September 11 is five days away! Already, here in South Africa, there are media adverts reminding us about what happened a year ago in New York. And, in my understanding, the reason WSSD had to close earlier was in order to allow the US to commemorate the anniversary. While I thought that would be so, there are news reports taking up airtimes regarding the tension going on about the looming war in Iraq. Instead of preparing for the Anniversary, we are being told that President Bush is instead canvassing support for the campaign to attack Iraq in order to bring down President Sadam Hussein. In fact, the latter is also canvassing support for the Arabs to close ranks against the US.

Are we going to have the chance to reflect and commemorate the event of the past year? (For those preparing to commemorate, please, share with us how you intend commemoratng the day.) Or, should we be preparing messages about the evils of war and how righteous it is to engage in just wars?

The challenge is stiriing us in the face! Loosing of limb and life, whether by a just war or not, is not acceptable. For all those who profess to be peacemakers, here is the time to show your annointing for this very crucial ministry. Make sense to political leaders, as well as corporate leaders who manufacture weapons of war, destruction and chaos. Enough innocent blood has been spilled. The world needs nothing less than reconciliation, peace and justice for the many impoverished souls.

-- Anonymous, September 05, 2002

Answers

Rev. Klaas...you're so correct with your challenge for peacemakers. Human life is valuable regardless of land and religious orgin. It is time to find a way to peacefully co-exist on this planet, before it inplodes. I think that we can find a way to settle our differences, while celebrating diversity. It can be done if we have open minds and hearts.

President Bush is not a position to discuss democracy, when his behavior proves otherwise. It is just like "the kettle calling the pot black." President Sadam Hussein is not bothering the US, so leave the man (nation) alone.

As for me...On 9-11, I will be in mourning for all the lives lost by ignorance.

Brenda

-- Anonymous, September 05, 2002

The only one who will bring peace is the anti-Christ, and that will be a false peace. No, until Jesus returns in glory there will never be true peace because until then, the devil roams the earth. The truth is, until Jesus comes peace is only the period between wars, and people should be prepared to defend themselves. Anyone who thinks peace can come before the Second Coming through some kind of brotherly "one-world as the goal" negotiation is dreaming utopian nonsense, and risks being duped by the anti-Christ when he appears.

It wasn't ignorance that caused Sept 11, it was the demonic. Wahhabi Islam, our latest enemy, is the cause and now it's time to kill it, and I don't mean by trying to reach accomodation. You don't reach accomodation with the devil, you defeat him.

When Wahabbism is defeated something else will take its place. Our nation has faced enemy after enemy. We defeated the British only to face Mexico, then came the Confederacy, the Spanish, the Germans twice over, the Japanese, Communism on several fronts, Iraq, and now Islamic terror. In between were many smaller actions that didn't quite qualify as full scale war. Any one of these with the possible exception of Mexico and Spain could have ended our nations's history or done us great harm, and thanks to "God, guns, and guts" we're still standing. Other nations should take a lesson. As the great Teddy Roosevelt said, "talk softly and carry a big stick".

Seeing the way our "allies" have become militarily pitiful, the way they love to do business with the bad guys, and the way they demand we fight wars by committee, it's obvious we must be prepared to fight alone. Praise God we have a President who's adult enough to take a realistic view. 1. Weapons of mass destruction are too dangerous to allow even a single strike. 2. Saddam Hussein is perfectly willing to strike us and Israel with them. 3. Inescabable conclusion: He must be removed before he does.

Whether the rest of the world stands with us or not is irrelevant. The Iraqi people will thank us, and in the end so will the rest of the world. True, innocents will die, but our military will continue to go to the greatest lengths in history to avoid it. That's a far cry from the enemy, who intentionally targets civilians, including children. Yep, they're demonic.

Now let the few remaining adult nations of the world (the US, Israel, and most of the time the UK) get to the dirty business of security, and let the rest of the world stand on the sidelines and complain even as they enjoy the security we provide.

-- Anonymous, September 05, 2002

Rev. Klaas:

Blessed are the peacemakers! Thank God for them. I do not agree with this impending war at all. I see nothing of Christ in it. It scares me because it reminds me of America's old ways of dealing with people and countries. When Russia was a major force against America with nuclear weapons and chemical warfare, the US did not venture to attack her. China now holds the same threat and we will not dare attack her. It's the same old boys doing their same old dirty business under the banner of Christianity.

Bush(who just discovered that Black people live in Brazil last week, bless his heart)is now developing a foreign policy with various countries in Africa because of oil, Nigeria and Gabon particularly. The Gabon government, from what I read is very corrupt. This does not matter any longer because they have what the US wants.

I pray for my leadership daily. I pray that God will open their eyes so that we can find a way to peace. To bomb someone in submission is not effective. If we are the Christian nation we say we are our good works should speak for us.

-- Anonymous, September 06, 2002

AMEN Sister Brooks!

My people once sang with joy, "All God's Children Got Shoes." To me it is wonderful that the God of all is Love and He has blessed all His children with abundant supply. He has done so without regard to race, color, religion or creed, "From Greenland's icy mountains, From India's coral strand, Where Afric's sunny fountains Roll down their golden sand. "

So I have to go to the Tundra to find beautiful and priceless furs; I have to go Burma, Thailand and India to find rubies, sapphires and emeralds; I have to go to Africa to find the sparkling beauty of the canary diamond and the most precious stones which adorns the heads of princes and queens; But I have to turn to my darker Arab brother for oil for heating my home and the roar of jet planes.

We can call it anything we want, but it usually is about power and greed. "Everybody talking 'bout hebben ain't going there." For "God is Love and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God and God in Him."

-- Anonymous, September 06, 2002

Thank you very much for the responses. At least, I know that there are people who are aware and understand that peace is what the world needs.

There one thing I need to do, respond briefly to the famous Price of this Forum. On two ocassions of my posting, he responded and appears not so much patriotic about his country as he is about his President. And, he believes that the President "operates under the blessing of God." Well, what I know is that God's way of thinking and acting is higher that ours (all of us) and that has been demonstrated in various way, even in our contemporary times.

Seventeen year ago, here in South Africa, a document was produced by theologians and was entittled; "The Kairos Document." Three theologies of that time were alluded to and critiqued, namely; State, Church and Prophetic Theologies - especially the former two theologies. In a way, the theologians were weary of condoning the two former theologies. I advise that some reading of the document may be necessary for Price in this regard.

I am discouraged by your assertion that peace will only come once Jesus has returned. I (and many more others here in the Forum and elsewhere) do not under-estimate the fact that we have the commission to be peacemaker for there is a reward. That "God, guns and guts" make you stand is not true, at least not God but factories that make those guns. In fact, even those factories are for nothing but profits. Without wars, they make no business. They are the only beneficiaries of the wars.

-- Anonymous, September 10, 2002

The forth paragraph should rather start with the words; "I am not discouraged by....."

-- Anonymous, September 10, 2002