On May 3, the Anglican Journal posed the following question to its friends on Facebook at anglicanjournal.com:
People around the world are celebrating the death of Osama bin Laden, the prime mover behind the 9/11 attacks in the U.S. Do you consider it un-Christian to rejoice in his death?
Here’s what they told us:Matthew Cutler
Bin Laden was created in God’s image, and killed as a false idol. One can celebrate an end to terrorist endeavours, but to celebrate the death of another human distances us from the Holy and diminishes our humanity.
Andrea Ahlers
I don’t believe it Christian to celebrate the death of another human being. I mourn those who have died under his direction, and pray that we may find comfort, not in his death, but that he can no longer inflict evil in the world.
Deborah Suddard
Extremely un-Christian. But the reality is most of what is called “Christian” these days has very little to do with the ministry Christ lived.
Sandra Lypps
Yes, I do. Celebrating someone’s death, no matter how bad a person they are, places us on a level that I find very unsettling….
Paul Williams
Yes indeed! As much as what he engineered was horrible, even evil, it is equally evil to celebrate this death. It won’t bring back any of our family or friends, could cause greater evils to be perpetuated, and ultimately breaks at least two biblical precepts, one a commandment, one a teaching.
Mark Kinghan
“As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked”-Ezekiel 33:11…this is just one of the scriptural passages that I think speaks to this!
David Osmond
Yes!
Wallace Green
To rejoice in the death of a fellow human being diminishes us to our very soul. We should pray for those who would do us harm.
Alison Jill Knight
Matthew 5 doesn’t seem to contain any “buts” or “exceptions,” the way I read it.