Osama bin Laden is Dead: No Rant

I finished writing a post for another blog a few minutes ago, discussing the recent death of Osama bin Laden.

I'm not exactly happy that bin Laden is dead. My emotions are similar to what I feel after a very unpleasant task is done: a sort of relief.

That said, I am not going to crow about the death of bin Laden, or speculate on his eternal status. I've got good reason for that - and will get back to the topic.

Do I think it was 'right' to hunt down bin Laden? Under the circumstances, I don't think America and other 'insufficiently Islamic' countries had much choice. We can't call 911 and ask for help. I've gone over this before:

"...I think that, someday, maybe, there will be an 'international authority with the necessary competence and power' to simply arrest someone like the Libyan colonel....

"...Until we have something like Tennyson's 'Parliament of man, the Federation of the world,' we'll have to make do with the United Nations. Or whatever's cobbled together after that...."
(March 22, 2011)

What? No Rant?

I will not follow the lead of some folks I've run into, online, who are exulting in what they predict for bin Laden's afterlife.

I do not think that Osama bin Laden made good choices - at all. I will not make excuses for what he did. But I will not speculate on the state of his soul.

That's because it won't be more than a few decades before I'll have some serious face time with my Creator. And I've got quite enough to be concerned about, as it is.

There's a pretty clear policy statement in Matthew:

"^{1 2} 'Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove that splinter from your eye,' while the wooden beam is in your eye? You hypocrite,³ remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother's eye."
(Matthew 7:1-5)

That passage could, I suppose, be taken to mean that nobody should ever act against a person who has harmed another - which would be nonsense. I've discussed this before. (October 2, 2008)

That "as you judge, so will you be judged" thing isn't limited to Matthew's Gospel. There's this familiar (I hope) bit out of John:

"...⁴ But when they continued asking him, he straightened up and said to them, 'Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.'..."
(John 8:3-11)

With what my Lord has said, about the wisdom of judging others? No, I am not going to speculate on the eternal destiny of Osama bin Laden.

I most sincerely do not need that kind of trouble.

Somewhat-related posts:

• " 'Just War:' Unpleasant, but Not a Contradiction in Terms"
  (March 22, 2011)
• " 'Jesus was a Pacifist/American/Vagrant'?!"
  (March 22, 2011)
• "Pacifism?"
  (March 22, 2011)
• "My Take on Libya, War, and Getting a Grip; Mostly Links"
  (March 22, 2011)
• " 'Vengeance is Mine, I will Repay, Says the Lord' - Works for Me"
  (September 11, 2010)

Related post in another blog:

• "Osama bin Laden Dead: It's a Milestone"
  Another War-on-Terror Blog (May 1, 2011)