Wrong Message

Note: Here is an article that caught my attention. It is the side of the other extreme. Some believe we should not rejoice over Bin Laden’s death, and others like what you will read here believe we should not only rejoice over his death, but also rejoice that he is burning in hell. Now I already wrote my thought on this subject: See “Should Christians Rejoice over Bin Laden’s Death?”  But I want you to read how extreme others can sound. Now remember as you read through this article – this person professes to be an orthodox Christian. Go ahead and read this and then I will make some comments at the end.

Why Christians Should Rejoice That UBL Is Dead and in Hell

By Doug Giles

5/8/2011

Let me go on the record stating that as a Christian I am completely cool with our Navy SEAL Team Six killing Usama. Or is it Osama? Does anyone know? I heard he liked it both ways.

Anyway, the only thing that makes me sad about bin Laden’s death, as an orthodox Christian, is that a). It didn’t happen on Christmas or Easter, and b). The rude SEAL Team Six didn’t include me along to pull the trigger.

Apparently, the SEALs require those who go on their missions to be physically and psychologically fit to the nth degree and stuff—y’know, like being able to swim like Esther Williams during a hurricane with a wildebeest strapped to one’s back. When they told me that, I was like, “Whatever.” And the SEALs were like, “Pfff.” And thus they chose someone else to whack that wacky bastard. So, I guess I’ll have to settle for seconds and wait to play the forthcoming Xbox video game based on the Abbottabad raid entitled, SEAL Team Six: Who’s Yo’ Mama, Usama? But I digress.

So, why do I bring up my Christianity in conjunction with my satisfaction with Usama getting capped? Well, it’s principally because of the rank anti-biblical bollocks coming from pastors and priests who believe that Christians should not be happy that bin Laden has now been eaten by groupers at the bottom of the Indian Ocean (or wherever the heck they tossed his damnable corpse).

For instance, Bill O’Reilly had a Catholic priest, Father Beck, on his show this past week who not only said we should dial down on our biblical joy that this evil SOB was shot but that we should’ve “loved him,” “forgiven him,” and “not judged him” because “we don’t know what was in Usama’s wittle heart that caused him to kill tens of thousands of people worldwide.”

To hear this cat talk, it sounds like all UBL simply needed was some Xanax, a new coloring book and a little face time with Dr. Drew because his daddy didn’t love him enough or something.

Well, Father Crock—I mean Beck—call me a heretic because I believe those commands to “love, forgive and not judge” don’t extend to a sick, twisted, violent, God-hating, woman abusing, implacable, wicked dog like bin Laden but rather to personal verbal detractors of one’s faith (y’know, people who don’t pose a grave global security threat. Duh).

It’s like I wrote in my best selling book, Raising Righteous & Rowdy Girls, about how I raised my girls: If you’re made fun of, ridiculed, or maligned for your beliefs, don’t sweat it; love and pray for your enemies and learn what I’ve learned over many years: Other people’s animosity can actually sell a lot of books.

However, should someone want to physically harm you in some form or fashion (say, a rapist or a terrorist) then it’s okay for you to defend yourself and hurt him or, if need be, kill him. Call me the devil. In my world the good person should live and the evil person should die.

Hey, Christian Love Machine: Usama wasn’t some angry blogger who merely said mean crap about Christians and western culture; he was a malevolent, murderous Saladin wannabe who was part and parcel of the massive, heartless slaughter of men, women and children both here and abroad.

Christians should rejoice because bin Laden was decidedly evil; his body is currently the main course for coconut crabs at 300 feet; and his soul is browning on Dante’s BBQ. Providence, via our ministers of death, the bad ass SEAL Team Six, plucked a foul weed from this planet and officially ended his reign of terror. I guarantee that when the SEALs’ 5.56mm round exited Usama’s brain at 3,000 feet per second the Father, Son and Holy Spirit stood up and said to each other, “High five!” and then after that congratulatory moment simultaneously said like preternatural triplets, “Who’s next?” And you know what? We should feel the same way.

Comments: Well, what do you think? Here are a few of my observations as I read this article.

1.       The flavor of this article sounds a lot like those in Bin Laden’s camp. A lot of hate, emphasis on personal justice and in your face sort of stuff.

2.       Can you pin point any passage where Jesus sounds like this? Let me go a step further: Can you identify any passage in the New Testament that supports or sounds a lot like this article?

3.       Let me ask you a silly question:  Were those in the Twin Towers innocent on September 11, 2001? Did they deserve to die like that in the hands of terrorists?  Of course not. Over three thousand people lost their lives needlessly.  But, the bible does teach that the “wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23).  “The soul that sins will die” (Ezek. 18:20). Over in Hebrews we read, “It is appointed unto man once to die” (Heb. 9:27). 

My point is this: All who are born are born in sin (Rom. 5:12; Psa. 51:5). We are all sinners and eventually will have to die as a result of living in this fallen world and possessing a fallen sin nature. Not everyone dies the same. People die differently. Some die of natural causes and some die horrific deaths. But no one dies apart from the consequences of sin that eventually takes over our bodies.

But what about Jesus? Was He not sinless? He sure was. Jesus was holy, innocent, undefiled, separate some sinners (Heb. 7:26). Nevertheless, He was unjustly arrested, unjustly tortured, and put to death unjustly too. If anyone should have been angry and expressed a heart of revenge, it would be Jesus. But as He hung on the cross, this is what He said to those who unjustly put Him there: “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

This was the heart-attitude of the Savior of the world who was unjustly crucified. Does Jesus sound like the article you just read?

