London & 9/11

Just some short thoughts and observations about what happened in London (per Eric's request).

I don't really want to compare the 2 events as the bombings in London were not even close to the scale of the September 11 attacks. People still feel it deeply when it hits so close to home, but I think this will be forgotten much more easily than 9/11. The hardest thing for me was the memories of 9/11 that all the news footage brought back.

I did, however, notice a huge cultural difference in the reaction of the people I was around, compared to Americans' reactions in 2001. Some of my co-workers were really upset, crying just because it was so horrible, not because they knew anyone in London. So I got a room in the library to pray, and invited everyone in the department, about 20-25 people. Only one woman came, and she is a Christian. And this really surprised me. In America, so many people joined our prayers on campus and at church, so many that didn't believe. They flocked to churches for answers. They looked to God for comfort, even if they weren't really sure what they believed about Him. Most Americans call themselves Christians, even if they don't know what that means. In Britain, you don't get non-believing churchgoers. Those who aren't Christian know that they're not. I knew this, but still it surprised me when no one came to pray. And made me very, very sad. As Carol, who prayed with me, remarked, "Where do people who don't believe go for comfort? Who do they turn to?" Well, they go to the pub so they don't have to think about it. And I despair, because how do you reach a people who don't seem to want answers? They don't seem to need the hope that there's someone out there to hear them. They ask "Why?" but they don't seem to need anyone to ask it to. They're content to either drown their questions or make up their own answers. They turn off the television so they don't have to think about it. I can only pray that sooner or later, the questions become unavoidable and they have to face them. And I hope I can be there to show them the One who has the answers.