20 Years Ago

The phone rang early that morning. About an hour before the alarm would sound. I woke to find my
sister-in-law in a panic. “Turn on the news,” she said. “Something terrible has happened.”

Moments later every channel on TV was covering a horrible sight. No more than a few minutes after I turned
it on, I watched as another plane crashed into the second tower. Tears came and I sat still, trembling at what
had just happened.

In the following weeks and months life changed in our country. The absolute shock of it sunk into America
like rain soaking into a dry riverbed. We were angry and united as such to see the culprits behind this found
and destroyed. “How could such a thing happen? In America?”

Many I spoke with blamed ourselves. “We were arrogant to think we would not be targeted.” Some even said we had it coming for all the “evil” we had perpetrated on the world. Of course, many of those same people now claim it was our own government that was behind it.

How did we respond? We made new laws. Created new agencies. Let the hounds loose. Promised we would find the monsters. Promised we would be done with them. And so began the “War on Terror”.

A great concept in the first ideological plan. But, as we know from the latest stories, it didn’t work. At least not how we had hoped it would. I mean, we are 20 years into this plan to rid the world of monsters that find pleasure and personal satisfaction in murdering the innocent. However, terrorism is not just alive and kicking, but now subjectively quite well armed.

And before we accuse the terrorists of the “pleasure kills”, do not forget the mass murders we do for the simple joys of having less responsibility right here in America under the guise of “freedom”. Yes I refer to the angst of legal murder called abortion. But that is not the key subject here.

The devil reared his ugly mug that day. He bared his teeth and grinned, laughed, then ridiculed us for being offended at the violation perpetrated on our Republic.

We responded with a feeble, then gracious, then forceful outrage. Then, ever so slowly, that outrage fell back to earth and we settled down. The brave men and women tasked with the job to root out the enemy continued on. Good hearted and desiring to find order and peace, they tested and sought answers. They prepared to cover us as we remained solemnly “getting back to normal”. But it didn’t happen that way. Did it? Nope...

The struggle to undo the evil of the world will continue. And as long as there is evil, the face of evil will change. The perception of evil will change. It will change before our very eyes. As evil takes a simple, yet difficult virus (I know the suffer of it, I have had it) and uses it to turn the world into the most fearful place we could possibly imagine.

We thought the terrorists would be our greatest fear. No. The biggest worry we will have soon will be those who came to protect us from the monsters behind Sharia and burkes. Many books and movies have accurately predicted the story we are currently experiencing. And many advocate it by making the words of the fearful their own thoughts and their own desires. Yes, your freedom is in danger. In danger from those who live in the hype of lies and falsehoods.

The bizarre thing about this whole mess is how it remarkably parallels the spiritual walk we are all going through. That moment when the world is falling apart and then we realize we need Jesus. Everything is fine for a while. We are happy. The devil is being dealt with and we have a new Friend that takes care of us.

Then we become distracted by things. We get soft and let the football game become more important than time with God. “It’s only one game.” Then it grows and we become complacent. Someone mentions the need to attend church. To read the Bible. To pray.

“Lighten up. I got grace!”

Then our life begins to reflect the lack of concern as everything is just fine. Before long, it makes perfect sense to partner with that which we once considered pure evil. We watch whatever. We say whatever. We do whatever.

Terrorism becomes a memory as we learn to turn on one another...