The story appeared in the news a few days ago. The American Atheists organization has filed an objection in court to prevent a cross formed from two steel beams that was found in the wreckage of the World Trade Center after the attack by 19 Muslim terrorists on 9/11 from being included in a memorial museum at the site. American Atheists don't believe in God, what they appear to believe in is Nothing, as in Nothing created everything. The horrific aftermath of the collapse of the World Trade Center towers, that resulted in almost 3000 deaths, was felt on a daily basis by the emergency crews and first responders who worked for months cleaning and searching the site. When the cross was found it became a rallying point that gave inspiration and hope that helped ease the trauma of the workers and thus became a part of the historical record of that horrible event. But the atheists say it violates the separation of church and state in spite of the acknowledgment our Founding Fathers gave to our Creator.
Indeed, the second paragraph of our Declaration of Independence says: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."
A few days after the fanatical hijacking of four commercial airliners by 19 Islamic religion-inspired terrorists the steel cross was found and Father Brian Jordan a Franciscan Priest from nearby St. Peter's church blessed the cross and services were performed there to help uplift the spirits of the workers. Now the cross is being returned to the site to be displayed inside the underground museum and the atheists have raised an objection.
America has always been inspired by religion and to think that those who perished at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001 did not say some prayers is absurd. To quote President Dwight David Eisenhower, who said that during war, "There are No Atheists in Foxholes. They know that in time of test and trial, we instinctively turn to God for new courage…Whatever our individual church, whatever our personal creed, our common faith in God is a common bond among us." and neither are there any atheists in times like this.
It is sad to admit that our leftist, politically correct news media in America did not cover this story as well as some of the overseas newspapers did. Here is a remarkable story from England with some great photographs, many of which must been seen on their web site to appreciate.
Image from Fox News video below.
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 1:55 PM on 25th July 2011
A cross-shaped steel beam found amid the wreckage in the days following the September 11 terrorist attack has been lowered 70 feet down into the bowels of where the twin towers once stood to become part of the exhibit at the National September 11th Memorial and Museum.
The two-ton, 20-foot-high T-beam, which has now become a religious relic, was taken from its temporary post near the oldest Roman Catholic parish in New York City, St Peter's, it was a symbol of hope for many working on rescue and recovery there, so much so that the construction worker who discovered it believes he stumbled on to a miracle.
'I saw Calvary in the midst of all the wreckage, the disaster,' Frank Silecchia recalled. 'It was a sign... that God didn't desert us.'
But for all the religious fervour surrounding the cross, it will become part of the museum because of its history at ground zero, not because of its Christian symbolism, said Joe Daniels, president of the memorial foundation.
'It's powerful because it provided comfort to so many people - it is a part of the history of the space,' Daniels explained.
(Left) 'Comfort for all': The 9/11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center site will open on the 10 year anniversary of the attacks on September 11
(Left) 'Miracle': The intersecting steel beams were found in the rubble of buildings destroyed in the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center. (Right) Symbolic: Father Brian Jordan a Franciscan Priest, blesses The World Trade Center Cross at the site on Saturday
'It's important to have these artifacts that reflect the history, to remember, to see how people coped,' he said. For Reverand Brian Jordan, the Roman Catholic priest who led the effort to preserve the cross, it is very much a symbol of Christianity - sacrifice, loss and renewal, he said. Jordan celebrated Mass under the cross for weeks - and members of many different religions took part.
The rusted, twisted metal beams were dear to Jordan partly because his mentor, Reverand Mychal F. Judge, chaplain of the city's fire department, died just feet from where it was found while helping people on September 11.
In 2006, the cross was lifted from the site and transplanted to a spot nearby at the oldest Roman Catholic parish in New York City, St Peter's, where it remained until a flatbed truck took it to a nearby park for a blessing, and then on to the World Trade Center site.
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, along with about 200 emergency workers and families of victims who died in the attack, joined Jordan for a blessing ceremony before the cross was moved on Saturday.
'This was such an important part of how people dealt with Sept. 11,' said Giuliani. 'The night of the September 11, we asked people to be stronger,' he said. 'And I believe New York is stronger today than it was then. Mayor (Michael) Bloomberg and Commissioner (Raymond) Kelly have made sure we're safer now. We're better prepared.'
On July 28th this year, Fox News broadcast a discussion between one of the first responders who worked the World Trade Center site and a member of the American Atheists. Here is a video segment of that debate.
This is my reply to the atheists. Their argument seems to be more of a publicity stunt to gain recognition for themselves than an outright objection to the cross itself because they say that the cross can be part of the museum display if the museum includes their group as well. I say let that happen. Give the atheists a place in the museum, and here is my suggestion along with a new colorful toilet seat to go with it.
I am an Atheist, and I have totally no objection to the cross whatsoever. It's a symbol of 9/11 and a symbol op hope that just happens to have the shape of a cross. The argument that it has turned into a religious object and should therefore not be included in the 9/11 museum is absurd. It's not included because it's a religious object, it's included because it's part of the whole 9/11 story.
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