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CNN Live At Daybreak
America Under Attack: Religious Community Reaches Out
Aired September 14, 2001 - 07:47 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Today is a national day of prayer and remembrance, but really it transcends the borders of the United States. Let's take a look at some live pictures from St. Paul's Cathedral in London, England, where members of the royal family, the queen, the prince and the others, the prime minister, members of parliament, have packed this cathedral -- Margaret Thatcher there, as we see her in the center there -- have packed this cathedral for a prayer service, a remembrance which began very poignantly with the singing of the "Star Spangled Banner."
Here in the U.S., the National Cathedral, Wisconsin Avenue, Northwest, Washington, D.C., live pictures there. A noontime service is planned. The president will be in attendance, as well as members of Congress. Once again, another opportunity to share our grief.
The Reverend Nathan D. Baxter is the dean of the National Cathedral. Dean Baxter, thank you for joining us here on CNN this morning.
REV. NATHAN D. BAXTER, DEAN, WASHINGTON NATIONAL CATHEDRAL: Good morning. Good morning.
O'BRIEN: I am curious, I can only imagine how difficult it would be to come up with a sermon and the proper words to say at this time. How difficult has it been and what will you say?
BAXTER: Well, actually, Billy Graham, who is very much America's pastor, will be the preacher for the service. I will be leading the prayers. And in the prayers we are gathered together to know that our faith can sustain us in this time of the beginning of our healing.
There will be leaders, we've invited leaders from the Jewish community as well as from the Islamic community, who will be offering prayers as well, because the religious face of America is very diverse. Our president will also be sharing in the prayers, as well.
So this will be a gathering in which, with the president, we will all be praying for the healing of our nation and for wisdom as we determine the right things to do for our national security.
O'BRIEN: Well, Dean Baxter, you bring up that issue, and inevitably that leads to the issue of vengeance and retribution. How do you interpret the bible, how do you interpret your faith as it relates to calls for vengeance? BAXTER: Well, I believe that vengeance never serves the purpose of ultimate justice or peace. Sometimes we must take actions that will root out those who have acted in evil ways, but at the same time it must be done in a reasoned, measured and responsible way that ask how can we do this in such a way that it will ultimately bring security and healing?
So therefore when we pray, when we are mindful of our own faith, and, of course, many of our national leaders are people of faith, it helps us to be balanced and it helps us not to respond simply out of anger and out of rage.
O'BRIEN: That's a tall order that you just put in there because the enemy that the United States faces is a difficult enemy to pinpoint.
BAXTER: Yes, it is.
O'BRIEN: And inevitably, as the calls for justice are heard, innocence, it seems, will get in the way. How does religion feel about that? How do you feel about that, Dean Baxter?
BAXTER: Well, I feel that it is always tragic when life is lost and especially what we would consider innocent life. But that's why, again, our faith keeps reminding us that in our response we must be measured. And how that happens, we do not always know. But simply to act out of vengeance is something that makes us the evil we deplore.
So faith helps us to try to hold a balance when our hurt -- hearts are hurting so much, when we're grieving so heavily.
O'BRIEN: As you've been talking -- I know you can't see these pictures right now, we've been showing pictures of a candlelight vigil in Washington Square in New York last night -- very dramatic images of people coming together at these times. What are your thoughts on that? Are people responding in a way that in some ways gives you reason for hope?
BAXTER: Yes. Well, you know, there are those who say that America is evil and that's why this is happening. You know, we have a good nation. We have good people. And what we see in the face of this evil is all of the goodness that also has come forward, people standing together across religious and ethnic and racial lines, people coming together as volunteers and emergency workers, risking their own lives to help others, reaching out to their neighbors and strangers.
I think that the other side of the tragedy that we are experiencing is the coming forth of the goodness in the spirit of many, many people in these United States.
O'BRIEN: Of course it's terribly unfortunate that we sometimes have to go through something like this -- not that we've been through anything like this before -- to see the goodness in people.
I'm curious what your thoughts are as time goes on, as the initial shock wears off and people perhaps face the reality of this a little more. What will faith hold for them?
BAXTER: I think what it holds for all of us is, first of all, we will have to feel the pain. And I don't think we fully feel the pain yet because we're still somewhat stunned and the news of the tragic loss of life will continue to unfold in the weeks ahead.
So we will have to feel the pain to heal our grief.
But also I think it is understanding that as it is for people in many other parts of the world, life will not be the same for us. But we must go on living and not allow fear to cripple us. And that's what faith does. It helps us, whatever our religious background, faith helps us to cope with fear and to live life freely even when we feel somewhat threatened.
O'BRIEN: The very Reverend Nathan D. Baxter is the dean of the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. Thank you very much for sharing some time with us this day, D. Baxter.
BAXTER: Thank you.
O'BRIEN: And I wish you well in your service, which CNN will bring to you live at 11:35 a.m. Eastern time. The National Cathedral prayer service that Reverend Nathan Baxter, the dean, will be leading that service. The Reverend Billy Graham there, of course, the president, the cabinet, members of Congress. It will be a moving moment which we will share with you.
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