hand, not ours? Do they not live in hell already, in a world of hatred? Is it simply folly to sit idle and let their hatred spill onto us? Would we be able to outdo them? Could we make a more powerful statement then they by proving that we are more loving and more forgiving than they are? That God is with US and not with them? That those who retaliate and seek revenge are less than dirt? That those who take joy in others misery have nothing? That they ARE nothing?

Unholy, audacious, cowards are nothing to me, but I do not speak for many, nor the country, nor the rest of the world—only for myself. And I might be greatly outnumbered . . . I am sure of one thing: they have succeeded in affecting me. But they have failed in weakening my beliefs—in fact they have only strengthened them. So they fail, they lose . . . I WIN: because I am on God’s side. THEY LOSE: because they are against God. To them, we are the enemy, and they lose because they refused to try to love their enemies. WE WILL LOSE if we turn this tragedy into a justification for more hatred.

Submitted by Ethan Keller, a HOPEr living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

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