The Religious Decade: 2000 To 2010

The first decade of the new millennium was marked by rapid economic and technological globalization. As the original superpower, religion reasserted its perennial influence in both national and international affairs. The following 10 stories show the breadth of religious actors and events and how deeply they affected the last 10 years of American and world history.

September 11, 2001

The murderous attack on the Twin Towers in New York City reminded the entire world of the power of religion to motivate a small group of actors to do horrific deeds. No longer the opiate of the masses, religion became the methamphetamine. Over night, Islam became the object of fascination and intense study; Osama Bin Laden became the Zeit Poltergeist; and America and the West embarked on a global struggle against Al Qaida (while trying NOT to target Islam) with each side using religious rhetoric to shore up the justness of their cause.

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