Paris Terror Attack - Reason, Response, Recovery & Recur; A Christian’s Insight

            Brutal, barbarous, callous, cold-blooded, cruel, inhuman, merciless, sadistic, savage, vicious, vindictive….none of these words truly reflects the heart of terrorism. Terrorism is far beyond the cumulative meaning of such words.

            Don’t blame this primarily on intelligence failure, sinister agendas, vengeance, brainwash, innocence, ISIS or religion. Blame this primarily and squarely on EVIL.

            ISIS accepted responsibility. It is jihad, they say. Jihad is synonymous with Islam. But don’t blame ISIS, jihad or Islam. Blame it on EVIL.

            Transcend individuals, organizations and worldviews. Transcend physical entities. Focus on the spiritual. Focus on the root cause of evil – the Satan.

            Satan causes evil. Evil yields terrorism and bloodshed. Satan is the reason for terrorism. Period.

            The French President pledges a ruthless and merciless response. An act of war it was, he said. Truly so. Respond Mr. President and all the Presidents and Prime Ministers of this world; respond with an outright war against evil. Evil deserves nothing less.  

            I beg to disagree with the words of Martin Luther King Jr. being quoted extensively on the social media, “…hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” Love will not and cannot defeat the evil perpetrated by Satan. The most adequate response against evil is an outright war that includes every tangible possibility and abstract perspectives.

            Common sense response will inundate the victims - prayers, sympathies, relief aids and what not! Will this suffice? Are these the best responses? Will these responses heal the pain of the victims? No, not totally!

            It may take years to overcome the emotional turmoil caused by terrorism. The pain inflicted by terrorism resides in the heart and soul of the victims. So our best response ought to medicate the pain in the heart of the victims. Do you or I have the power to medicate and heal the pain from the heart of the victims? No!

            God alone has the power to heal this pain. Our prayers will not and cannot motivate God to heal this pain. If our prayers motivate God, then God is man’s assistant. God is God and not man’s aide.

            May we pray that the victims seek healing from the life-giving presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. May the victims reach out to the living God. This is their best response. By doing so, may they be filled with the strength and power of Christ.

            It’s only the suffering Savior, who with HIS nail pierced hands, will touch the heart and heal the pain of these victims.

            Respond also by praying for the terrorists; may they repent and seek forgiveness from the living God. Let them not blindly and insanely slaughter and mutilate lives in an absurd belief that a sensual reward awaits them in their mythical, senseless and hellish heaven.

            Recovery of victims and nation is vital. All available resources of every possible entity should aid the process of recovery.

            Recovery of body and of the mind is of paramount importance. Recovery of the mind could be painfully slow but may it be scrupulous. The sole agenda of this recovery should lead the victims to gradually regain normalcy - in the lives of people and society. May God bless this recovery.

            Terrorism will recur. Until Satan, the father of lies and evil, is annihilated, terrorism will recur.

            Beirut, Paris and other parts of our world are reeling under the effects of terrorism. Terrorists could attack another location, maybe even our very own, in the days to come.

            While terrorism will recur, normal life cannot and should not be lost. Giving up our normal lifestyle is a victory for terror. Life should go on. May God enable us to live normally or as normal as we can live.

            Will our unmitigated war against evil be successful? No! Why? Our physical attacks cannot destroy the spiritual enemy Satan. Our war against evil will possibly annihilate Satan’s human stooges, but not Satan himself.

            Satan is far more powerful than man. Until he is destroyed forever, Satan will continue to release his vicious stooges to inflict carnage and bloodshed against humanity.

            God alone can destroy Satan and God will destroy Satan. Satan will be annihilated. Until then we need to bear the brunt of evil. Be prepared to face terrorism explicitly and implicitly.

            Finally, let’s not forget Beirut and the other parts of the world that suffer because of terrorism. Let’s sympathize, pray and aid the victims in Beirut as much as we care for victims in Paris. May our focus on the needs of our world be impartial, for God is not partial.

            May God bless every victim reeling under terror. We pray this in Christ’s name. Amen.