First, a reminder of the enormous, spontaneous outpouring of grief and affection at the British embassy in Washington and all over the country. Pilgrims of all ages at sidewalk shrines.Unidentified Woman #1: My daughter and I, we had talks about this. I will think why, why, why?
Unidentified Woman #2: Our path in life is chosen by God, but I think it's our choice of whether or not we choose to follow God. And she was a great example for young women to do the right thing. And you don't have to be bogged down by society's concepts of morals and values, because you should have your own and follow God.
Unidentified Woman #3: I relate to her because I'm the same age and I have two boys. Her boys, probably someday, will be able to turn on the Internet and look back at the books of condolences from around the world and feel some comfort.Unidentified Woman #4: I came down here because I'm rejoicing to know she's in heaven.
Unidentified Man #1: We've all been there before, we've lost a loved one, and I think what we're seeing here today is exactly what she would want.
ABERNETHY: Father Tully, if the woman in that tape we just saw were to come to you and say, "Why?", ask that question, "Why? Was it God's plan? Was it accident? Was it the result of free choice?" -- what would you say?
Reverend WILLIAM TULLY (St. Bartholomew's Church): Honestly, I'd try to steer her away from the "why" question. With a good heart, many people try to give reassurance; they end up limiting God. Since so many young people have been affected, I would want to offer the reassurance that not so many young people die or die violently. I think it's important to establish that; it's so scary anyway. And then I would urge her to look to a religious tradition, because the important thing then is to figure out how to carry on with life. What resources can you reach down and take hold of?
ABERNETHY: Rabbi Stone, Princess Diana left behind two sons ...
Rabbi WARREN STONE (Temple Emmanuel): Yes.
ABERNETHY: ... 15 and 12. Suppose it came to you, this difficult task of comforting and consoling those two boys. What would you say?
Rabbi STONE: It would be very difficult. In Jewish tradition, there is a custom of being there, going to the home. I would put my arms around William and Harry and allow them to grieve, and if asked, I would say that their mother, who died young -- her song was unfinished -- that she was courageous and lovely, that she had an impact on the human family and the world mourns. That they will carry her loveliness and courage -- that could never die -- with them throughout their lives.
Professor AZIZAH Al-HIBRI (University of Richmond): Well, death in our tradition is a great equalizer. It's the ultimate moment of truth. And when the creature is returned to the creator, and there is no reason to delay that any further -- especially since sometimes these are delayed for reason of putting the deceased on a pedestal, exhibiting some symbols of power and wealth. All of this is really unnecessary and irrelevant at that moment of truth. You try to deal with it as soon as you can.
Rev. TULLY: I think we should be self-critical in the religious community because I think it's obvious that it is there and it is real. I worry that with all due respect, people are living through a celebrity, rather than through someone that they really know. They don't often have a community where they can do this. In an earlier age, people would have lived through the lives of saints and mystics, and now it's people who are on the cover of PEOPLE magazine. Again, said with all due respect. I think we should turn this question back to the religious community and wonder why people are more moved by this than they are about the ordinary things that, in fact, happen every day and raise the same questions.
Rabbi STONE: And she used the media by being -- using her image by going to Bosnia, by speaking out against land mines, by holding the hands of persons with cancer or AIDS, and I think that was her power and her loveliness and everyone identified with that, despite the fragility of life, she could affirm the lives of so many in our world.
