Faith Response to Paris Attacks by Rev. Chuck Currie
Saturday, November 14, 2015
Across the world, we watch with sadness the news from Paris. The people of France are hurting and so we are hurting too. Nothing can justify the attacks which occurred today. They are, as President Obama said, an attack on all humanity.
We search for answers. How could other humans attack and kill civilians? This is a question the world has wrestled with in many forms on too many occasions. There is no justification.
Those that would use terrorism to promote their goals often do so in the name of religion. It should be noted, however, that religious leaders have always condemned terrorism. Muslim leaders, for example, were among the first to condemn the last major terrorist attack in Paris. People of faith across the world are united against the idea that there is any justification for terrorism.
Terrorism in the name of the Almighty is sin. There is nothing noble in killing civilians or in suicide bombings. There is nothing holy. Religious fundamentalism breeds war and violence and should be opposed by faithful people of all traditions in the support of pluralism and the common good.
In the wake of 9/11, these words of prayer were offered:
"Holy One, gracious God, we have truly lost our innocence. Our sense of security lies in rubble. And so we come to You in prayer, united by our pain and our compassion, reaching out to You and to one another across dividing walls of our own construction, barriers of faith, language and nationality. We come to You with sighs too deep for words, with unspeakable anguish, with anger that urgently needs Your gentling touch." -The Rev. Davida Foy Crabtree, then-Connecticut Conference Minister, at an Interreligious Service of Memorial and Healing
Let us pray these words again tonight for the people of France as they mourn their dead, tend to their injured, and chart a course for the future that must keep the spirit of French democracy and tolerance alive.
- Rev. Dr. Chuck Currie, University Chaplain and Director of the Center for Peace and Spirituality, Pacific University
Related Slideshow: Five Things To Know About Portland’s Joint Terrorism Task Force
The Portland City Council is considering new resolutions that would change the city's involvement with the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force. There are two possible new directions the city could choose. Here are five things that could change:
Related Articles
- Terrorist Attacks Kill Dozens in Paris
- Oregon National Guardsman Honored For Stopping Terror Attack in Paris
- Obama Talks Terrorism vs. Gun Violence
- Five Things To Know About Portland’s Joint Terrorism Task Force
Follow us on Pinterest Google + Facebook Twitter See It Read It