Posted on 04/03/2002 3:59:36 AM PST by SLB
A few weeks after the September 11 terrorist attacks, I traveled to Australia on a book tour. Quite understandably, people there had more interest in discussing anthrax and the war in Afghanistan than in discussing my book. Although Australians support U.S. policy, and have lent ground troops, ships, and planes to our efforts, they have many questions about the origin of terrorism and our response. Listening to them, I discovered that I have many questions as well.
Let me make clear that I support wholeheartedly the attempt to bring to justice the perpetrators of that evil deed, and to rid the world of terrorism (some of my reflections are found online at www.christianitytoday.com/go/yancey911/). Even so, these questions continue to nag me:
1. Would a doctrinaire pacifist have participated in the attempt to retake the cockpit of United Airlines Flight 93 by force, in order to save the lives targeted by the hijackers?
2. How much would it have cost to reconstruct Afghanistan after their war with the Soviet Union, which the United States helped the Afghans fight? How much will it cost to reconstruct it after we finish with it?
3. Why is the United States so much better at destroying buildings and then rebuilding them—as in Germany, Japan, Korea, Kosovo—than in keeping them from being destroyed in the first place?
4. Can you bomb a country back into the Stone Age if it already lives in the Stone Age?
5. How much did the CIA spend training Osama bin Laden and his associates during the war with the Soviet Union?
6. How much are we now spending to hunt him down?
7. How do you demolish an ideology of fanaticism when, by killing those who preach it, you attract even more converts to their fanaticism?
8. During the war with the Soviet Union, Afghans lost one-third of their dwelling places. Yet, thanks to their tradition of hospitality, not a single person went homeless. Why does the richest nation in the world have so many homeless people while one of the poorest nations has none?
9. Could someone explain to me why the U.S. threatened to break the patent on Cipro after three anthrax deaths, yet vigorously resists “tampering with intellectual property rights” when someone suggests breaking the patent on AIDS drugs for the sake of 25 million infected Africans?
10. Why is it so much cheaper to prevent war than to conduct it?
11. Why did television seem so much more useful during the week following September 11? Would our society be better or worse if no comedians, sporting events, or commercials appeared on television?
12. Why do people resent Americans for consuming so much when world prosperity depends on that consumption?
13. What do Christians who advocate a simple lifestyle think about our leaders urging us to spend money as an act of patriotism? What do they think about all the people who lose their jobs when we stop spending money? Would Jesus help his neighbors by spending money, or by maintaining his ascetic lifestyle?
14. If Jesus spoke about money four times as often as he spoke about faith or prayer, why do Christian bookstores carry four times as many books on faith or prayer as they do on money?
15. Why do we Americans think of ourselves as such generous people when we allocate a smaller percentage of our Gross Domestic Product to foreign aid than does any other industrialized nation?
16. Why do the people who quote statistics about foreign aid fail to note that Americans prefer to give, not through government grants, but through private organizations such as the Red Cross and the Salvation Army?
17. Why do we Americans, who consider ourselves friendly and compassionate, arouse such hatred in some parts of the world?
18. Do Arab terrorists hate the United States and Europe because of our support for Israel, or hate Israel because of its association with the West?
19. Pentagon officials changed the name of the war from Operation Infinite Justice when they learned it might offend Muslims, who believe only Allah can execute infinite justice. Did anyone wonder whether it might offend Christians, who believe only God can execute infinite justice?
20. Why are there so many “post-Christian” nations and so few “post-Muslim” nations? Why are Muslims so dangerous as a minority in a country whereas Christians are so dangerous as a majority?
I was just wondering…
This one bothers me, because it's true.
Yancey should know the answer to this one. If not, he needs to go back and do a little Old Testament reading.
Probably not, as all pacifists are sheep, and inherently ignorant. If they wanted peace, they would be prepared to create it through the annihilation of an aggressor.
2. How much would it have cost to reconstruct Afghanistan after their war with the Soviet Union, which the United States helped the Afghans fight? How much will it cost to reconstruct it after we finish with it?
