World Trade Center – the movie, directed by Oliver Stone, takes one back in time in heart-wrenching detail, to September 11, 2001. The movie forces those removed from the event, by either distance or ideology, to acknowledge the strength and goodness of individuals in the face of extreme crisis. Recommended.

For those caught in conspiracy theory rhetoric (i.e. the US government staged a planned explosion of the building), read engineering reports from the University of Sydney School of Engineering There are several additional reports available; all concluding that the impact coupled with high heat from jet-fueled fire, heat weakened the steel (not melted) which fatally damaged the integrity of the entire structure, causing implosion. Reports carefully outlining a controlled building demolition should also be taken into consideration. A variety of reports on building demolition are available on the internet, all supporting the facts that in order to accomplish the goal of demolition, massive amounts of explosives are placed throughout a building and in addition the supporting steel and/or concrete beams must be severed (cut) well in advance of the actual demolition. Cutting of the beams renders the building unsafe, and in some instances has caused partial collapse of structures prior to use of explosives.

In any event, one must seriously ponder the validity of any religion and/or religious leader(s) who preach redemption and paradise to those followers who commit murder suicide. It is also well documented that families that offer sons and/or daughters as suicide bombers are financially rewarded upon the death of same. The current payout by Hezbollah backed Iran has risen from $20,000 US, to $100,000 US per suicide bomber. The Saudi's compensate families of suicide bombers as equal to the members of their military.

Throughout history, man (and women) have waged war and committed murder in the name of a particular God. Has not a Christian God supported war in His name? A ridiculous assertion. Popes and Kings were called to wage war in order to eliminate the type of dogma that infected and blackened the soul during the Middle Ages. In other words, they were forced to confront the Religion of murder and conquest, much like the United States and Britain today. It is also not without doubt, that man also took advantage of the times in order to profit, being men, not God, temptation overcame reason. When reading the New Testament one is hard-pressed to find a quote suggesting the followers of God wage war in His name, quite the contrary. However, when reading the Koran, it is quite the opposite. Certainly there are passages that suggest peace and ways to deal with those not converted to Islam, such as taxation and slavery of both Christians and Jews, however, more often than not it is incumbent upon the follower to eradicate the enemies of Islam, or those who refuse to follow the laws therein.

When individuals come to the recognition that good and evil co-exist, (i.e. God and Satan), then it is not unreasonable to conclude that there is indeed a Great Satan. This satan is un-embodied in the form of any particular government, rather embodied in the brutal, military and most intolerant dogma. Can there then be peace on earth without the confrontation of Islam?

What exactly does a movie have to do with religion? In the name of religion, 3000 plus souls were released on September 11, 2001. In the name of religion, 16 year old girls are hung in the public square in Iran in the name of morality. In the name of religion, families exchange the lives of their precious sons and daughters for cold, hard, cash. God, hardly. Satan, most likely.

Speaking of religion and on a final note: Catholic Pope Benedict advises all not to work too hard, regardless of position . He counselss prayer and meditation as opposesd to the pass time of "smiting the kneck of one's enemy."