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I woke up this morning (since I’m in Europe) to the news that Bin Laden had been killed. Before I begin, let me say the following:
One, I recognize and acknowledge that armed force was the only way to deal with this threat, and that the reality of the situation was such that a capture rather than a killing was made impossible.
Two, I am hopeful for the result, that is, that the organization might be weakened, and the terrorist threat to the west might be reduced.
That said, I have two problems:
One is the President’s claim that “justice has been done.” Has justice been done? Even by the standards of human justice? A man, even one who might have confessed to acts deserving of death, who is summarily executed has neither received justice, nor has justice been served in the name of whatever standard he has transgressed against. Bin Laden was never tried, even in absentia, at least to my knowledge. He claimed responsibility, he may be held responsible for his orders, but what happened was not justice. Justice was robbed, and this is a tragedy – and a danger, that he will be made into a martyr by his followers. Even worse, President Obama claimed that we are “at war” with Al-Qaeda – in effect, legitimizing their efforts and making the death of Bin Laden problematic. One is only at war with a nation – a terrorist cell, a group of criminals, should be treated as and referred to as such. If we are “at war”, then we have just killed the head of a “nation” in a military strike, that is, we have assassinated the leader of our opponents. Better would be to tell the truth – a dangerous criminal leader resisted apprehension, and was, unfortunately, killed before he could be brought to justice.
The second is problematic for me as a Christian. I’ve already seen pictures of the celebrations being held in response to this announcement. I question, no matter how evil, no matter how depraved, should we celebrate that someone has been killed? Is the “us-and-them,” “we got ‘em” mentality an ethical response? I reject this course wholeheartedly, and am ashamed for my fellow Christians who do not. I regret most deeply that Bin Laden was not captured; I regret most deeply that he was given no opportunity for rehabilitation; and I regret most deeply that he, as a human of equal worth, has died without Christ (and RE: the big universalist debate going on right now, perhaps you think I needn’t regret that last one, but those celebrating would likely be angry to hear it). A Christian response to Bin Laden’s death is not one of joy, though perhaps a human response might well be one of relief.
We dare not glory in killing, even that of a terrorist, for even when a war is just, violence and death must be a last resort. Today should be a somber day, a day of relief that a threat may be removed or reduced, but a day of sadness that we could do no better, and a day of mourning for the loss of life of one of our fellow humans, one of our fellow creations, one of our fellow bearers of the Imago Dei, and furthermore, a day of sadness, as we can reasonably assert that this image bearer lost his life while in poor standing before God.
Lord, who is above our grievances and hatreds, who is beyond our spite and vengeance, help up to keep perspective in this matter – help us to see these events as Christians, and not citizens of a nation or offended parties. Help us to live out the love you’ve called us to, the difficult love; let us not turn our backs in joy at a loss which we should mourn.
