By Mary Mostert, Analyst, Banner of Liberty (www.bannerofliberty.com)
October 8, 2001
What started out to be a quiet, Autumn Sunday morning for me was suddenly turned upside down yesterday. Like millions of people around the World, I was watching the World Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which was being broadcast from the Church's new 24,000 seat Conference center in Salt Lake City on the local NBC affiliate on TV when suddenly I was watching the President of the United States instead of Sharon Jenson, a leader in the Church's Primary program for children under 12.
I listened to the President, and when it became obvious that the local station was going to continue with a rehashing of what he said, I decided to go back to listening to the Conference by accessing it through the Internet. I switched just in time to see the Church president, Gordon B. Hinckley, speak in response to what President Bush had just said.
In quick succession we heard comments on America's military response to the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington from Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair, Secretary of defense And by the end of the day we heard also from Osama Bin Laden. (Links to Complete speeches at end of this article.) Their various comments told the story in a truly remarkable way. And, their comments clearly outlined a Twenty-first century religious war of worldwide proportions.
President Bush began his announcement with the words:
"On my orders, the United States military has begun strikes against Al Qaeda terrorist training camps and military installations of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.These carefully targeted actions are designed to disrupt the use of Afghanistan as a terrorist base of operations and to attack the military capability of the Taliban regime.
He ended with:
The battle is now joined on many fronts. We will not waiver, we will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail. Peace and freedom will prevail.Thank you. May God continue to bless America.
Tony Blair's talk was notable for several points he made::
1. A huge humanitarian crisis: Even before September 11th, four million Afghans were on the move. There are two million refugees in Pakistan and one and a half million in Iran. We have to act for humanitarian reasons to alleviate the appalling suffering of the Afghan people and to deliver stability so that people from that region can stay in that region.
2. … the attacks of September 11th represented the worst terrorist outrage against British citizens in our history. 3. …Our prosperity and standard of living, therefore, require us to deal with this terrorist threat.
3. … the al Quida network and the Taliban regime are funded in large part on the Drug trade. Ninety percent of all the heroin sold on British streets originates from Afghanistan. Stopping that trade is directly in our interest.
4. … this is not a war with Islam. "They (Osama Bin Laden and associates) are terrorists, pure and simple. Islam is a peaceful and tolerant religion and the acts of these people are wholly contrary to the teachings of the Quran.
To Osama Bin Laden, however, Islam is not a religion of peace. It is a religion of power and conquest. In a video tape released yesterday he said,
Let the whole world know that we shall never accept that the tragedy of Andalucia (ph) would be repeated in Palestine.
(Note: this is probably a reference to the battle of July 16, 1212 when the Muslims in al-Andalus, in modern Spain, were defeated by the Christians, ending their effort to subdue all of Europe.) He went on to say:
We cannot accept that Palestine will become Jewish.And with regard to you, Muslims, this is the day of question. …be like the followers of the prophet, peace be upon him, and all countrymen (ph), lovers of God and the prophet within, and a new battle, great battle, similar to the great battles of Islam, like the conqueror of Jerusalem. So, hurry up to the dignity of life and the eternity of death.
Thanks to God, he who God guides will never lose. And I believe that there's only one God. And I declare I believe there's no prophet but Mohammed.
So, there you have it folks: The President of the United States has asked God to Bless America in its effort to defend freedom. The Prime Minister of England has defined the conflict as one between terrorism and the drug trade against the humanitarian and economic interests of Western civilization.
Osama Bin Laden has said that the victory will go to "He who God guides" and adds that there is "no prophet but Mohammed."
Yet, he is absolutely convinced, obviously, that he speaks for God and that God will bless his murderous attack that killed thousands of people of all nationalities in one day. A person who speaks for God, by dictionary definition, IS a prophet. And, we have lots of people around today who tell us they are speaking for God. They may not claim use of the word "prophet" but they routinely claim the power of a prophet in telling all the rest of us in the world what God wants them to do.
In this interesting mix yesterday, Gordon B. Hinckley, who is proclaimed by 12 million Mormons as a modern prophet, was thrown onto the world stage with a microphone in his hand. What, do you suppose, a true prophet might say in that situation? Would he be clamoring for more blood?
