AS NATION GRIEVES, CLERICS BLAME, EXCORIATE AMERICANS FOR BRINGING ABOUT BOMBINGS

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 AANews, December 31, 2001

Prayer Bully Graham: "We Must Return To God"; Robertson: We Asked For It! 

Sounding like cranky Muslim clerics, notable American Christian preachers are excoriating Americans in the wake of Tuesday's terrorist attacks for indulging in material pleasure and taking God out of the classroom. Televangelist Pat Robertson blamed women having abortions, along with gays, lesbians and others for a national condition that somehow precipitated the gruesome events that befell the country earlier this week, as Islamic fanatics destroyed the World Trade Center in New York, and part of the Pentagon in Washington, DC. Others, such as Franklin Graham -- son of "America's preacher," Billy Graham -- blustered that the attacks occurred because "we are a Christian nation." He commanded citizens to repent and "Get back to God." Public religiosity peaked today after President Bush declared September 14 a "National Day of Prayer," which included services for government notables at the National Cathedral in the capital.

Pat Robertson, in a three-page statement released Thursday by his Christian Broadcasting Network, chided Americans for insulting god, and said that the nation has lost the protection of heaven. monthly special "We have imagined ourselves invulnerable and have been consumed by the pursuit of ... health, wealth, material pleasures and sexuality... It (terrorism) is happening because God Almighty is lifting his protection from us." Ironically, Robertson's web site includes advice on financial planning and monetary prosperity, as well as a recipe for an "Age-Defying" milkshake "filled with energy-producing nutrients." Robertson added that Americans had defiled God by permitting abortion and "rampant internet pornography." "WE MUST COME BACK TO GOD AS A PEOPLE" Robertson, founder of the Christian Coalition and a luminary on the religious right for nearly three decades, also denounced the U.S. Supreme Court for striking down prayer and other religious exercise in public schools. "We have a court that has essentially stuck its finger in God's eye," he declared. "We have insulted God at the highest levels of our government. Then, we say, 'Why does this happen?' " Even more stunning remarks were made during yesterday's airing of his popular "700 Club" program which is carried over the Fox Family Channel network and other cable systems. In an exchange with Jerry Falwell, a prominent Pentecostal, the men discussed the terrorist attacks from earlier this week. Falwell insisted that "The Lord has protected (American borders) so wonderfully these 225 years" and that "since 1812, this is the first time we've been attacked on our soil and by far the worst results." "God continues to lift the curtain and allow the enemies of America to give us probably what we deserve," Falwell added. Robertson then responded, suggesting that the events at the World Trade Center resembled "the antechamber to terror. We haven't even begun to see what they can do to a major population." The ACLU 's (American Civil Liberties Union) got to take a lot of blame for this," Falwell responded. Robertson: "Well, yes." In the course of the program, Falwell declared, "The abortionists have got to bear some burden for this because God will not be mocked. And when we destroy 40 million little innocent babies, we make God mad." He blamed "Pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People for the American Way, all of them who have tried to secularize America -- I point the finger in their face and say 'you helped this (attack) happen.' "

 Others, especially the nation's leading evangelicals, agreed with Robertson and declared that the terrorism on American soil will bring about a religious revival. Robertson mused that the nation needs a "prayer shield." Eddie Smith of the Christian U.S. Prayer Center in Houston, Texas told reporters that he has been imploring Jesus for a revival for the past four years, but said God told him it would "be served to you on a platter of ruin." Misidentifying the religious nature of the terrorists' likely motivation, Rev. James Merritt of the Southern Baptist Convention called the destruction "Satan's handiwork" and urged prayer for the victims.

Local and national news reports indicated that clerics of all faiths were scrambling to explain that traditional paradox of religious faith, the "problem of evil" (Theodicy) or how an all-good God allows such horrific tragedies to occur, and why, being all-knowing, He does not take preventative action. Rabbi Harold Kushner, author of the trendy book "When Bad Things Happen to Good People," said only "We should do what we can to help the afflicted." More enigmatic was a statement by Rev. Michael Baxter, professor of moral theology at University of Notre Dame, who said, "God is acting in all human events, somehow mysteriously, and is acting in this, maybe to bring about a kind of national repentance."

Meanwhile, Jamal Badawi, professor of Islamic Studies at St. Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia expressed sympathy for the victims and remarked: "It's just like any tragedy that happens without full explanation. Why do people have accidents? Why do children die? The issue of the existence of evil in the world is intriguing and complex, and there is no one simplistic answer."