Sunday night bottom of the 8th in the Mets/Phillies game. Jacqui’s at work, I’m fading in and out on the couch. I vaguely hear Dan Shulman announce something that sounds like bin Laden has been killed. Being the good sheep I follow Shulman’s instructions and flip over to ABC News. Sure enough, the man’s been killed. I flip back to game as chants of “U-S-A” start filling the stadium. Back on ABC George Stephanopoulos is showing a live stream of the crowds gathering in front of the White House, same chant. Throughout the night, at various places, throngs gather, flags wave, political signs (Bush/Cheney & Obama/Biden) pop up. Feels like a pep rally.
One of my boys looks at me and says, “Dad, this is wrong.”
I felt no – and still feel no – empathy for the man. He was a murderer and was committed to murder. I feel a certain amount of relief and satisfaction that the leader of one of the most ruthless terrorist organizations has been killed. I can square the actions of our President and military theologically. But at a very base level I found/find the celebrations troubling – particularly the chanting of “U-S-A.” To my eye the crowds look eerily similar to the dozens of crowd shots I’ve seen over the past 10 years from any random city in the Middle East when it was announced that one more setback has happened in America or Israel. And, death is never to be celebrated.
As a Christian, I hold (with difficulty) two elements in tension. On the one hand, as a citizen of this country and the world I am pleased to see justice enacted. On the other, as a citizen of heaven (and the home of my greater allegiance) I am struck by the witness that all human life is sacred and valuable to its Creator. There runs through the entire witness of Scripture the theme of a Just and Loving God meeting out justice with patience. The prophet Ezekiel (18.32) records these words from God: “I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord GOD; so turn, and live.” Centuries later Paul will write to Timothy (1 Timothy 2.4) “[God] desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” Writing to Christians who long for God’s ultimate return and setting to rights the evil, sin and injustice of this world Peter will counsel (2 Peter 3.9): “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
So, how do I respond in moments like these?
Often poorly as a sense of retributive justice wells up within me. But in my better moments I remember that I, too, once lived as an enemy of Christ. I remember as well a Good Friday when One Man took up my sins – and the sins of this world – and bore in His body their penalty thus reconciling me to my Father. The Book of Common Prayer is a wonderful resource offering prayers when I face situation like this (and the attendant conflicting emotions), teaching me how to pray. This prayer, particularly, has been on my lips the past few days:
O God, the Father of all, whose Son commanded us to love our enemies:
Lead them and us from prejudice to truth;
deliver them and us from hatred, cruelty and revenge;
and in your good time enable us all to stand reconciled before you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
(Book of Common Prayer, p. 816)
Finally, the same son who was disturbed by the celebrations this past Sunday night sent me the linked article by Al Mohler in which he addresses the limitations of justice in a sinful and fallen world and the troubling aspects on display this week. You may find it helpful.
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21 users responded in this post
Thanks for sharing this. I’ve read several blogs that are on this subject and found them really helpful.
thank you for this.
Loved it! Thanks Steve!
While I agree you 99% of the time Steve, I have to disagree on this. In fact, the more I think about this the more I think the question itself is a false accusation.
Did a man die? Yes.
Did people rejoice? Yes.
But how do we really know what is being rejoiced over? I have not heard anyone rejoice in a spiteful vindictive way. Admittedly I rarely watch CNN or FOX, however I have not heard even one single person say they were glad his soul was going to burn in hell. I sure there is some small minority that might feel this way, but I do not believe that this is the manner in which most people are rejoicing. I do not believe that a man’s death is really the issue.
If I may, let us suppose that the news had instead reported that the “Navy Seals have captured Bin Laden” and were transporting him to Gitmo. What would the American response be? Do you think there would also be great rejoicing? Do you think people would also be chanting U.S.A.! Perhaps you may not think so, but I certainly believe that they would be rejoicing and doing so just as loudly.
Of course we cannot know for sure how people would have reacted to different circumstances, but if we do believe that people would respond as I think they would then the rejoicing we hear is clearly not over the fact that a man is dead.
The question itself however makes that accusation. And in my mind, it is a very unfair accusation to make. The question itself is aimed at making those who rejoice feel guilty for doing so. In fact, if I had to make a judgment call, I would be more inclined to believe that to desire to make those who rejoice feel guilty when justice is served is more likely the work of the evil one than any working of God’s grace.
Thank you, I was really having a hard time watching the chanting and “pep rally’s” myself. Really took me back to freshman year of college when the Middle East (mind you not all of the Middle East) was celebrating the trade tower attack.
Thank you, I was really having a hard time watching the chanting and “pep rally’s” myself. Really took me back to freshman year of college when the Middle East (mind you not all of the Middle East) was celebrating the trade tower attack.
Thank you for your thoughts on this matter. I have felt some of the same feelings you have. Being a veteran I want to shout with joy. Being a Christian, I’m glad God has brought justice in His way. We should not celebrate ANYONE’S death, whether they are an enemy of our country or not.
Again, thank you and God bless you.
I knew it was coming when I heard the news, and I was still troubled by it. Like watching an NCAA finals game spill out into the street. We look like yahoos again in front of a World audience. It was as if we’d just seen another V-E or V-J day, but in reality, we ‘extracted’ one individual. I wish we had just taken a collective breath, maybe a quiet and subdued fist-pump, and then moved on smartly. I’m tired of looking like the drunken frat boy of the planet.
Great thoughts! Thanks for sharing.
This is exactly what I have been saying the last couple days. YES he was a bad man who did terrible things BUT he was still created by the same God that I was and I can not and will not celebrate death. Thank you Steve.
