So Sunday was a real shocker. When I heard that President Obama was going to make an announcement, I figured that it would have something to do with the war on terror or extraterrestrials. Just kidding on the second part (although that would have been AWESOME.)
So when I heard about what happened and started to watch my facebook newsfeed explode with comments, I couldn't believe what I was reading.
People who were status updating earlier that day about how blessed they were at church were now writing comments like, "I hope Osama burns in hell".
It's sad that people can't understand that Osama bin Laden is as much of a sinner and in need of God's love as everyone else.
Am I saying that 9/11 was OK? No. Heck no. Was it wrong? Yes.
But. Is it right to wish someone to an eternity in hell? No.
Bin Laden was a terrorist. No doubt about it. He was a religious fanatic who saw the message that the west was spreading and wanted to murder those who spread that type of lifestyle. I read a story about another terrorist though.
"A while back, there was a bearded religious extremist; a Middle Eastern terrorist who felt compelled by God to exterminate the infidels who were offending God with their ideas and beliefs. He grew up in the robes of privilege and attended one of the most prestigious educational institutes in all of the Middle East. At some point he was probably indoctrinated in some way to think that the way to deal with those who had different religious beliefs than he did was to organize and lead a campaign that would exterminate them. He went from city to city; all the while drumming up support and executing his divinely sanctioned orders. His influence was growing, he was making his point. God was pleased. Terrorism was winning.
On one most famous occasion that they still talk about, he bravely stood watch and supervised the brutal murdering of one of the more prominent infidels that had been spreading the word about some new religious ideas. When the stoning was over, him and his friends gathered outside the governor’s residence and danced the night away. They pressed up to the gate and sung songs of patriotism and religion (sometimes they couldn’t tell the difference). The children gathered around too and took mental videos and mental pictures and the local reporters stood around and recalled how this occasion would be remembered forever. A young student in his early twenties thanked God for the events of the day and even quoted a Bible verse. The veteran reporter among them guessed that such a bold and courageous and swift action of justice would bring peace and unity to those whom the new religion has uncomfortably stirred. One seventeen year old boy said to his younger sister, “sister, you will always remember where you were when this happened.” And she always did.
Not too long after, on another mission to exterminate the religious filth that resided in a neighboring city to the northeast, the religious extremist, the Middle Eastern terrorist, was following his divine orders when suddenly, while passing a large compound in the desert mountains with his family, met someone extraordinary. He was never the same after he met this person. Realizing that he had been wrong about the whole terrorism thing all along, he was sad and scared. He fell on his face and cried heavy tears of sorrow and shame and guilt. Him and his family laid down in the traditional posture of execution; waiting for the man to swing some sword to punish them for all of their wrongs, all of their murders, all of their tortures, all of their flag burning and song singing and evil. But the man did not kill the Arab terrorist. He did not even send a contact to seek him out later. In fact, the man made the terrorist the leader of his own movement of love, forgiveness, peace, and reconciliation. The terrorist followed this man the rest of his life and wrote about him all the time as well. He piled up a lot of letters and speeches and today they make up most of what people call the New Testament.
The bearded religious extremist talked about meeting God that day. A God who shook things up and showed the Earth the way things actually are. A God who talked about loving enemies. A God whose does not kill bearded terrorists, but rather changes and transforms them through scandalous love and grace. A God with a different view of justice than simply getting “even.” A God who does not dance when humans die and a God who does not “bless” those who do. A God who announces that everyone is ugly and that everyone is beautiful and that no one, not even bearded Middle Eastern terrorists, are beyond redemption."
Pretty powerful stuff eh?
Hope you're doing fantastic! Let's love those who we find unlovable, much like Christ did for us.