With millions around the world watching, Gordon B. Hinckley, who was one of the national religious leaders who met with President Bush recently, spoke, in his words, "guided by the Spirit of the Lord." He gave two short talks, one in the morning immediately after being given a note about the missile attack on Taliban bases, and the other a prayer from the heart ending the two day conference.
He made several points:
1. As a nation we are at war and those who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stand with President Bush
2. We are people of peace, followers of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, "But there are times when we must stand up for right and decency, for freedom and civilization."
3. "Religion offers no shield for wickedness, for evil, …The God in whom I believe does not foster this kind of action. He is a God of mercy. He is a God of love. He is God of peace and reassurance, and I look to Him in times such as this as a comfort and a source of strength."
4. "Great are the promises concerning this land of America. We are told (In the Book of Mormon) unequivocally that it is a 'choice land and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ.'
5. "From the day of Cain to the present, the adversary has been the great mastermind of the terrible conflicts that have brought so much suffering. Treachery and terrorism began with him. And they will continue until the Son of God returns to rule and reign with peace and righteousness among the sons and daughters of God."
6. He advised us what to do in this time of crisis: "Now, brothers and sisters, we must do our duty whatever that duty might be. Peace may be denied for a season. Some of our liberties may be curtailed. We may be inconvenienced. We may even be called on to suffer in one way or another. But God our Eternal Father will watch over this nation and all of the civilized world who look to Him. He has declared: "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord" (Psalms 33:12). Our safety lies in repentance. Our strength comes of obedience to the commandments of God.
7. "Let us be prayerful. Let us pray for righteousness. Let us pray for the forces of good. Let us reach out to help men and women of good will whatever their religious persuasion and wherever they live. Let us stand firm against evil, both at home and abroad. Let us live worthy of the blessings of heaven, reforming our lives where necessary, and looking to Him, the Father of us all. He has said: "Be still, and know that I am God"
In the closing minutes of the Conference, Gordon B. Hinckley prayed for blessings. The blessings he sought for the people of the world were:
Oh, God, our eternal Father, thou great judge of the nations, thou who art the governor of the universe; thou who art our Father, and our God, whose children we are, we look to Thee in faith in this dark and solemn time.Please, dear Father, bless us with faith. Bless us with love. Bless us with charity in our hearts. Bless us with a spirit of perseverance to root out the terrible evils that are in this world. Give protection and guidance to those who are engaged actively in the things of battle. Bless them. Preserve their lives. Save them from harm and evil. Hear the prayers of their loved one for their safety
We pray for the great democracies of the earth, whom thou has overseen in creating their governments, where peace and liberty and democratic processes may obtain.
Oh, Father! Look with mercy upon this, our own nation and its friends in this time of need. Spare us and help us to walk with faith ever in Thee and ever in thy beloved Son, on whose mercy we count and to whom we look as our Savior and our Lord. Bless the cause of peace and bring it quickly to us again, we humbly plead with thee, asking that thou will forgive our arrogance, pass by our sins, be kind and gracious to us and cause our hearts to turn with love to thee, we humbly pray, in the name of him who loved us all, even the Lord Jesus Christ, our Redeemer and our Savior.
Forgive our arrogance and have mercy upon our nation and its friends. That is a far cry from the call of Osama Bin Laden for help in destroying the Jewish people, and any other people, including his own co-religionists who disagree with him.
To comment: mmostert@bannerofliberty.com
For complete talks mentioned:
President George W. Bush: - http://www.bannerofliberty.com/OS10-01HL/10-7-2001.1.html>The President's Announcement of Military Strikes Against Taliban
Prime Minister Tony Blair: - http://www.bannerofliberty.com/OS10-01HL/10-7-2001.2.html>Action also to stop Heroin funding of Osama and the Taliban Blair Says
Osama Bin Laden : - http://www.bannerofliberty.com/OS10-01HL/10-8-2001.1.html>Osama Bin Laden - al Qaeda Leader's comments following Missile Attack on his bases
Gordon B. Hinckley -President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:
LDS Church Leader Warns of "Perilous Times" as War Begins-http://www.bannerofliberty.com/OS10-01HL/10-7-2001.3.html
Father.. forgive our arrogance-http://www.bannerofliberty.com/OS10-01HL/10-7-2001.4.html