"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. I really believe that the 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, OYou helped this happen.'" said Rev. Jerry Falwell, Sept. 13, 2001.
Two days after seeing the horrors of fundamentalism unleashed on America, two days after our president rightly stated that this needed to be a time to come together and put politics aside, two days after over 5,000 Americans were murdered in a ruthless and savage manner--Falwell decided to break the silence and confess that civil liberties and personal freedom were what led to Sept. 11's tragedy. He half-heartedly recanted two days later.
I'd rather not look at the twisted logic of Falwell's statement--which can be extrapolated in only one way--that the terrorism was an act of God. I prefer not to dwell on the intricacies of Falwell's perverted version of the Christian faith.
Then again, our world is all too full of Falwells and Pat Robertsons (who sat nodding in agreement with Falwell on Thursday). It's the Falwells of the world that caused Tuesday's destruction, and who have made religion into a weapon. They are the American Taliban--thankfully they are not in power.
Religious fundamentalism--by Muslims, Jews or Christians--is a greater threat to the stability of civilization than any nation-state. Nation-states are political--game theory and logic dictate their actions, not to mention the global political system. The religious fervor that defines fundamentalists is not easily enumerated. Since religion is abstract and illogical--a matter of faith not of calculation--game theory is worthless. A suicide bomber without a nation, acting out of hate and without regard for his own life, cannot be rationalized or explained by the old model.
This indifference to the old model of diplomacy and war is what makes fundamentalism so dangerous. From Palestine to Pensacola (where anti-abortion people detonated a couple doctors offices in the '80s), from Oklahoma City to the World Trade Center, our current rubric for defense--from enemies both domestic and foreign--is useless against fundamentalists.
However, that does not mean that we are helpless against the fundamentalists of this world. Those fundamentalists who cower in bunkers and send minions off on suicide missions will receive justice--as will the countries that protect those people. But even after we take care of the current terrorists, there will be another problem--like a Hydra, cutting off one terrorist cell's head will not kill the beast. Our president has been warning us that this war against terrorism will be long. Try infinite. Fighting fundamentalism abroad is not a winnable war.
We can, however, win the war against fundamentalism at home, and we can work to encourage people to learn more than a surface level about faiths they know nothing about.
Many Americans are developing a hatred for something they understand little about--Islam--as Muslims across the country are currently being subjected to an intense level of unjust discrimination and in some cases, unjustifiable violence. Furthermore, it is based on false pretenses of Islam.
Islam has five pillars: testimony, prayer, fasting, almsgiving and pilgrimage. These pillars have equivalences in Christian and Jewish dogma. There is nothing inherently violent about Islam. Islam, when practiced according to its tenets, is peaceful. Last Tuesday's terrorist acts smite true believers in Islam as much as they do Christians and Jews. We need to be careful to separate the fundamentalists from the traditional believers--as we must also do as Christians.
When I tell people that I am a Christian, I do not want to be associated with the fundamentalist babble of Falwell any more than the ordinary Muslim person wants to be associated with the Taliban. In these times, with our tolerance and patience being pressed to extremes--we need to extend our minds further--and show off the durability of the American people. Part of that durability is mending our broken nation. Part of that durability is punishing those responsible with an iron hand. And part of that durability is remembering the freedoms that make this nation great--that includes the freedom of and from religion.
As we progress further from the memory of what America was like Sept. 10--before the horror--we cannot forget the way our lives used to be. Nor can we forget the freedoms on which this nation is based--the freedoms that guided our nation for 225 years. There are those who would like to use this tragedy for political gain--exploiting tragedy in order to advance an agenda. This cannot be. We need to say to the Falwells that an agenda of hate will not dictate the future of this nation. Religious zealotry is a means to our own end.
This America belongs to all of us. I have never been prouder to be a part of it.
Martin Barna, Trinity '02, is projects editor of The Chronicle and film editor of Recess.
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