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Letters to the Editor

9-11 survivor: 'Hang tough, have hope'

It has been four years since I worked in New York at Seven World Trade Center for Citigroup Asset Management.

It certainly turned out to be no ordinary day as I e-mailed my daily spreadsheets to portfolio managers and traders I assisted. I worked on the 37th floor of Seven World Trade Center.

The building shook when that first plane hit One World Trade Center, and as I and a few colleagues glanced out of the window above we could see a huge hole in the side of the building. Debris from the building was falling to the ground below.

As my fellow colleagues evacuated down the stairways we never thought what would come out of this of which many thought was an innocent plane crash. As we reached the ground, we could see those who were trapped at the top floors jumping to the ground below.

As for myself, I took the 1 and 9 subway line to Times Square and walked over to Grand Central Station to catch the last train to Connecticut, back home.

My heart goes out to those families who lost loved ones on that day. I still remember those pictures on that collage of the victims from Sept. 11 when I would pass through Grand Central Station. I don't believe that collage is there now.

In the four years since Sept. 11 I have gotten married to a young woman from the Atlanta area. We now have a son 8 months old.

Everyone needs to hang tough, as the hurricane disaster in New Orleans can teach us. And, keep hopeful in themselves and the future.

George E. Barthel, Jr.

Peachtree City, Ga.

What would Jesus do for New Orleans poor?

Jesus had a special sense of mission to poor and oppressed people. At the beginning of his ministry, sometimes referred to as Jesus' mission statement, Jesus stood up in the synagogue at Nazareth and read from the prophet Isaiah: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." (Luke 4:18-19)

You will find the biographies of Jesus depicting him as repeatedly reaching out to those at the bottom of the social pyramid: poor people, women, Samaritans, lepers, children, prostitutes and tax collectors.

Jesus was also eager to accept people who were well-placed, but he made clear that all, regardless of social position, needed to repent. For this reason, he invited the rich young man to sell all of his possessions and give the proceeds to the poor. (Matthew 19:16-30, Luke 18:18-30, Mark 10:17-31)

Our government in Washington D.C., has aligned themselves with the religious right. If they truly want to represent Christians, like myself, then they should "walk the walk."

The people hit hardest by the biggest tragedy to face this nation were poor, just like those that Jesus was an advocate for.

The storm was no surprise. The possible levy break was no surprise. Yet, yesterday, there was one doctor helping 15,000 people trapped in the convention center and he was a volunteer.

But, then again, these poor people probably won't vote.

Susan Knapp

Peachtree City, Ga.

Blame spin shameful

The editorial appearing in The Citizen on Sept. 7 should be required reading for the mayor of New Orleans, the governor of Louisiana, and FEMA leadership.

It has been shameful to watch the shifting sands of politicians in the greatest natural disaster in the past 100 years, and the greatest evacuation of Americans since the Civil War.

Also shameful has been the attempted "blame spin" of elements of the elite media (and they wonder why they are losing subscriptions and viewers).

Jack C. Wheeler

Fayetteville, Ga.

God & Katrina, part 1

On the television screen it appeared only as a 4-inch-diameter swirling red mass. But the reality was that it was a category five hurricane named Katrina.

Its outermost cloud bands gave it coverage of hundreds of water-churning, land-buffeting miles. It came ashore early in the morning on Aug. 29 with the eye-wall slightly east of New Orleans.

It slammed into the Gulf Coast with a deadly ferocity. Homes, stately live oaks, barges, and bridges were demolished and pushed around like a child's toys.

But this was not child's play. Thousands of people have had their neighborhoods blown away or washed to who-knows-where.

All storms have an unsettling nature about them. We may like to watch them from a distance and even be exhilarated by the wind, thunder, and lightning. But to be caught in the middle of nature on a rampage can make even the strongest weep.

Is there anything to be learned from such a catastrophic storm as Katrina?

The television networks are filled with angry victims and politicians blaming everyone but themselves. Why didn't relief come sooner? How could there be such seeming ineptness in the richest nation of the world?

Debates rage over the future of the city of New Orleans. Should it be bulldozed or restored to its historic charm?

However, there is a story behind this storm and all storms that goes relatively untold.

Centuries ago King David of Israel watched a monstrous storm in his own land. It was so overwhelming that the moods of the mind could only be expressed in poetry.

