9/11 Manipulation

Recently, former Vice President Dick Cheney issued a type of rebuttal speech to President Obama's speech. In Cheney's speech he chose to invoke the memory of 9/11 at the beginning and at the end of his discourse. While it was a rather shrewd means by which to touch people emotionally, he did it in a way to manipulate people so they would not investigate what he said in the middle.
I am not going to debate the merits of either speech, both are obviously quite intelligent and adapt at communicating a message, both in words and vision. But I do want to address the issue of 9/11 and its use in manipulating our society.
For those who "say" they want to follow Christ, we are seriously shortchanging our faith, if not blatantly diregarding it, when we don't evaluate the situation (or any other) from a biblical worldview.
ALL situations in life fall under the perspective of the commandments of Christ (reiterating the teachings of the whole of Scripture. A horrendous event took place in Sept of 2001. It was the type of event which occurs quite regularly in other places in the world, but because it happened in America it was a bigger deal. Which will bring about some points to ponder a little later in this discourse.
In all situations, we are to insure we are LOVING God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. This commandment is a command to grasp unto the sovereignty of God in all situations. We are to submit all that is part of our lives to His Lordship. The question, "Why did He allow this to happen to us?" is impertinent, even obstinate, unless the question is asked as a legitimate means of introspection to our culture and political processes and lead us to an honest evaluation of the breakdown of our moral standing in the world's eyes. I would challenge you to think about that issue.
In the 2001 event we are also told to "love our neighbors as ourselves." We certainly "loved ourselves' in this event. We were heartbroken, sorrowful, and even showed a great capacity toward bravery, heroism, compassion and generosity. Afterall, innocent people had been killed in the name of a "holy war." As our political will turned on the power switch of our military and great deal of death and displacement has occurred to innocents in the dispicable name of "collateral damage." Are we, I'm talking to those who claim to follow Christ, if you are still mourning the 2001 event, are you also mourning for the mothers, fathers, and children who have lost their family members simply because they were in the wrong place when destruction was wrought? I would challenge you to think about that issue.
In the 2001 event we are also told "As I (Christ) have loved you, so you must love one another." While the American Church has been incredibly generous toward families suffering through the tragedy of that day in 2001, has there been any conscious effort to love our brothers and sisters in Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran who have suffered terribly during this time. Many refugees of fled Iraq into Syria and Jordan. Are we praying and thinking of ways to support our Palestinian brothers and sisters who practice their faith and suffer for it at the hands of Muslims and the Israeli's alike? What America experienced in a moment, it was is endured daily by our faithful (more?) family of God members in the world. I would challenge you to think about that issue.
Finally, as a believer seeking to evaluate our reaction to events in the world. In this case, an event which took place in 2001 in America. What have you done with the teaching of the One we say we follow, when He commanded us "Love your enemies and pray for thsoe who persecute you that you may be sons of your Father in heaven." This command is given in the context of how to live out our faith with authenticity and as a means to "perfect' our faith. Of course, He who we follow, epitomizes this as he suffers for US while on the cross he says to the Father, on behalf of those killing Him, "Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." This is where the issue of a "just war," torture, and a preemptive war on another country must be seriously evaluated in light of what we claim to believe. Scripture simply, not only doesn't support those concepts (a "just war" can only be led by God), it repudiates them by the strictest means possible. Christ commands us NOT to react the way others might. I would challenge you to think about that issue.
Finally, as a summation, if we truly demonstrated love to God in all our actions, truly loved our neighbors (remember this was illustrated in the Good Samaritan parable), love our brothers and sisters in Christ the way Christ loved us (this includes Arab Christians), and loved our enemies (the way Christ loved them), we would consider the event of 9/11 from a different perspective and all issues of our life from a different perspective. We would be living according to our faith. Our faith, now approaching an authentic, biblical faith, would change our lives and the lives around us. I would challenge you to think abou that issue.