Every decision or non-decision has positive and negative ramifications. It’s often our choice how we respond to a given circumstance or set of beliefs. In light of United 93 and the nearly five years of reaction that has transpired since 9/11, here is a list of several ideas and solutions combined with possible pros and cons to each response.

Fight

Many people believe the only solution for terrorism is to combat it militarily until it is eliminated. For instance, it is widely accepted today that the only response to the rise of Hitler’s Nazi regime was to confront and conquer it with military force. Some see terrorists in the same light as Hitler, and are unwilling to consider anything but war. War in defense of life and liberty is a concept that most Americans believe in. The founding fathers of America fought the Revolutionary War to gain our freedom.

Yet, historically, some wars fought in the name of religion have brought negative results. The Crusades that began in the eleventh century had the goal of reclaiming Jerusalem from Muslim conquerors. Although this had short-term success, many historians believe the long-term detriment was a wider divide between the Western and Eastern worlds.

PRO: There are times when a military response becomes necessary to overcome an evil in the world (i.e. Hitler). Nations have a right and a duty to fight to defend the life and liberty of their citizens.

CON: Fighting can be come problematic because the causes – anger, revenge, dominance – are often volatile and easily mishandled. Jesus advocated peace. Fighting can leave wounds that are hard to heal, both in our individual lives and within our communities.

Prayer

The Lord’s Prayer has this key phrase, “Forgive our debts as we forgive our debtors.” Jesus also says that we ought to pray for those who persecute us. What does this mean? Prayer is often not an easy response. However, if we believe that prayer is an active conversation with God who moves and acts in our lives, then it’s a proactive way to change our opinions and assist in changing our communities.

PRO: Prayer is central in all religions including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. And, what should we pray for? Jesus says we should pray that God’s kingdom would come on earth as it is in heaven. If we really believe that prayer quantifiably changes things, we should have faith that our prayers can mitigate terrorism in the world.

CON: Prayer often leaves us vulnerable. We don’t know how or when God will act. And, prayer is not only about us talking to God. It’s about setting aside time to wait, listen, and allow his voice to be heard, which is not easy to do with the hectic pace of our lives.

Work Together

Working together has an experiential quality to it. When we work together with people who have different beliefs, we begin to see each other as real people. On a country to country level, working together is called negotiation or compromise. Whereas fighting can be oppressive and prayer can seem overly contemplative, negotiation is a practical way to respond to crises at hand.

When we negotiate or work together, we dialogue about a particular conflict or situation in the hope of a resolution that does not involve fighting and the taking of human life. Democracy has at its heart this idea of negotiation or working together. 

PRO: Working together across various spectrums of faiths and cultures provides a chance to help our communities in common causes. It also helps us understand better the beliefs that we each hold.

CON: It is often a struggle to look beyond the past in order to negotiate a better future. Hatred and long-standing grudges, as well as ingrained territorial conflict and other factors make it extremely difficult to put the past behind and adopt a spirit of cooperation.

Discussion

Discussion is a way to be more aware of those things that bring us together or wedge us apart. It allows differences to be exposed inside the safety of a group and the auspices of a free exchange. This is sometimes a first step to building lasting relationships. The danger is to begin and end with discussion. We need to build in other actions to really see long-term change.

PRO: Discussion can provide a way to learn and break down the walls that separate us. It’s not as threatening as other choices. In simple terms, we are all human and we all have different experiences that have informed our core beliefs. Discussion allows us to see these things more vividly.

CON: Discussion does not solve our differences – it is only a starting place.

Education

Education is a way to remove ignorance and prejudice. It puts the meat and muscle around the basic skeleton of facts that we may know about a certain subject or belief. Education makes a doctor a good surgeon, a lawyer a good researcher, and a journalist a good writer. It provides the reflection and oversight for the student to be guided through difficult subjects and hands-on tasks.

PRO: Education is a natural way to build appreciation for other people. Especially in our global marketplace, education can enable us to understand the context of particular people groups, both historically and geographically.

CON: Sometimes education can be biased and reinforce our negative stereotypes.

Love

“The greatest of these is love,” says St. Paul. Love is the basis for any choice, but it is what or who we love that makes the difference. If we love God, for example, we will keep his commands. And, Jesus is clear on the central command – to love our neighbor as ourselves. And who is our neighbor? It includes our enemies, friends, and acquaintances. Love is not limited to our own preferences.

PRO: Over time, love is the most effective way to genuinely change our perspectives and our communities.

CON: Love is difficult. There is nothing easy about it. Loving our enemies and praying for those who persecute us is one of the greatest challenges in life. Loving one’s enemies does not mean that we must allow or tolerate acts of destruction.  

Do Nothing

PRO: Doing nothing means that we don’t have to challenge ourselves with any of the options above.

CON: Doing nothing means things will only get worse.