Tragically, nine years ago this month, our country lost many innocent lives at the hands of terrorists. On Saturday, Sept. 11, 2010, more than 100 people in Lawrence of Christian, Jewish and Muslim faiths gathered to “refute messages of fearmongers.” This gathering, called the Interfaith Solidarity in the Wake of 9/11, was held in response to a Florida minister’s threat to burn the Quran on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

I find this response very odd. Why would one individual’s empty threat spur on such a response? Our religious freedom is protected by our Constitution.

Rather, where is the outcry from leaders for the loss of lives in the attack?

Where is the grief expressed for the thousands of lives lost each year in our nation due to abortion? As religious people, we should greatly fear the consequences of allowing laws which permit the killing of unborn children. We should be standing on the steps of our places of worship in our communities, aghast that we have become willing to ignore the terrible truth that abortion is not a “choice” at all but the willful termination of life.

Religious leaders and people of faith should refute laws that do not protect the unborn rather than empty threats to burn religious writings. As people of faith we should be in our places of worship praying for our nation and the protection of the lives of unborn children. On this issue we must be united. God help us.