9/11: Where Were You and What Did You Do?
“Now is the time to change everything. America and Americans must take the lead in practicing ‘Love your enemy.’”
The terror attacks of September 11, 2001, impacted the Unificationists as it did people worldwide. Prior to 9/11, True Father had called for a 12,000 couple World Clergy Holy Marriage Blessing scheduled for September 22 at New York’s Madison Square Garden. The events of 9/11 not only forced the cancellation of the September 22 blessing but also challenged the interreligious and world peace premise upon which it was based. In the days after the World Trade Center’s destruction, Unificationist leaders and American Clergy Leadership Conference (ACLC) clergy who were gathered in New York to prepare for the September 22 Holy Marriage Blessing Ceremony, ministered directly to bereaved families as well as to police, firefighters and others at the site. Many went, starting from the first night.
In the immediate aftermath of 9/11, Unificationists looked to True Father for guidance as to its meaning. He was in Kodiak, Alaska, at the time of the attack and learned of it through a note that was passed to him during morning devotions. Dr. Chang Shik Yang, currently the Special Emissary to the Americas, reported then that True Father “remained by himself and prayed” for the next three days, not appearing in public. He then made the decision to cancel the clergy Marriage Blessing and flew to New York on September 18. On arrival, he offered his interpretation of the tragedy. In his words, “Jesus was on the cross, now America stands on the cross of the world.” The question was, how would America respond? According to True Father: “Now is the time to change everything. America and Americans must take the lead in practicing ‘Love your enemy.’” As he saw it, religious leaders needed to take the lead. They “must unite beyond their religion and guide the political leaders of their nations.” He directed Unificationists convene an assembly on “Global Violence: Conflict and Hope” in October, and on November 15 he proclaimed Cheonju Pyeonghwa Tongil Guk (the Nation of Cosmic Peace and Unity). Just as Christianity emerged from the crucifixion and the Unification Church from the rubble of the Korean War, so True Father saw a new world rising from the devastation of 9/11.
Today, lights reach to the sky where the buildings once stood. It is and will always be a day to reflect on who we are as a nation, and as a world, all of us brothers and sisters under God. It is a day to remember the heroic lives that were lost, and how we, too, can take steps to create one united and loving world.
On September 11, 2001, where were you and what did you do?
Janepoor
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A reminder of who we are an what father is to all of us God Bless and may we all move in our minds and hearts to action God Bless True Family
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Frank Bell
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On the train to Hoboken we saw the fire. My normal commute would then take me through the WTC, but the PATH train there was stopped, which probably saved my life, so I went to Christopher Street. At the West Side Highway I saw the dust cloud rise from the South Tower falling. Pandemonium on the streets. Soon after I saw the North Tower fall. So I walked through Chinatown to the East River and fish market, Wall Street, breathing through a handkerchief because of the dust. Work was at AT&T, 5 blocks south of WTC, for TV Asia, TV Japan feed and Oxygen, owned by Paul Allen and Oprah. The power was off but we were running on generator. One operator wanted to leave, so I gave him a SCBA to give to a First Responder. The other operator kept Oxygen on the air while I shut down the rest of the facility. The TV Asia operator left already. I was the TV engineer. About 13:00 we were directed from Littleton CO on the intercom to abandon the facility. The backup playout was started there. Phones were not working. I got home from Battery Park on a tugboat. Everyone was silent. After a week we could start recovery, getting to work on a whale watching boat put into ferry service. Another whole story.
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