From 9/11 to 9/10: Where Do We Go From Here?
On September 11, 2001, our nation was attacked in a way we had never experienced. The Twin Towers fell, the Pentagon burned, and the world seemed to stop. Yet in the aftermath, something remarkable happened: America rallied. Democrats and Republicans stood together on the steps of our Capitol and sincerely sang, God Bless America. People filled churches, wrote songs of unity and hope, and communities pulled together in prayer. We remembered what it meant to be one nation, under God.
But here we are, twenty-four years later. Instead of drawing together, we have drifted further apart. When House Speaker Mike Johnson asked the House of Representatives for a moment of silence after the tragic shooting of Charlie Kirk in Orem, Utah, some members uproared — screaming curses instead of bowing heads. How far we have come from those moments of reverence and unity.
My father, John Melvin Dodd, reflected on how different things once were. When Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, and Robert Kennedy were murdered, though my father did not agree with all their political views, he was devastated. All these years later, he still remembers exactly where he was and what he was doing when the news broke. That is the mark such tragedies should leave: grief, loss, and a sober recognition of the evil of violence. It is evil to celebrate the murder of people simply because we disagree with them.
What God Warns Will Happen
The scriptures are clear: when nations turn away from God, destruction follows.
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“The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” (Psalm 9:17)
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“Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.” (Proverbs 14:34)
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The Book of Mormon echoes this warning: “If the inhabitants of this land do not serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ, they shall be swept off.” (Ether 2:12)
God’s law is not only about avoiding sin, but about choosing Christ daily. Without that, the natural drift of mankind is toward anger, cruelty, and division.
What Jesus Taught Us
Christ did not excuse sin — He called it out. He overturned the money changers’ tables in the temple because they had corrupted a holy place (Matthew 21:12–13). He demanded repentance, not compromise. Yet, He also commanded us to love: “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Matthew 22:39). He warned against hatred, declaring: “Whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.” (Matthew 5:22).
To follow Christ means both standing boldly for righteousness and showing mercy to those lost in sin.
A Modern Example
Charlie Kirk’s life reflected these teachings. He spoke boldly about truth, faith, and the foundations of this nation under God. He did not shrink from controversy, nor did he water down his convictions. In that sense, he followed Christ’s example: firm in righteousness, yet motivated by a desire to preserve freedom and faith.
Those who killed him — and those who celebrate his death — reveal the enemy within. Their actions show what happens when hearts turn cold. Yet even here, Christ’s call remains: pray for them. The Book of Mormon speaks of a “mighty change of heart” (Mosiah 5:2; Alma 5:14). That is what we must seek for ourselves, and plead for on behalf of those lost in hate.
The Call Today
If 9/11 taught us anything, it was that unity under God can heal wounds. But unity without repentance is temporary. If we do not turn back to Christ — as individuals, families, and a nation — the division will deepen, and destruction will follow.
So let us not only mourn Charlie Kirk’s death or remember 9/11 as history. Let us learn from them. Let us stand boldly against sin, love our neighbors, and pray even for our enemies. For only in Christ is there real healing, and only through Him can we truly be one nation under God again.
#NeverForget #OneNationUnderGod #UnitedWeStand #FaithOverFear #PrayForAmerica
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