Thoughts on the death of Bin Laden

I woke up this morning to the news of Bin Laden's death.

My first reaction was that I didn't believe it.

My second reaction was that some semblance of justice had been served.

I am not a full-throated pacifist.  Bin Laden set in motion the killing of thousands over his career, not just on 9/11.  And on 9/11, it wasn't just Americans who were murdered, but individuals from many different countries.  His brand of terrorism respected no religious creed but his own warped vision of Islam, meaning Muslims could also be potential victims in a war where he proclaimed there were no neutral parties.  I accept Bin Laden's death was as just an outcome as we could expect on Earth given his past actions and future intentions.  (A trial would have been nice, too.  It reads like he decided to not be taken alive.)

My third reaction approached cynicism.

That the mastermind of the largest terrorist operation on U.S. soil had been killed by the skillful SEAL Team 6 registered in my mind as a solemn example of our own imperfect nature.  There is one less planner of terrorist attacks, but the cycle of violence will continue.  As many will be saying in the days ahead, the war is not over.  In some ways it is never over.

What will prove to be the hard part of the once-called "war on terror" is that the end of the war seems unlikely.  The celebration that broke out in various places in DC and New York seemed more fitting for the end of hostilities, but in a never-ending war, we seem to take what small victory we can get.

My fourth reaction was disgust.

Celebrations!  We celebrate because Bin Laden is dead.  But he still wins, in a way.  His actions have killed thousands; Our reaction has also killed thousands, cost trillions, and put us in a position to continue to fight wars that Bin Laden no longer can fight.  He got what he wanted, a civilizational war with what he and others like him called the 'Great Satan.'  Going forward, some in our own country will be happy to oblige in the civilzational war Bin Laden believed in so much.

In quarters of social media, the phrase 'Enjoy Hell' is popping up as a status.  Christians glorying in death is not a good sign.  People draped in the American flag chanting  "USA,USA!!" is not a good sign.  Justice, like war, is a solemn undertaking.  When we start celebrating death, even the death of one so guilty of crimes against humanity, we turn from justice and approach revenge.  We turn away from life.

David Gushee, in a statement today, wrote that:

For those of us who embrace a version of the just war theory, honed carefully over the centuries of Christian tradition, our response is disciplined by belief that war itself is tragic and that all killing in war, even in self-defense, must be treated with sobriety and even mournfulness. War and all of its killing reflects the brokenness of our world. That is the proper spirit with which to greet this news.

The Vatican shared the same sentiment:

In the face of a man’s death, a Christian never rejoices, but reflects on the serious responsibilities of each person before God and before men, and hopes and works so that every event may be the occasion  for the further growth of peace and not of hatred.

I am of the same opinion.

The Christian task is harder than dispatching someone in a speedy death (or a slow death, as some have stated that they would have preferred for Bin Laden).  And while I sometimes wish Jesus had been reasonable and would let us sometimes hate our enemies, our job is instead to be about the business of our Father:  love and reconciliation.  Anything less than reconciliation and love is a lesser good, even if it is what is possible in a broken world.  It is not a situation worthy of celebration but lament. 

And so, my prayer today is this:  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. (BCP)

"Do not rejoice when your enemies fall,
and do not let your heart be glad when they stumble."
Proverbs 24:17
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The religio-political edge to my thinking:

Some Christians are willing to go down that above-mentioned path of death, such as David Brody of the Christian Broadcasting Network, who said 

I know President Obama understands that getting Bin Laden doesn’t mean an end to the war on terrorism but how about a smile? How about showing a little joy? How about a word or two saying something about how this is no doubt a happy or joyous occasion for Americans? We got nothing like that at all. Instead, we got Mr. Monotone. Mr. Bars and Tone. Mr. Non-Emotion.  President Obama missed an opportunity to connect with Americans last night.

On behalf of President Obama, I apologize to David Brody that he did not get an "Osama is Dead!" Balloon.  I think Obama gets this whole business of war a bit more than Brody does.  While we might acknowledge that our imperfect nature leads to conflict, we don't need to celebrate it.