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| [...] a middle-eastern religious fundamentalist extremist [...] |
I understand the need and importance of the operation against Osama bin Laden, and recognize and even appreciate the significance of his removal from terrorist activity. [...] Surely everyone knew that this-- death by firearm, or bomb, or missile, in the face of military aggression-- was the reasonable and eventual end of this man, whose entire life seemed to be singularly-focused on wreaking fear, grief, and death upon as many of those with whom he disagreed as possible.But Ed also sees something seriously wrong with how we've responded, including the following:
The United States is not the Promised Land. The Old Testament promises for the nation of God's people do not apply to America. The American military forces are not the army of the Lord. And Christians, our citizenship in the U.S., however important, is secondary to our citizenship in the true Kingdom of God (and no they are not the same!). Consequently, Christians ought not feel free to cry out that the killing of Osama bin Laden is a victory for Christ!Rejoicing at a degree of justice being fulfilled is one thing. Rejoicing at the death of a man who deserved God's wrath and curse no more than we did is something else entirely. the same David, the man after God's own heart who actually did live in the Promised Land, the man who prayed for deliverance from his enemies and justice on God's enemies, wept for the deaths of Saul and Absalom.
The real kick in the gut, for me, was his last bullet, which included the following:
How many of the Christians who are celebrating the death of Osama bin Laden ever prayed for his conversion and repentance? If we know ourselves and what we have been redeemed from, we long for the redemption of others. If all we feel for others is contempt and condemnation, perhaps we don't know and recognize the depth and degree of our own redemption.There have been some strongly held opinions on all sides expressed online about the death of Osama bin Laden. I've seen what nearly looked like battle lines drawn on the Facebook, of all places, over how good Christians should be rejoicing at the death of this wretched man. But as my friend Neal F. put it,
I say rejoice at a small taste of God's justice, yes. But rejoice for the death of an image bearer of God? Rejoice at part of the fate I have earned for myself falling on someone who has not received the same grace as I? Rejoice at the power of the gun to change the shape of this broken, poisoned world? Rejoice that the sword has not departed from our house?
No.
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My friend Bradford Littlejohn made a good post on this yesterday: http://www.swordandploughshare.com/main-blog/2011/5/2/bin-laden-is-dead-the-speech-obama-could-have-given.html
(This is Bradley Belschner posting this, by the way. It shows up as "Sarah" because that's my wife.)
"Justice is not sweet, but it is better than injustice."
What a great way to put it, thanks for posting this link, Brad!
To the contrary, justice is very sweet. It is not the lesser of two evils, some unfortunately necessary compromise hanging about like day-old bread on the kitchen counter. It is beautiful and good and seemly. We should love it in our marrow, and hate its opposite without apology. Now, that doesn’t mean having an orgy when a bad guy shuffles off his mortal coil. It also doesn’t imply denying or minimizing our own depravity – shadowy demonstrations of justice in the present age remind us of just how little justice we ourselves have actually received. It throws God’s ultimate justice, and his mercy, into stark relief; it drives us to our knees in wonder at God’s mad scheme to be at once just and the justifier of the ungodly.
So, to the extent that Christians are gloating, or acting like they think they saved themselves, I agree that they ought to shut up. But Osama was an exceptionally evil man, and it is good that he is dead. Full stop. I have likewise been an evil man, and but for God’s grace would deserve no less. That God should have chosen me instead of Osama (to the best of anyone’s knowledge) is grounds for humility, even bewilderment. But he did, and has similarly been pleased to recompense the wicked according to his merit. He has mercy on whom he will have mercy, and he hardens whom he hardens; and I for one think we should refrain from second-guessing him in either case.
Oh, that was Joel, if you couldn't guess. On re-reading, I'm actually not sure we disagree about this - we both affirm that Bin Laden deserved to die, and that his death shouldn't make us forget our own wretchedness. So perhaps it is less contrary than I thought.
I had a nice, detailed response written up, but you know how that goes. Let me just say that I completely agree that justice is in no way the lesser of two evils; it is altogether good. But there is more than one kind of good: one kind should inspire dancing, revelry, and merriment; another should inspire humility, reflection, and sober satisfaction. Justice, I think, is not of the former kind, and if we act like it is, what we are celebrating is probably not justice at all.
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