With his God-guided hand the psalmist penned a song that could be entitled, "The Lord of the Storm." It tells a story that transcends low pressure systems, gale force winds, and ground-shaking thunder. It is a poem about God, His power, and where to take refuge when hurricanes take over.

Psalm 29 opens with an unrelenting call to worship the Lord. David was so impressed with the power of the "forces of nature" that he calls for worship of the King of creation (verses 1 and 2). He even calls on the angels to assist in offering praise to the Lord of the storm.

The declaration of God's greatness is the only sane thing to do when rain, wind, thunder, and lightning overwhelm the senses.

A subplot may also be found in this appeal to give God credit for His glory and strength.

The Canaanites interpreted the weather in terms of their god Baal, the alleged storm god. Like Mother Nature to moderns, Baal was a figment of the imagination. It is the true God, not a fictitious god like Baal, to whom our will and mind are to be subordinated.

David proceeds with his riveting, poetical account of the march of the wind and devastation. One can almost hear the thunder roll in the repetition of "the voice of the Lord."

Storms communicate eternally valuable lessons. God is in absolute control over all of nature. Not one rain drop falls without His permission. "For God is the King of all the earth" (Psa. 47:7).

What we call disasters execute God's infinitely wise purposes (Isa. 45:7; Amos 3:6). The champions of unbelief may scorn "Intelligent Design" as contradicted by the massive destruction of Hurricane Katrina, but in doing so are pitiful in their attempts to challenge the Maker of heaven and earth (Job 38:1-3; 8-11).

The majesty and power of the God of the universe should leave us awestruck. The peals of thunder echoing across the land reminded the sweet psalmist of Israel of the actual voice of God "which is infinitely beyond it." When God speaks, the earth trembles.

As one commentator has said, "The storm is not an outbreak of meaningless or hostile forces, but the voice of the Lord, heard in all His works" (Derek Kidner).

Many are reluctant to associate storms with the judgment of God. One does not want to appear insensitive to human misery left in the wake of storm surges and violent winds, but the fact remains, hurricanes tell us that the world is under the judgment of God.

We live in a sin-cursed world that is dying. What we see in nature is not the way things ought to be. The rebellion of the first Adam plunged the human race into the mire of moral and natural evil.

Nature is groaning, longing for its redemption. It "waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God" (Rom. 8:19, 22).

Hurricanes tell us that God is calling sinners to repentance (Lk. 13:1-7). Jesus made no bones about it. We all deserve to die. Judgments in this life are God's last effort, so to speak, to bring sinful human beings to Himself for the eternal joy of fellowship with Him.

As God ruled over the universal flood of Noah's day, He continues enthroned, offering the grace of forgiveness to those who repent and come to Jesus Christ for eternal life.

Where did David's storm leave him and the rest of us? God's power is available to benefit those who trust in Him (Psa. 29:10). He alone can enable hurricane-weary people to live hopefully. God's peace is available to those who trust in Him.

There is a greater storm that is coming when the wrath of God breaks upon the earth in the great and terrible day of the Lord (1 Thess. 5:3). The Lord of the storm offers His people shalom.

Peace with God can be ours because the howling winds of God's wrath fell upon His beloved Son, in whom He was well-pleased. Because of the refuge that is in Jesus Christ things can be as they ought to be in this life and in the world to come.

Dr. Howard E. Dial, pastor

Berachah Bible Church

Fayetteville, Ga.

God & Katrina, 2: Where is He?

The generation that I am a part of will be remembered for many things. The last few days has added poignantly to that list.

Perhaps above all the other stories that I shall tell my grandchildren, none will be more vivid in my memory as the tales of devastation and suffering that our generation has witnessed.

This weekend marks the fourth anniversary of 9-11; nothing will erase the memories of the horror of that day from those who saw it in real time.

And now, Hurricane Katrina, by all observations, will be remembered as the most overwhelming natural disaster in American history. The coincidental timing simply amplifies the extreme heart-wrenching images forever etched in our memories.

Amidst all the chaos, questions naturally arise, not the least of which is, "Where are you when we need you?"

From the government to relief agencies, even to Almighty God, this query is posed.

First of all it is important to acknowledge that asking these questions is as natural as the shock and awe we feel when we see the devastation. But deeper thought gives an attempt to answer these earnest issues of the heart.

