Many of the commentaries I have read applaud the efforts of the U.S. as serving or dispensing justice. I have found this disturbing. I do not think justice has been served. I cannot imagine Christians or any other religious group celebrating anyone’s death. I do not see how this will resolve terrorism. What I foresee is retaliation, more death and more hate-mongering. I do not think this act will advance our efforts in bringing this war to an end. I do not think this will bring Christians and Muslims any closer than the Crusades did.
I am deeply disturbed by Christians wanting to celebrate another’s death. This does not bring closure or resolution; the wound is still present, and our loved ones cannot be returned. What happened at Ground-Zero was horrific, but there is no getting even. There is no getting back at them.
In all likelihood another "mastermind," or two, or three will rise up. Will al-Qaeda be more disorganized? Perhaps for a time. But I do not think the Americans who “manage” our wars and direct our fighting young men and women understand the mentality of religious fundamentalists or fanatics any more than they understood how to fight war in the jungles of Vietnam.
As people of faith ourselves, we should not be surprised by their passion and zeal for what they believe in. Can we regard it as wrong, and not something we’d buy into? Of course we can, but we can never truly understand it.
Sadly, for most of us Americans, Christianity is a hobby. We work hard at not letting our religion and spirituality affect or interfere with the other areas of our lives. If we want to put it aside for a while, then we can walk away from it and pick it up at a later date…no harm, no foul. If we want to visit some other form of spirituality, we can bring the parts we like back into our worship because it makes us feel better.
I wish to take nothing away from the Navy Seals who did a great job in their espionage efforts and stealthy activities. It was their job; like the executioners we pay at state prisons. But it is not a time of celebration or joy. It is a time of fear and prayer.
How can it be that each side can claim to have God on their side? Is this what we have learned after thousands of years of religious teaching and scholarship? That God has nothing better to do than sit around and choose sides! That we do not have free will to choose what we do and how we respond? That if God is on “our side” that anything and everything we do is right and just and fair? That somehow we can subjugate God’s will to our own?
I am at a loss. And although I shed no tears for Osama, my hearts breaks for our religious community.
[As an active blogger, I felt I would be remiss if I did not make a personal comment about the most reported event in the current events.]
1 comment:
i agree with you, i don't think it makes us stronger as a nation or in our christianity to celebrate the death of Bin Ladin. Even saying that you are "happy" that he is dead. In my eyes, he was still a human, yes he was the face of terrorist but human nontheless. But you can't change everyones opinion about this. maybe celebrating closure would be a better term. But i also think that the families that lost their loved ones wont grive any less
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