March 26, 2002

Were the Sept. 11 attackers 'evil'?

Through A Glass Darkly, by John Myers, Internet Photojournalist

"Were the attacks evil, and were their perpetrators evildoers inspired by an evil ideology?"

This is the question posed in the third essay in "Straight Answers to Moral Confusion in National Crisis," published by the Institute on Religion and Democracy on the Sept. 11 attacks.

The series of articles authored by Alan F.H. Wisdom focuses on the role of America's churches in response to the attacks.

Wisdom observes that top National Council of Churches officials and the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries expressed strong emotions after the attacks. But "the term 'evil' was not often found in these church statements.

Many statements made no mention at all of the terrorist perpetrators."

The bishops of the Episcopal Church were among the few church leaders to use the term "evil," Wisdom says. They referred to "the evil forces of terrorism" and said "ideology disguised as true religion wreaks havoc and sudden death."

James Merritt of the Southern Baptist Convention was specific in calling the attacks "the terrible effects of sin and Satan's handiwork in the brutal killing of many innocent people."

Why the reluctance on the part of many church leaders to call the attacks evil, and the perpetrators "evil doers," as President Bush has repeatedly said?

Wisdom says many denominations are focused on "peacemaking" and see such strong language as "demonizing" one's enemies and contrary to peacemaking.

Jon Gunnemann of Candler School of Theology said such specific terms as evil "sees Muslims as fanatics and enemies of Christianity. It shapes the impulses of the heart toward hatred."

Wisdom rebuts, "We can be clear about the manifest evils of the world without falling into a dishonest self-righteousness."

President Bush has been widely derided for his "Axis of Evil" comments, which former President Jimmy Carter, a Baptist, said would "take us years to recover from." I believe that his strong stand is what is required to bear fruit if the battle continues.

Franklin Graham was also criticized for his comments that Islam is an evil religion, but what else can an ideology be called that resulted in the brutal carnage of innocents on Sept. 11?

Wisdom notes that former President Ronald Reagan was criticized for calling the Soviet Union "the Evil Empire," but his focus on tearing down the Iron Curtain resulted in its downfall.

Wisdom concludes, "Today's conflicts with militant, extreme Islamism require the same degree of realism, moral discernment and political perseverance. These are the qualities that U.S. church leaders should be cultivating -- not a head-in-the-sand refusal to name the evil that stalks our nation."

Amen to that.