When all is said and done, all but the never-satisfied extremists will look back in admiration and praise as the government, relief organizations, and our fellow Americans will have risen to the occasion and met the task in an effort that shows the enviable fiber and grit of the beloved red, white, and blue.

Again, Katrina relief will show the goodness of humanity as the aftermath of 9-11 and other hardships have portrayed. Again we will look at our efforts and swell with pride and say, "I am proud to be an American."

But what of that question often left to only the philosophical if not theological elite: Where is God?

In the midst of all the destruction and horror, how can anyone find hope in a God who is characterized as loving and always present?

At first blush, if you only look at things on a surface level, the question at least seems plausible if not a defining moment of faith, but consider things with me at a level that goes beyond only what the television can depict.

The usually theological discussions of God's causative versus His permissive will shall certainly float around some circles.

Debates will be offered as to whether this was some sort of punishment from the hand of God. Some will deny His compassion and others will just move further into skepticism. But what can we really see in the wake of Katrina?

Overwhelmingly, I have witnessed compassion. Common, ordinary people pressed once again into heroism. Utility workers, truck drivers, nurses, computer operators, telecommunications specialists, ministers, retirees: the list goes on an on.

They are standing in the back of trucks, standing in line at Wal-Mart, even standing in waist-deep water, all in an effort to do something to help.

Perfect strangers working side by side. Different races paying no attention to skin color. Denominational lines going unnoticed. Rich and poor, black and white, Republican and Democrat, here we are, America at our best once again.

Is it possible that in the faces of humanity as we reach out with genuine compassion to our fellow man, we can see the face of God doing His work?

Is it possible that while the ebb and flow of life goes on and things like weather and economy and politics swirl their never-ending storms of life around us, that our ability to exist, cope, aid, and even thrive again, is in fact the never departing presence of God?

My theology is such that I believe that God does His work through His people here in the world today.

Every time I turn on the TV I see it. People loving people, giving to people, serving and risking and tiring and winning and at times even losing. Why? Because it's what we do!

In the image of our Creator we give, we support, we promote compassion and we make our way through this maze we call life. And guess what, the next time around we will do it again. Why? Because it is what we do!

Years ago, apologist and theologian Francis Schaeffer posited about the omnipresence of God, "He is there and He is not silent."

When asked the inevitable question of where is God at times like these, I just tell folks, "Look around, take a look at His children, His creation; they are doing what He would have them do."

God is here. He is in the hands of the weary police officer standing vigil on the New Orleans street. He is here in the arms of the relief worker and the eyes of the black child clinging to his white neck in knee deep water as the rescue boat driver is ready to hoist them both to safety.

He is here in the doctor who goes without pay in the makeshift triage unit under a highway overpass. He is here in the Red Cross shelter, in the FEMA soup line, in the Wal-Mart gift card purchase, in the factories filling the water bottles, in the prayer meetings and the hats that are passed. He is here and He is not silent!

And when it happens the next time, He'll be here still. Why? Because that's what He does! I plan to tell this to my grandchildren one of these days, too.

Dan Roberts, senior minister

Fayetteville Christian Church

Fayetteville, Ga.

Taking store property, blacks tagged as 'looters,' whites as survivors

While I am neither agreeing nor disagreeing with Mr. Linville's assessment of rapper Kanye West, I would like to shed some light on why Mr. West may have felt the need to make the comments he did.

Last week, two photos, taken by two different news agencies, appeared on the Internet. The photos were sent to me via Yahoo News.

One photo, with credit to Agence France-Presse (AFP), shows a white male and female wading through chest-deep water with a bag of groceries. The caption read, "Two residents wade through chest deep water after finding bread and soda from a local grocery store after Hurricane Katrina came through the area in New Orleans, Louisiana. (AFP/Getty Images/Chris Graythen)"

The second photo, credited to The Associated Press (AP), showed a black male also wading through chest-deep water carrying a fridge pack of Diet Pepsi along with a black garbage bag. The caption on this photo read, "A young man walks through chest-deep flood water after looting a grocery store in New Orleans on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2005. Floodwaters continue to rise in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina did extensive damage when it made landfall on Monday. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)"

These photos were also the topic of discussion on ABC's Nightline last week. It was on this show that Ted Koppel reported that the caption had since been changed. Also when I went