It's going to cost billions of dollars, and we are more than likely going to float the bill for it. At least they'll have McDonald's and Starbucks when we're done.
3. Why is the United States so much better at destroying buildings and then rebuilding them—as in Germany, Japan, Korea, Kosovo—than in keeping them from being destroyed in the first place?
We're the best when it comes to construction and destruction. We have a free nation that likes innovation, so we excel at everything. I was wondering why nobody seemed to stave off an attack after the second plane hit the WTC. It's amazing, we put an F-16 in the air when golfer Payne Steweart's plane was unresponsive, yet after the first, let alone second plane, no fighters were scrambled. Also, nobody attacks America, at least they hadn't before Pearl Harbor and 9-11.
4. Can you bomb a country back into the Stone Age if it already lives in the Stone Age?
These people we're talking about are going to be living like Americans within a year. We're going to rebuild them, and feed them. Watch and see. There'll be a Hard Rock Cafe and a Starbucks within a year.
5. How much did the CIA spend training Osama bin Laden and his associates during the war with the Soviet Union?
Millions.
6. How much are we now spending to hunt him down?
Millions.
7. How do you demolish an ideology of fanaticism when, by killing those who preach it, you attract even more converts to their fanaticism?
The real threat of Islam, isn't to the Average American, it's to the international banking community. If everyone believed in Islam, you wouldn't be paying interest on your loans. Interest charged is Usury. Also, Lawyers would have a lot less power over you, and government officials would actually have to do what you told them. It's interesting how Islam extremism, does more to make Islam Taboo, than make more followers join up.
8. During the war with the Soviet Union, Afghans lost one-third of their dwelling places. Yet, thanks to their tradition of hospitality, not a single person went homeless. Why does the richest nation in the world have so many homeless people while one of the poorest nations has none?
There's a difference between Americans and Afghans. Afghans fought and lost their homes. American Homeless people are mostly the mentally ill, and people who are unwilling to work, or cannot work for whatever reason. Homelessness is a choice for some. I spent 2 years being homeless, and can tell you, that half of the problem of being homeless is yourself. The other half of the problem is circumstances. I luckily had friends that were able to help, and I turned my life around. If I can do it, a lot of other people can too. It's being willing to do what it takes to become a part of society again.
9. Could someone explain to me why the U.S. threatened to break the patent on Cipro after three anthrax deaths, yet vigorously resists “tampering with intellectual property rights” when someone suggests breaking the patent on AIDS drugs for the sake of 25 million infected Africans?
The epidemic in Africa is caused by IGNORANCE! We're talking about people who are raping babies, and spreading the disease because they act like primates. Should we give them free medication when we spend millions feeding and clothing them, and yet they continue to procreate like rabbits? A plague over there would do those people a favor. It might sound cruel, but it's the truth. Also, Why is it always America's responsibility to take care of other countries? They have the same resources, and the same abilities to heal their sick. The reason they don't is simple, Their governments take all of the money and hoard it. Not to mention they oppress their people into submission.
10. Why is it so much cheaper to prevent war than to conduct it?
It's not. That is an illusion.
11. Why did television seem so much more useful during the week following September 11? Would our society be better or worse if no comedians, sporting events, or commercials appeared on television?
The Television in your house should be shut off at all times. If you want information, read. TV has a way of brainwashing people, and misleading you by tones of a voice, or a look. Reading is better because you can make up your own mind.
12. Why do people resent Americans for consuming so much when world prosperity depends on that consumption?
They continue to forget that America also produces 90% of the food in the world, as well as the goods and services. The reason why America is resented is because the countries in question are totalitarian regimes who control every facet of their lives. Our coutnry is headed in that same direction. Pretty soon we will also be a 3rd world toilet if we don't stem the flow of illegal immigrants, and start keeping some of the money we throw away.
