These last 48 hours certainly have been interesting. ( may be an understatement). On Sunday night, during Sunday Night Baseball, the game was placed on the back burner for breaking news. Osama Bin Laden had been killed by a US Special Forces operation, after 10 years of eluding capture. For me, there was an initial reaction of shock as after all this time I never expected there to be any resolution in regards to Bin Laden. As I watched chants of USA, USA, USA rise up through out Citizens Bank Ball Park, I’m ashamed to admit the sense of joy I felt in those initial moments .
48 hours after the fact, having taking some time to process the recent events, I have come to a much better understanding of Bin Laden’s death and for me I am now in a better place. After reading an article from Jim Wallis’s Blog, I have returned to a place of rationality and spirituality. While a sense of relieve still remains that a man who perpetrated such violence and hatred through out the wold is gone, I have found that there is no place to celebrate the death of anyone, including our enemies.
After 9/11 there were those who were dancing and celebrating in the streets over what had befallen our country. How is what we are doing now any different? How can we lower ourselves to such a level? I understand why some might celebrate this man’s death. I can see the place they are coming from. However, we must keep our perspective. It can never be ok to celebrate anyone’s death, no matter what the circumstance.
As a practicing Christian, I was reminded this week of a bible verse that helped refocus my thoughts and get me back to thinking on a deeper level. Maybe it will help you as well.
“Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice” – Proverbs 24:17
It is not for us to render judgement, that is left for God and it should only be fit that he render the final judgement.
Link: http://blog.sojo.net/2011/05/02/how-should-we-respond-to-the-death-of-osama-bin-laden/
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
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