Religion Reporters Identify Sept. 11 Terror Attacks as Top Religion Story

December 29, 2001

Source: The Houston Chronicle

On December 29, 2001, The Houston Chronicle reported that "the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and their aftermath dominated the Top 10 religion news stories of 2001 in a survey of religion reporters... The Islamic terrorist [Osama bin Laden] showed 'how easily religion and religious fervor can be hijacked to serve political ends, substituting hatred and intolerance for the compassion encouraged by all of the world's religions,' one voter stated... [In the survey], the top story selected by newswriters was the attack and the subsequent national wave of services, prayer vigils and soul-searching. Bush called for a National Day of Prayer and the nation literally came to its knees as churches, synagogues, mosques and temples were packed for several weeks after the attacks."