I remember hearing accounts of certain people celebrating in streets in our town after the events of September 11, 2001.
Happy to see the empire brought low. A win in the holy war against the infidels.
Not too different from today, except the celebration was on the other side of the camp.
Somehow I can't imagine Jesus jumping around in the streets waving flags and celebrating the death of any of his enemies - and he had many. Whenever I think about Him, I think about forgiveness.
There is so much more I could say, but on reflection, everyone else seems to be saying plenty. I don't feel the need to argue with conspiracy theorists or play the Pharisee. I'll just finish with something Jesus said:
"But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For He gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike." -Matthew 5.44-45
I've been thinking about this, too. While I don't necessarily condone the celebrating, I don't think a lot of people are celebrating the fact that a man was killed. I think a lot of them are celebrating the fact that we finally caught the man that caused so much death and destruction on 9-11. Justice has been served.
ReplyDeleteWhat would Jesus say? I think he would be sad that Osama Bin Laden did not repent of his evil and look to Christ for redemption. But I don't think that God wants evil to go unpunished.
I dunno. It's a really, really hard question.
A fellow Christian posted this and I thought it was really good.
http://www.billycoffey.com/2011/05/the-death-of-bin-laden/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BillyCoffey+%28Billy+Coffey%29
I didn't have any relatives or friends die in the 9/11 attacks, but because of the awfulness of it, I found myself having to work through a process of forgiveness afterwards. On the other side of that, I only feel sadness for the people who died -killers and victims. I think it's really important for us to remember that forgiveness is the only way for us to move past events like that.
ReplyDeleteI read that post; it was really well written. I'm glad I didn't have to be the one to make the decision whether or not it was time for bin Laden to die. Justice has definitely been served (by the hand of man); sadly, because of his "martyrdom" many more will rise to take his place.
Putting all the celebrations aside, I for one feel for the American government/forces right now. criticism on whether he should have been killed or captured for a trial, where i dont see how either one can bring a resolution. Killing him has meant he shall not face justice from man for what the press tells us he did (ordering the 11/9 attacks), however how do you fairly trial him? bring him to the US? how do you select a judge/jury? on whose law do you try him? has he admitted to fault for the attacks? he didnt fly the planes...
ReplyDeleteI think after the attacks the intention was to capture him, but maybe without any thought of what to do when he was caught. I believe the American officials were in a no win situation when they had to make a decision on what to do when the Navy SEALS came face to face with this man...
But I do believe that he will face justice from a greater being.
I do not celebrate his death, I feel now that this 10 year war in Afghanistan is now not for nothing... but someone else will step into his place as worlds most wanted war criminal, and the merry go round will start again...