As you read through the Book of Acts on the history of the first century Christians, do you read at any place where they sought revenge or gloried in the death of those who unjustly killed Jesus?

Paul reminds us that it is the “kindness of God that leads people to repentance” (Rom. 2:4). How are others going to see, hear and experience God’s loving kindness if not through the lives of His people?

We are to be so different than the world. We are admonished to “come out from among them and be separate” (2 Cor. 6:17).  However, we are not being separate if we sound like we are pumping blood through the same heart as that of the world. Jesus’ message, life and approach are radically different than what we think. His method of justice is so different too. This is the same Jesus who says, “Love your enemies, pray for them (and while you are at it) – do good to those who HATE YOU” (Luke 6:27). This is so radical. Why does Jesus want us to behave this way? “In order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:45).

It is when we extend a heart of love, compassion, forgiveness while justice demands swift action that we show ourselves to be different from the world and identified with a much higher Person and cause – God, His will and purposes! 

It is so important that we take a step back and review the kind of message we are sending out to others. I don’t doubt the salvation of the person who wrote the above article, but I do question the kind of message he is sending out to those who do not know Jesus. Do we want the unsaved to think of the church as being much like the terrorists? We do sound just like them and act just like them when we finally get our way.

We have to love those who are our enemies in order to be properly rewarded by God. For Jesus did say, “If you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even sinners do the same” (Matt. 5:46)?

Should Christians Rejoice Over Bin Laden's Death?

Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice, 18 or the LORD will see and disapprove
and turn his wrath away from them – Prov. 24:17-18

Americans are waking up this week to the news that al-Qaida founder Osama bin Laden is dead.

President Barack Obama announced late Sunday night in a televised appearance that U.S. forces killed bin Laden during a firefight in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

"The death of bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation’s effort to defeat al-Qaida," Obama said.
It's been 10 years now since al-Qaida carried out what Obama called the worst attack on the American people in U.S. history.
Nearly 3,000 people were killed when four planes were hijacked, with two of them crashing into the Twin Towers in New York City and another into The Pentagon in Arlington, Va., on Sept. 11.

In response, the U.S. launched a war on terror in 2001.
Obama informed the American people on Sunday that shortly after taking office two years ago he directed Leon Panetta, the director of the CIA, "to make the killing or capture of bin Laden the top priority of our war against al-Qaida."

On Sunday, the U.S. launched a targeted operation against the compound bin Laden was hiding in and after a firefight, killed the terrorist. No Americans were harmed.

Immediately after the announcement, Americans began celebrating. The question I asked myself was this: “Is it right for Christians to celebrate the death of a man – any man?”

Here are some responses I have come across:

"I DO mourn death -- The widespread death that Bin Laden's life created. Today we MUST celebrate the sacrifice & victory of our troops.”

"I unapologetically celebrate multitudes of people who will have an opportunity to live because of this man's death. That is good-THAT is victory."

"The thousands of people who Bin Laden sent into a Christless eternity; forced to endure hell on earth receive all my sympathy."

One can certainly understand the above responses. Here was a man who cut short the lives of over 3000 people on September 11, 2001 and who also ruined the lives of thousands of others who had relationships with those killed.

However, I was worried and taken back at some of the other kind of rejoicing I witnessed on TV. I saw American college students reveling outside the White House, shouting, chanting “USA” and spilling beer. Such an image does not reflect well on this country.
Joyfully celebrating the killing of a killer who joyfully celebrated killing carries an irony that I hope will not be lost on us. Are we learning anything, or simply participating in our own way in the cycle of violence?

Folks, we must not forget this: Although the death of Bin Laden has probably made the world a little more safe, his death has not made the world more beautiful. Only Jesus can do this. Only Jesus can give the world peace, beauty, purpose and hope.

While the death of bin Laden marks a tremendous victory, the fight against terrorism is not over, Obama made this clear.
"There’s no doubt that al-Qaida will continue to pursue attacks against us," he said in his address. "We must – and we will – remain vigilant at home and abroad."

How does the Lord feel about the death of Bin Laden? I think God is both sad and happy. Here are some passages to show what I mean:

Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live? . . . For I do not pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live. (Ezekiel 18:23, 32). Therefore, based on this, God is not happy over the death of the wicked.

In another sense, the death and judgment of the unrepentant is God’s pleasure:

Thus shall my anger spend itself, and I will vent my fury upon them and satisfy myself. (Ezekiel 5:13)

Wisdom calls out: Because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you. (Proverbs 1:25–26)

Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, for God has given judgment for you against her! (Revelation 18:20)

As the Lord took delight in doing you good . . . so the Lord will take delight in bringing ruin upon you and destroying you. (Deuteronomy 28:63).

Emotions can be so complex, just ask any man who has been married to a woman for some time! And since we are created in the image of God, our emotions are also complex. On the one hand we love a certain restaurant one day, but hate it on another. We say we love a movie, but did not like the acting. How about this one: God loves the sinner, but hates the sin? See what I mean?

Remember this: The death and misery of the unrepentant (Bin Laden) is in and of itself not a pleasure to God. God is not a sadist. He is not malicious or bloodthirsty. The death and suffering considered for itself alone is not His delight.

However, when a rebellious, wicked, unbelieving person is judged, what God has pleasure in is the exaltation of truth and righteousness, and the vindication of His own honor and glory.

Likewise, this should also be our response. We should not exalt and rejoice over the death of a lost sinner (Remember Proverbs 24 above), but we should always rejoice over the triumph of truth and the vindication of God’s own honor and glory. This I believe is the correct response for Christians.