Terrorism : U.S. congregations react with tears and prayers

Terrorist attacks struck at America's body and soul on Tuesday. "Fear is coursing through me right now," acknowledged the Rev. Bob Holum, pastor of the socially activist Luther Place Memorial Church in Washington, D.C., four blocks from the White House. "We read stories about horrible events in Israel and other parts of the world, where people are made willing by their circumstances, idea of patriotism or religious beliefs to sacrifice themselves and take other people with them. No matter how you imagine it, you cannot understand the way it feels until now."
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"These attacks bring this home and require us to rethink our place in the world," said Holum as he canceled plans for the church's participation at an anti-death-penalty rally at the now-closed Capitol.

For the Rev. Tom Elliff, head of the 14,000-member First Southern Baptist Church in Del City, Okla., Tuesday was a horrifying echo of history.

The second plane that hit the World Trade Center in New York struck at 9:03 a.m., the precise time of the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. His church stands between Oklahoma City and Tinker Air Force Base.

By noon, there were weeping and praying people lining the pews there and in churches like it, from Washington, DC, to San Francisco to Fort Lauderdale.

People of every faith, and none, brought their pain, fear and helpless sadness to churches, synagogues and mosques. And clergy reached out with comfort — and cautions.

Islamic religious and community leaders denounced the attack and called on Muslims to give blood and aid to suffering families.

They also warned their own believers to keep a low profile. In the first few days after the attack on the Murrah building, Muslims reported more than 200 incidents of harassment, threats and actual violence. Similar reports were coming in within hours on Tuesday afternoon.

Every condemnation by Christian and Jewish leadership reminded the public mind of the religious perspective that, like the capacity for love, the capacity for evil is universal.

Baptist Center for Ethics spokesman Robert Parham warned against those who would "quickly denounce Muslims and demonize them." Military revenge, he said, will not accomplish the job of establishing "justice in a sinful world."

The US Conference of Catholic Bishops, in a statement of prayer and consolation, added prayers "for those whose hatred has become so great that they are willing to engage in crimes against our common humanity. May they realize, at last, that such violence creates not justice but greater injustice."

United Jewish Communities, representing 189 Jewish Federations and 400 independent communities across North America, condemned hatred while pledging to "recommit ourselves to working to eradicate terrorism."
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