9/11, 14 Years Later

19 folks killed nearly 3,000 other people on September 11, 2001.

They were waging Osama bin Laden's religious war against the United States. 14 years later, Osama bin Laden is dead, and a great many more folks have died in various 'holy wars.'

The victims have been Christians, Muslims, and folks who were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Some say that religion causes wars.

Others blame the Muslims, America, or — a perennial favorite — the Jews.

Me? I think people cause wars. It's not that humans are basically bad: a failed species, or God's big blunder. I've talked about original sin and getting a grip before. (February 1, 2015)

A third of a million people fled their homelands this year, heading for Europe. The survivors may or may not find shelter there.¹

Protecting and Helping Neighbors

As a Catholic, I'm expected to love God, love my neighbors, see everyone as my neighbor, and treat others as I'd like to be treated. (Matthew 5:43-44, 7:12, 22:36-40, Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31 10:25-27, 29-37; Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1789)

That's why I can't let myself hate terrorists, or anyone else. But "love" isn't "approval," as I've said before. (September 6, 2015; March 15, 2015)

Sometimes loving neighbors means protecting some neighbors from other neighbors. (August 24, 2014)

Humanity may eventually cobble together an international authority "with the necessary competence and power" to end war and settle disputes with justice and mercy. (Catechism, 2308; "Gaudium et Spes," 79)

Meanwhile, we must deal with the world as it is: and help our neighbors.

More of the same:

• "Hate People? Not an Option"
  (September 6, 2015)
  Particularly
  • Love: NO EXCEPTIONS
  • Recap
• "Killing Bloggers in Bangladesh"
  (August 9, 2015)
  Particularly
  • Life and Love
• "Charleston Church Shooting: Emotions and Reason"
  (June 21, 2015)
  Particularly
  • "Our Country?" Difference, Acceptance, and Murder
  • Life and Reality
  • Looking Out For Each Other
• "Charlie Hebdo, Chick Tracts, and Getting a Grip"
  (January 11, 2015)
  Particularly
  • Hamyd Mourad And Assumptions
  • "Abominable"
  • Getting Angry, Staying Angry
  • Looking Around, Looking Ahead
• "'All are Equal Before God' — Rights of Humanity and a Right of the Aggressor"
  (August 24, 2014)
  Particularly
  • Unhappy About Change
  • Terrorism and Options
  • Stopping an Unjust Aggressor
  • International Authority and Working With What We've Got

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¹ Hundreds of thousands of Syrians, Afghans, Eritreans, Nigerians and Kosovans, and others, are trying to enter Europe. Thousands have died, mostly by drowning in the Mediterranean:

• "Pope calls for every parish to house a refugee family"
  Al Jazeera (September 6, 2015)
• "Why is EU struggling with migrants and asylum?"
  BBC News (September 1, 2015)