Some Rambling 9/11 Reflections

I was standing at the front door of our school when news came to me about the first plane hitting the World Trade Center. I have to admit, I was a bit baffled. I had seen pictures of the building, but having grown up on the West Coast and then relocating to the midwest, I had never had the experience of standing downtown Manhatten and staring up at those incredible towers...so I have to admit I didn't have a strong reaction when I heard.

Then news came of the second plane. I had a strange feeling that something significant was happening (Duh) and that I better pay attention.

I pulled a TV into my office and watched as the towers collapsed. I heard the rumors of the pentagon being hit and for the first time in my life I felt the vulnerability of, "We are under attack." We put the school on high alert for the next six months (as if a small Christian school buried in the southern burbs of St. Louis would make a good target) and everyone (I mean everyone) flew flags.

It was suddenly popular to be patriotic. The flag, previously the property of country-western loving guys in large pickup trucks, was reclaimed by latte-drinking, Volvo-driving Americans.

I remember being so impressed with President Bush. He commanded our attention and our respect. He was strong and we felt stronger because of it. He told us we were going to go kick the Talliban's asses and we were ready and eager and ready. Sometimes the best defense is to show the world a strong offense.

Then we went into Iraq. I was supportive of the war. I believed our president and Colin Powell when they told us there was absolute evidence of WMD...but I was also nervous. I remember saying to my wife during Powell's momentous press conference, "I trust them, but if they are wrong, both Bush and Blair should be impeached."

Now we hear about the surge, and how it is helping (though everyone has already admitted there is no way a miliary solution will be the solution)...

Evolution says that all you need to produce life and order is the building blocks of life and time. The statistical odds may be astronomical, but given enough time, they say, even the impossible can happen. All you need is lots and lots of time.

I have no doubt our president rejects evolutionary theory. I am sure he is a creationist -- and every creationist knows you need not just time and building the building blocks: you also need intelligent design.

That is the problem. I see requests for more and more time, but hear very little in the way of an intelligent design.