The recent media coverage of Osama Bin Laden's death has disturbed me maybe even more than it should. I have been shocked, perplexed and saddened by the response of educated, compassionate people who are celebrating the death of a human being. Yes, I said it, human being. An evil human being. A murderous human being. A sick, and twisted, and awful human being. But a human being. And child of God.
I very intentionally am not making this a blog about politics, so I will not opine on war, our president or a particular polictal party. I will not debate whether justice was served or whether we are safer. My opinions on those things might or might not surprise you. I will, however, lament the reaction of Christian people over the loss of life. I will agonize over how to instill in two boys that every single life is precious to God and that God does not love me, or them, more than Osama Bin Laden.
Carl and I have been trying to figure out a way to talk to our five year old about what he might hear or see. It really hits close to home because he has taken an interest (some might say obsession) in Star Wars and when I object that maybe he shouldn't be watching the movies and shows, or others like them, too often because they are too violent, he likes to draw distinctions between the killing or hurting of "bad guys" as opposed to "good guys." It's OK when they are bad guys, according to him. And I often let it go because I don't know how to explain to a five year old that it's not. That human beings should not take the lives of other human beings, . . . but that sometimes its necessary.
Ugh. This has been one of those painful reminders that faith and parenting are both really, really hard.
I can identify on the first part (not so much the parenting since I've managed to stay child-free).
ReplyDeleteThis is what I posted on someone's FB page about it:
The other thing that gets me is that people are cheering the death of someone. To me, it's no different than the Palestinians cheering 9/11. I shed no tears for Bin Laden and am glad he won't be the chief of any more terrorist plots, but partying in the streets over the death of anyone, even an enemy...well, I think we should be above that.
Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteI can imagine that figuring out how to discuss issues such as violence and good vs. evil with your five year-old is difficult. That being said, I say your MLK quote on FB earlier this week and now this blog post, and I feel compelled to comment. Despite my life-long, deeply rooted Christian beliefs, I have not lost one minute of sleep over the death of Bin Laden, nor the reaction of the Americans who lost loved ones on 9/11. Yes, God loves all human beings, and had Bin Laden repented for his atrocities, I truly believe God would have welcomed him to Heaven in spite of them. But Bin Laden was evil incarnate, and I have no objection to old-fashioned, Old Testament, eye for an eye justice in response to such evil. The man was "optimistic" that the jet fuel from the planes would make the World Trade Center towers collapse and was thrilled when that was actually what happened. If the people in NYC and D.C. want to dance in the streets, I say more power to them.
Gwen
Gwen,
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate what you're saying. I haven't lost any sleep over the death of Bin Laden either, nor have I shed any tears over it. While I am not God and do not feel like I am in a position to determine what people "deserve" as far as life or death - nor to know the hearts of people just before they die, I am certain that if it was my judgment call to make, death would seem to be "deserved" for Bin Laden. I certainly don't blame people for anger, or even hatred of the man. And while I don't believe killing is an answer for killing, I understand that such simplistic principles cannot be applied to modern warfare or national security strategies. I would point out, however, that my uncomfortableness has not been with the specific reaction of people who lost loved ones. It has been with the public portrayed in the media in general (and clearly, I realize that some of those people lost loved ones). But the fact that college students and random citizens are dancing in the streets over the death of a human, even an enemy, is disturbing to me. Ironically, all of the loved ones I have seen interviewed have not expressed celebration, but have been universal in saying, "It doesn't bring my loved one back." They have expressed relief and closure, which I understand. But celebration is disturbing - to me.