indoctrahol.

In the beginning of this month we as Americans experience the closure of many unsettled thoughts that were brought by the attacks at September 11, 2001.  It is widely known at this point that Osama Bin Ladin has been found and subsequently killed by US troops.  With this breaking news, there was an immediate reaction by our country.  Now that news travels quickly; it only takes seconds to hear one’s opinion on these issues, it takes only minutes to find the opinions of the masses.  As a Christian, and an individual who struggles with the philosophical issues of war and how a Christian ought to view war and his country going to war, I was placed in a dilemma.  Knowing the grace of God, and based on my beliefs of the afterlife, I asked myself a very difficult question.  “How do I respond to this?”

My friends have been very divided when they answered this question themselves.  Some people celebrate, as the large majority has done as well.  I’ve read Facebook updates that were humble, boisterous, celebratory, tasteless, hilarious, and downright clever.  There were discussions and arguments with bible verses using both sides.  With this apparent great divide, what is the correct or the best answer?

The events directly proceeding 9/11 turned into a sobering reality: we needed to bring those responsible to justice.  There was no other option.  After, it turned into a manhunt that seemed like it would never end.  We invaded Iraq, and at that point the war seemed to take a strange turn.  The majority protested this move and after we found no weapons of mass destruction we began to mock the progress that our troops have done in the Middle East.  This leads to the mockery of how the US Military have not found Bin Ladin, and because of the rapid change in perspective that the American people have about the war, it’s hard to see a proper goal, a proper resolution to this very convoluted conflict.  This was all true until yesterday.  The announcement of the death of Bin Ladin, if anything, brought a definite sense of closure to the troops and the American people who were looking for an absolute resolution.  However someone feels about the war, it is hard to disagree that bringing Osama to justice is one of the few, if not only thing that the US Troops needed to do; one of the only good things that can come from this conflict.  Though there are other, possibly better ways, to bring Bin Ladin to justice, an outcome like this one had to happen.  The United States needed to find Osama, and this country needed to see that justice has been done.  Leaving such a hanging issue undone would forsake the sacrifice of all troops fallen during this war and all those killed during the 9/11 attacks.  Osama Bin Ladin needed to pay for his crime.

What I don’t buy is the adverse reaction to the celebratory attitude that people have about this event.  I realize the death of a person shouldn’t be celebrated, however ending what this person has come to represent is to be celebrated with fervor.  The person’s death is not being celebrated; it is putting an end to this man’s evil mindset, influence, and actions that affected millions in such an negative way.  They celebrate this.  As a person who hasn’t lost any loved ones in the 9/11 attacks, finding Osama has little emotion in comparison, but I am glad that this tangible sense of justice was done.  President Obama’s brief report could not be truer.

However, as a Christian we understand that the world that we currently live is not the end.  Should we celebrate that Bin Ladin, according to our doctrine, is likely in Hell?  I don’t.  It is inappropriate to say celebrate anyone going to Hell.  What is not fair for the majority in this case is that most who feel it’s wrong to celebrate this event assume that the majority, drooling and stupid, are celebrating bloodlust rather than justice.  The mere possibility of having a rightful celebration over the death of an evil man makes it okay to rejoice over this event and does not beg an explanation from any of these celebrators.

Are these people completely consumed by the media?  No. The person who thinks they aren’t influenced by the media is always wrong.  While, I feel that Christians should distance themselves from militant religious groups, it is never wrong to celebrate the achievement of justice.  What also needs to be noted that people are not being bloodthirsty for death, or happy that a person was killed during a violent time and country.  It is closure.  People don’t want more, people want to move on.  People now have at least some sort of resolution for the wrongs that have been done to their loved ones and/or their fellow countrymen.  It is a false dilemma to think that a person who agrees with the majority is somehow caught in this sinkhole of propaganda that, thank God, the new intellectual is safe from.  There is no lapse of truth, grace or intellect that makes one want to celebrate this event.

My lack of Patriotism really shines through when it comes to war, I generally don’t think Christians should go to war.  I also don’t feel it’s a good argument for someone to use Romans 13 or any other verse to put a Christian into the shoes of a soldier.  Nor do I think that blind patriotism justifies anything, morally.  So this issue conflicts with many issues in my mind.  Finding the right answer to this issue far from easy.  But at this point, I’m willing to side with the majority.  It is wrong to be bloodthirsty over this issue or any related issue, but celebrating that justice has been done, in this case, is perfectly fine.  I condemn no one in this affair.