13. What do Christians who advocate a simple lifestyle think about our leaders urging us to spend money as an act of patriotism? What do they think about all the people who lose their jobs when we stop spending money? Would Jesus help his neighbors by spending money, or by maintaining his ascetic lifestyle?
WWJD- What would Jesus Drive? I suppose that Jesus would tell people to take care of their neighbors, thus spend money. I'm sure Jesus had a clue as to what helps and hinders a healthy economy. He was dead set against money changers, and people who charged high interest on loans. He'd also tell us to make major purchases so that the burden of taxation wouldn't fall on the citizenry as it would be made up by the taxes paid on the things we bought.
14. If Jesus spoke about money four times as often as he spoke about faith or prayer, why do Christian bookstores carry four times as many books on faith or prayer as they do on money?
Beats me? I don't go to Christian Bookstores, for one reason, they're full of Christians. To me, Organized religion is systemic of the problems in our country. Too much corruption can take place, as we're seeing with the Catholic Faith.
15. Why do we Americans think of ourselves as such generous people when we allocate a smaller percentage of our Gross Domestic Product to foreign aid than does any other industrialized nation?
Why is it that America is the sugar daddy to the rest of the world? We already give away more food than ANY country in the world. We also spend more money than anyone else in the world on foreign aid. Please take your skewed percentages and put them in perspecitive. America needs to stop the money flow now. If I have to pay back my student loans, then why is it that France still owes us Millions?
16. Why do the people who quote statistics about foreign aid fail to note that Americans prefer to give, not through government grants, but through private organizations such as the Red Cross and the Salvation Army?
Because Charity should not be Mandatory. We should give because it's what we want in the amount we want.
17. Why do we Americans, who consider ourselves friendly and compassionate, arouse such hatred in some parts of the world?
Some people are just jealous. Also, let it be known, that Americans hate a lot of other countries too.
18. Do Arab terrorists hate the United States and Europe because of our support for Israel, or hate Israel because of its association with the West?
The UN and Nato created Israel after WW2. The Palestinian people are a little pissed about giving up their land, as well as a lot of other Arab Nations were angry because it also affected their respective countries. Not to mention our constant meddling over there. You also have to take into consideration their inherently duplicitous nature, and totalitarian regimes ruling their people under an Iron Fist. Everyone is angry at us. Who Cares?
19. Pentagon officials changed the name of the war from Operation Infinite Justice when they learned it might offend Muslims, who believe only Allah can execute infinite justice. Did anyone wonder whether it might offend Christians, who believe only God can execute infinite justice?
God, Allah, Jehova, Buddha, Jesus, they're all the same person, and frankly it's irrelevant. The Politically Correct crowd decided to make it more Muslim Friendly, which is a load of crapola.
20. Why are there so many “post-Christian” nations and so few “post-Muslim” nations? Why are Muslims so dangerous as a minority in a country whereas Christians are so dangerous as a majority?
Read the Torah, The Q'uran, and the Bible. Those three books, will enlighten you as to the answers. It's all about tolernace, and what people are willing to put up with from their leaders. Muslim nations don't allow interest to be charged on loans. If that ideology caught on here in America, banks would fold overnight. That's the danger. It's not that Muslims want to kill all Americans, they don't like what we do over here, or how we run our affairs.
I was just wondering…
Now I have to ask you, in the time it took for you to get a response to this post, wouldn't it have been easier to just write your paper for school yourself? Jesus this is exactly why I'm going to homeschool my kids. At least they won't be too lazy to do their damn homework.
Yes, Fred. I agree with you. It IS true.
You have to kill the leaders when they surface. I don't know how apocryphal this story is, but I had a history teacher in high school who said that, when new arrivals got to the death camps, they were asked who spoke German. Since most of them spoke German, the leader types made their presence known by being the only ones to raise their hands. They were the first to die. As horrible as it is in this context, it seems like an effective strategy in general.
Ask this of the Japanese and Germans of WWII - 2 groups that had pledged to fight to the last man.
If he has to ask this question then he does not understand the muslim problem with Jews (and Christians and infidels).
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