I was asleep for the announcement, so Monday morning’s internet visit was quite a surprise. My first reaction was “this sounds like a “grassy noll”. My second reaction was a feeling of gratitude to the men who achieved their goal. It’s one of those “Someone has to do it-not me, but someone.” And third, I realized that my dear friend(boss and principal) was waking to this news remembering that his oldest son was blown to bits by an IED 5 years ago in Afghanistan. A hollow victory-there was no celebrating out loud at Orange Grove Elementary on Monday morning. We had an unannounced respectful silence for all the brave men and women who gave their lives and did not get a chance to see the end. The street celebration bothers me, but I remember how proud I was when we took to the streets on 9-11-01. We banded together: black, white, Hispanic; Christian, Jew and atheist; New Yorker, South Carolinian and Texan. I haven’t decided yet how I feel, especially in reference to the two verses cited. I believe that pure evil does exist, and I can’t feel bad or sorry for Bin Laden. I hope that doesn’t make me a bad Christian.
I agree 100% Steve. Wondered if I was the only one who sensed that rejoicing in his death was wrong. Thanks for sharing.
Good word, Steve and an awesome son (anyone one of them)
I can’t celebrate anyone’s death, no matter how bad they were.
Hello. I am not a Christian, I am Muslim and I enjoyed reading this post that a friend posted on Facebook. I feel no sympathy for him — for any murderer, in fact, but I liked the quotes you quoted from the bible, reminds me of a quote from our holy book:
“Let not the hatred of a people swerve you away from justice. Be just, for this is closest to righteousness…” (Quran 5:8)
However, I would like to recommend not to generalize when you stated that random cities from the Middle East celebrates on setbacks the US faces. That is rare (the people of the ME has many busy with carrying out peaceful revolutions lately), because it made it seem like all random Middle Eastern cities do that. That is not the case- just like all Americans celebrated this death.
Hello, Aya K. Thank you for your thoughtful comments. I appreciate very much your point of view. I want to clarify my comment for you regarding “any random city in the Middle East.” I did not mean to imply that such demonstrations are normative in the Middle East. And, I agree with you that those demonstrations are rare – that was why I chose the phrasing I did. I had no particular city in mind and I know that many Muslims do not wish our country harm. I hope you will come back to my blog in the future. I would be interested to read your thoughts and hear your perspective on other religious, cultural and political issues. All the best, Steve
Hello Spencer. Thanks for your thoughts. Contrary perspectives are what make the discussions here fruitful. We do disagree.
Here are a few comments of mine in response to yours:
“But how do we really know what is being rejoiced over?”
I think we can be pretty clear about this. Prior to the announcement of bin Laden’s death there were no crowds gathered at Ground Zero or the White House. There were no chants of “U-S-A” circling Citizens Bank Park.
“I have not heard anyone rejoice in a spiteful vindictive way.”
I did. Quite a number in fact. From Geraldo on Fox who said, “we got the son of a bitch” to various background faces in the crowds to the woman interviewed who said she’s glad “he’s burning in hell right now.”
The comparison between a capture and a killing doesn’t hold. The man was killed, he wasn’t captured. And I would suggest that the patriotic displays that followed look far more like revenge in the eyes of a watching world (and mine), and it looks far more like we are simply taking satisfaction in the death of an enemy (contra Proverbs 24.17-18, et al). Further, I would suggest that that kind of revenge both alienates our friends and produces greater numbers of enemies. In fact, as of right now, 17 Christian friends who live in South America, various African countries, SE Asia and Europe have all emailed me to tell me, amongst other things, that the displays “look really bad” on their TVs. Revenge is not a worthy motivation for justice, and celebration in the streets is not a worthy response.
“The question itself is aimed at making those who rejoice feel guilty for doing so”.
I said in the post itself that I found a sense of relief in the news. I am comforted by the fact that the Armed Forces of the United States have the means and the will to remove such threats. I am hopeful that such actions might serve as a warning to others who might plan similar actions. I find some degree of moral satisfaction in the fact that bin Laden was not outside the reach of human justice. I am pleased that bin Laden is no longer a personal threat and that his death may further weaken terrorist plans and aspirations. It was not my intention (it wasn’t even in my universe of thought) to cause Christians who rejoice to feel bad. However, for a Christian to rejoice in the death of a human – even one considered an enemy – is explicitly contrary to the teachings and witness of our Lord.
Outstanding posting; it brought clarity to my own ponderings of the crowds’ response to Sunday night’s news. I appreciate your teaching and leadership in this, as in so many questions that confront us. How wonderful, too that your son’s instincts were so right. Gratifying, isn’t it when you realize what a fine young man you’ve raised? God’s peace.MaryAnn
Great stuff Steve. Great perspective.
Steve,
I did not see those news reports you spoke of. I certainly do not approve of rejoicing in vengeance nor in the death of any man. So we agree on that 100%. I simply did not see that kind of response. I still believe it is not the response of most people but perhaps just a few isolated incidents. This, by the way is one reason I rarely watch the news. The media tends to focus on the most extreme incidents and then characterizes and entire group as such. We’ve all seen this far too much in the political arena and I believe it is no different here.
The rejoicing that I have witnessed is in celebration that good has triumphed over evil, that justice has been served, and in the hope that the world is a better safer place without the possibility of him ever doing evil again. I believe those are all good things to celebrate.
I would hope that my celebration in such things does not cause others to jump to conclusions and think that because I celebrate that I am celebrating anyone’s death.
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