Ministry News

Leaders Respond to Bin Laden Death

Details: Monday, 02 May 2011 20:01

The Sunday-night announcement by President Barack Obama that terrorist leader Osama bin Laden had been killed by Navy Seals in a top-secret operation led to a flurry of comments, scripture quotations and even celebration from pastors and church leaders on Twitter, Facebook and blogs—some even correcting one another for their perspectives on the momentous occasion.

Rick Warren tweeted, quoting Proverbs 21:15, "When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers."

Richard Land of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, praised the military's actions: "If anyone ever deserved the forfeiture of his life for crimes against humanity, it was Osama bin Laden."

North Carolina pastor Steven Furtick tweeted, "I unapologetically celebrate multitudes of people who will have an opportunity to live b/c of this man's death. That is good—THAT is victory."

Author and church leader Brian McClaren was a bit more subdued, expressing in a blog post concern over the glee of celebrants surrounding the White House drinking beer and waving American flags late Sunday night: "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 spinning harder in the cycle of violence?"

On Monday, the implications of bin Laden's death moved beyond the blogosphere as the U.S. State Department issued an alert warning American citizens traveling and living abroad of the increased potential for anti-American violence. This was a move that will have obvious implications for missionaries and aid workers serving in Muslim countries, as well as Muslim-background believers often targeted for anti-Christian violence.

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Comments

0 #12 femi mafe 2011-05-10 18:12

Thx for that good one, Dmag. I'm not against the killing of Osama. He was a cankerworm that needed to be removed before he could destroy more innocent lives, and that has been done. However, Proverbs 24:17-18 says; "Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: Lest the Lord see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from hi." David knew this principle too and he restained from rejoicing over Saul and his other enemies. It is mercy that our God wants, not the death of a sinner. If I had not known better, it could have been me.... I would rather have rejoiced if Osama got saved and was giving a witness all around the world. Imagine what global and heavenly joy that would be!

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0 #11 dmags 2011-05-10 13:33

I agree we should not celebrate his death, but I understand the feelings of those who had loved ones who died because of him. It would take a appearance of Jesus Himself to change his heart and still may not help. What does the bible say about our soldiers at war? Are we to feel the same way, love our enemys, turn the other cheek? The OT God talks of killing a whole people, their animals, everything so as not to embrace their idolatry. Is Ben Laden an act of war or enemies we encounter everyday? I don't have the answer!! Islam is going to be something we will have to deal with in this country, what then?

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+2 #10 F. Rochester 2011-05-03 10:27

In the Psalms, we constantly see David sharing about vengance on all his enemies. In the NT, we see love and compassion that the Lord wants us to operate in over our enemies. We are constantly pulled by one or the other. No, there isn't a double standard. We must remember what Galatians 6:7 (AMP) tells us, "For whatever a man sows, that and that only is what he will reap." What did Osama sowed? What did Osama reaped? Once the shedding of blood and the taking of innocent lives was planted in the ground by him and everyone connected to him, there must, inevitably, be a harvest that no one in the flesh could stop. So before you settle on one side or the other, just remember what was sown.

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+1 #9 Chaplain Terry Morga 2011-05-03 10:12

It is important to see the whole of scripture, and not hen peck verses. The most applicable to this situation is probably Romans 13. Verses 1-4 in the NIV read like thus "Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer." This was a just action. We would love to see everyone come to Christ. But not everyone will.

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+1 #8 mikephillipsxl 2011-05-03 08:31

I have to agree with several others: though it is good that this unrepentant murderer of thousands is unable to murder again, the death of anyone without Christ is a tragedy. Let us be motivated by the grace of God, that brings salvation, to reach out to others whatever their beliefs. It is only by His grace, not by any good thing I do or bad thing I avoid, that I will not spend eternity with bin laden. I am saddened by the eternal prospect of anyone who will be cut off from the only One who is Good, and no longer have any desire to celebrate the death of anyone condemned to that hell.

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+1 #7 Chaplain Terry Morga 2011-05-03 07:05

Osama Bin Laden was an unrepentant murderer. Given the opportunity, he would have killed many more in the name of Allah. Our military brought justice to him. They stopped him from doing more harm, and recruiting followers. His violent death may not stop other terrorists, but it stopped their most influential leader.
We are clearly in a war we didn't choose. We were attacked without provocation. Innocents were murdered at Bin Laden's direction.
God’s love isn’t willing any should perish without Christ: on the other hand his justice condemns evil. God rid the world of an evil influence - we should be thankful to Him for that.
Christian leaders - don’t repeat the sins of the past. Don’t be arrogant, or condescending to those who disagree with our view, thinking we know “better”.
Use caution: don't swing from the extremes of celebrating the death of Osama Bin Laden – who might be compared to Adolf Hitler – to reproving those who celebrate his death, and condemning our military.

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+2 #6 spartacus 2011-05-03 04:09

Osama needed to pay for his crimes. People die in war. But to celebrate the death of another person...it's wrong on more levels than one.
First of all, Osama probably went to Hell. You still want to cheer over another soul in Satan's hand?
Second, to party over a death shows that we have no respect for anything at all. To party because someone died...it's juvenile, self-serving, and bad form.
The argument is that Osama was a bad person, thus deserving of death.
That begs the question, who is good?
Someone once said to Jesus, "Good teacher, what do I have to do to be saved?"
Jesus said that nobody is good, except for the Father. If Jesus refused to accept the name "good", then I am not about to do it, either.
We've allowed the murder of countless unborn. We've kept quiet instead of sharing the true Gospel. We're just as guilty as Bin Laden...and yet we refuse to beg God for mercy because we're too busy celebrating.
Personally, you make me sick.

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+1 #5 femi mafe 2011-05-03 03:52

When I learnt about the death of bin Laden in the wee hours of that fateful day, I posted a Breaking News item on FB, just for pple to know what was on. On second thots, I began to feel sorry for this soul created by God, who died, probably without knowing Him (no-one knows if he repented at the last minute, tho it's very doubtful). Imagine if he had accepted the grace of Christ and was giving testimonies all over the globe. What a shaker that would have been. Pity, he went down like that. Others like him; please have a rethink. The grace of Christ is still there for y'all.

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+1 #4 femi mafe 2011-05-03 03:50

When I learnt about the death of bin Laden in the wee hours of that fateful day, I posted a Breaking News item on FB, just for pple to know what was on. On second thots, I began to feel sorry for this soul created by God, who died, probably without knowing Him (no-one knows if he repented at the last minute, tho it's very doubtful). Imagine if he had accepted the grace of Christ and was giving testimonies all over the globe! What a shaker that would have been. But, pity, it's not to be. Others like him, the grace of Christ is still available for you...

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0 #3 B.J.Stone 2011-05-03 03:31

This event is probably going to prove more serious than any previous local 'burning of the Koran' OVERSEAS? The 'celebrations' being much more public, media frenzied, and makes us wonder if the 'politics' has gotten in the way of 'keeping secrets' when prudent, especially when still at war? Still attempting distracting information from detainees? Still not yet analyizing the papers taken from the secret mission raid? Still not having co-operation yet with all those dollars spent on Pakistan? Just for 'the Donald' to also have opportunity for credit for another knee jerk reaction from current administration, new lows in the poll?

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