I don't know if you knew this, but Osama Bin Laden was killed.
I found out earlier in the day yesterday, surprisingly not through Facebook where I later saw the usual plethora of Facebook stati whenever anything of the slightest importance happens in the news, weather, and/or popular high school scenes.
I saw statuses like this...
RIP Osama Bin Laden. May you forever Rest In Pieces.
Shot in the head by a SEAL team! Awesome.
best line on tv yet, from the NYC firefighter "may Osama Bin Laden rot in hell."
I don't mean to single these people out at all, I just couldn't bring myself to really feel happy about it. I didn't know why. The patriotism that seemed to be spreading like a virus and boosting American morale was absent from my own feelings. I love America, but I honestly felt no joy in the fact that this man was dead. It wasn't until dearest Kaylee posted this that I figured out why...
“I will mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” - Martin Luther King Jr.
I don't mean to say I share the same integrity and goodness that MLK did. I certainly do not. He is a greater human being than I could ever hope to be. But I get what he's saying here. Osama was a confused, power hungry man. He did terrible things. He was responsible for thousands of deaths. But he was human too. I don't want to feel happy that he's gone. But rather, I feel sad that he was so lost and consumed by evil. He is still our spiritual brother, odd as it may seem. He will get the chance in spirit prison to be taught and accept the gospel, just like everyone else.
COOL HUH.
Funny, my sister blogged something very similar. I would link to it but it's a private blog. She also used a quote though:
ReplyDelete"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?" -Brian McLaren
To be honest, I can't really make up my mind how I feel about it.
I felt the same way. I almost had no feeling about it at all. Wasn't happy wasn't sad. I don't think it justifies anything that happened. Only God will get his justice. I felt no patriotism over it at all.
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