Islam Focus of Our Savior's Sept. 11 Anniversary Event

Ten years later, there are still so many unanswered questions about why terrorists waged a war against American civilians on Sept. 11, 2001. On Sunday, Our Savior’s Way Lutheran Church of Ashburn and Act! for America hosted a National Day of Service and Remembrance to honor and remember the victims of 9/11, and to ponder the Islamic faith.

“This anniversary is filled with a lot of emotion,” said Our Savior’s Way Rev. Bill Mann. “We want to recapture the spirit and unity of the nation and look toward the future while having a positive influence on culture and society.”

Act! for America’s Northern Virginia Chapter leader, Gil St. John, explained that Sunday’s event was planned in part to help people understand the national security problem that is threatening the foundation of our country and its constitutional principles and to invoke serious, thoughtful, compassionate and understanding conversations about Islam.

“We need to be knowledgeable about the beliefs and ideologies of Islam and Islamic militancy,” he said. “There are different levels and ways in which it moves, but it is a way of life.”

According to its website, the mission of Act! for America is: combining the power of truth about radical Islam with a mission to build the best-organized grassroots network in America to resist it. The truth about radical Islam is indeed jarring. But to effect the kind of policy changes necessary to fight the rising tide of radical Islam and the political correctness that aids and abets it, this truth needs the force of collective action that comes when placed in the hands of an organized network of citizens.

Religious Team Leader of Act! for America, Rev. Ken Knapp, became interested in learning more about Islam after the attacks of 9/11/01.

“If you look at any Muslim country you will see that their freedoms are reduced,” he said. Knapp became involved in the Act! for America organization to help get the word out about the threat of Islamic militancy. Sunday’s event, he said, “grew from a day of remembrance to an educational, informative and patriotic commemoration.”

The two and a half hour event included a welcome by Rev. Mann, a presentation of the colors by Loudoun Country Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard, bagpipe music, an opening prayer by Rev. Knapp, recognition of law enforcement, first responders, firemen and honored guests, patriotic music by Arthur Lockamy Jr., a video presentation of “The Cross and the Towers,” a keynote speech by the Ven. Julian Dobbs, archdeacon for the Convocation of Anglicans in North America, and a prayer by Samuel Mall. The ceremony concluded with “Taps,” played by Thom Shaw.

In his keynote speech, Archdeacon Dobbs said that he hopes to “help Christians across America understand Islam” and answer the question, “should the growth of Islam in the world and its rapid growth here in the United States concern us?”

He said that since 9/11, Islam has been presented as a peaceful religion by our media and political leaders; that Western government has been promoting the concept that Islam is peaceful and is trying to treat the religion with respect because acts of terrorism are being committed by extremists. However, he said that if you look at the modern version of the Quran, it is filled with ideals of jihad (holy war), crimes against infidels and the glorification of martyrdom. He also said that he found, through research, that more than 80 percent of mosques in the United States advocate using holy texts that promote violence.

“There is great confusion amongst Christians about Islam. Islam has become an agent of division among Christians,” Archdeacon Dobbs said. “The right to religious freedom has been taken for granted in this country, but in other countries Christians live under constant fear and intimidation.”

The message that he wanted everyone to take home? “We need to understand and discern where there is common ground and differences in Christian and Muslim faiths.”

To conclude the event, Samuel Mall, a representative with Reach out America, said a prayer for Christians under persecution. “For the millions of helpless, poor, disenfranchised, weak Christians living in Muslim countries we pray that you will be the strength of those,” he said. Originally from Pakistan, Mall said that he understood what it was like to live in a country where “being called Christian is a threat to your life.” 

Ten years later, we do not have all of the answers. The generations of people to come after us will also have to make sense of the post-9/11 world that they were born into.

“It’s been ten years since the attacks and there is a new generation of people not having experienced that life changing event,” Mann said. “It’s good to remember, remember why and to address how we can relate to our neighbors from other lands.”