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In all of our lives there are dates when something has happened in our personal life and we think “I will never forget that day!” Well the same thing can happen in countries and in the world and such dates go down in history. Recently the world has remembered the events of 11th September 2011 (now known as 9/11) in New York city and I have particular memories of that time. You see I was on a coach tour holiday in America. We had arrived on Friday, 7th September and were staying at the Marriott Hotel which was a 22- storey, 825 room hotel within the World Trade Center complex in Manhattan, New York city.
On Saturday we had all been taken for a meal to the “Windows on the World” restaurant on the 107th floor of the Trade Center where you get a splendid view of the lights of New York. Our party left New York on the Sunday morning to go to Philadelphia for 2 nights and it was on Tuesday 11th September that we were taken to Gettysburg to view the battlefield. On returning to our coach after touring the battlefield our driver told us the terrible news which he had heard on his radio. He was visibly shaken as were the rest of us having only left there 48 hours earlier and having stayed in an hotel which was blown up! The lovely restaurant where we had enjoyed a meal had also perished and had we not left when we did to continue our touring holiday we also might have perished! We had to continue our holiday although with sad hearts. The country was awash with patriotic fervour as the people united behind their government. Flags everywhere were at half-mast, candle lit vigils were being held and “God Bless America” was on everyone’s lips.” It was certainly a date and time in my life that I will never forget.
So — what do we think of the perpetrators of this horrific crime? I cannot comprehend the evil minds that planned it all. The act was planned by people who believe they are fighting a Holy War against unbelievers in their religion and also against infidels. They regard it as their religious duty to make everyone believe as they believe. They use acts of terror as a threat to our way of life and to make us change to their ideology. While I believe in free speech, and we can always learn from others, I do not like it when someone tries to force their individual likes, dislikes and beliefs onto me. I believe that there is only one God for the whole world and that we are all brothers and sisters in the family of God although we may look different from one another and call Him by different names. What sort of a twisted faith in God do these terrorists have if they believe He is telling them to go out and kill others?
Let us not forget that all religions attempt to brainwash their followers to believe certain things. The Christian Churches teach that God was responsible for sending Jesus to die a horrible death on a cross to absolve us from our sins. I was taught this as a child but I never believed it! The God I worship is a God of love and mercy who would have had nothing to do with such an appalling act. [Hosea 6:6] Moreover the Bible tells us repeatedly that we will all answer for our sins — we are accountable for the life we have led. [Galatians 6 (7-8)]. I am glad that I am a Spiritualist because Spiritualism tells me not to believe anything that does not make sense to me. Christian Churches also teach of a number of conditions you must follow before you are allowed into God’s Kingdom. “Except you believe ….this, Except you believe ….that.” This is all nonsense! Everyone goes into the next world whatever their beliefs even if they have no beliefs at all! Yes, even the 9/11 attackers will go into the next world but there they will face retribution for their evil acts and justice will be served.
It seems to me that the answer to putting our world to rights is that we must learn to respect others whatever their race, religion or nationality. We are all necessary and we all have something we can contribute to the world for the betterment of all mankind and for the other life forms who share this planet with us. As Spiritualists we must also spread the word that there is no such thing as death. Death is just a door we pass through to the next stage of our existence and I do hope that all those who lost loved ones on 9/11 will realise this and know that one day they will join them in this new and wonderful world.
I am offering a free copy of my paperback book “Why I am a Spiritualist” to anyone interested. Please contact me by email
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