Independence Day Special 2011:
Governments and Individual Rights
Internet Freedom VS On-line Piracy
Laws Must be Specific to Preserve Freedom
Checking Premises Statements and My Position
Date: Thu, 5 Sep 2002
Frontline: Faith and Doubt at Ground Zero
Thomas M. Miovas, Jr.
This being the week leading up to the anniversary of the terrorist attacks
of 9/11/2001, there are a lot of specials airing that attempt to explain
what happened and what it meant. One of the most interesting ones so far
is the PBS series Frontline: Faith and Doubt at Ground Zero, which aired
locally at 8pm, 09/03/2002. It explores what happened to several people's
faith shortly after the attacks became known, including a priest, a rabbi,
a religious psychologist, and others (including an atheist). It was almost
philosophic in nature. Many of those interviewed said that it shook their
faith to the core, and that they will never think of God in the same way
again -- because He didn't even try to stop an evil event done in His name.
I have to warn you that is was very painful to watch, though it was very
poignant. For many Objectivist, the continuous talk of God will tend to make
you want to turn it off, but I recommend watching it to the end.
The religious leaders have the most insight of all those interviewed -- and
they all realized that it was a religious act, and that religious fanaticism
can lead to great darkness. A Catholic priest who was interviewed said that
he realized it had been done in the name of religion from the very first moment
he became aware of the event, because nothing else could explain it.
Quoting from the full transcript, in the section called "The Face of Religion,"
available at:
www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/faith/etc/script.html
"Monsignor LORENZO ALBACETE, Catholic Priest: From the first moment I looked into
that horror on September 11th, into that fireball, into that explosion of horror,
I knew it. I knew it before anything was said about those who did it or why.
I recognize an old companion. I recognize religion.
"...And I knew that that force could take you to do great things, but I knew that
there was no greater and no more destructive force on the surface of this earth
than the religious passion."
The episode is full of beautiful photography, and the photographer is one of the
people interviewed.
The thing most lacking from this and other specials I have seen to date this week
on the events of 911 is the expression of anger. There has been a lot of grief
and sorry expressed, but, so far, little, if any, anger directed at those who did
this heinous act. Perhaps that will come later in the week.
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