An additional though about the reaction to Bin Laden's death has been crossing my mind. I have been slightly confused as to why so many people are so adamant that there should be no rejoicing at his death - and I think I have an idea.
We're spoiled.
Seriously, we are spoiled rotten today. We think constantly in terms of blessings, of how much we have, of how good and wonderful things are - how everything is going to work out... and so we have forgotten how to respond not only to wickedness (there's been a bit of mamby-pamby hand-wringing by folks who just don't get that there are times you have to put a rabid dog down), but also to deliverance.
The children of Israel rejoice when the the chariots of Pharaoh are drowned by the waters of the Red Sea. They sang because they knew that they were delivered - that the one threatening with wickedness and evil had been vanquished - that they had been delivered by God.
We never expect any evil... we make mountains out of molehills and deny that big, ugly evil exists. And thus rejoicing at our deliverance seems strange. And that, my friends, is sad. It is the petulant rantings of a culture of spoiled brats.
Rejoice in this deliverance. Then ponder your sin, their depths. Then rejoice in the true deliverance you have in Christ.
4 comments:
There is always a tragic aspect to the death of anyone.
We must be careful to not demonize OBL, or we become as disordered as he.
Tom Fast
Eric,
It was God that was the actor with Pharoah and not the people of Israel. Are you saying that our govt. was and agent in carrying out God's will?
St. Paul seems to think so:
"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad."
(That's Romans 13:1-3, by the by)
Now, yes, there are questions to be asked about just war, and legalities, and the like... but the government is an instrument which God uses, especially for the punishment of wickedness - note verse 4:"for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer."
This was said of Caesar, who was corrupt and put Christians to death. I think this can aptly be applied to when the Military puts down one who is continually orchestrating plots against American Civilians.
We are so spoiled and safe that we have no idea how safe and spoiled we are.
There are very few people who have actually seen someone shot in the head that are disappointed that the pictures have not been released yet... much less demand their "right" to see it.
...we sound like a nation of rich, spoiled, safe, narcissistic, voyeurs.
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