Greetings friends.
I was about three seconds away from going to bed last night when I read the news on my Twitter feed (there should be a whole other post about this!) that Osama Bin Laden is dead. What followed was a series of emotions, distaste for the news industry in our country (what else is new?), and a tremendous number of questions. I don't know that I have any answers, but I think that's ok. I think we just need to ask ourselves some questions as a nation right now. So, in no particular order:
1. Is it ok to celebrate the death of someone? Even if that someone was evil?
2. Does it make me less patriotic that I don't want to celebrate his death?
3. Why didn't anyone (at least while I was watching) take a moment last night to thank our troops? Say what you want about everything that's happened in the last ten years (and some of us could say plenty), but our support of the finest men and women in the world should be absolute! Where were they last night?
4. What do people who lost loved ones on 9/11 feel after last night?
5. Did it really bring closure? Or are they still mourning/suffering/grieving this morning?
6. How do we best support them?
7. How will we channel the (at least presumed) feelings of unity in the country right now?
8. Why does it take something terrible (death) to bring about this sense of unity?
9. What are the implications on our relationship with the Muslim nations of the world right now?
10. What does this do for/to my faith?
11. How do we fit passages like Matthew 5:44 into a national situation like this?
12. How could we possibly talk about anything else at youth group on Wednesday night?
13. What if one of the kids asks a question I don't have a good answer for?
14. What if I have a good answer, but they don't like it?
15. Is Wolf Blitzer growing a playoff beard?
16. If we want to celebrate something, why not celebrate our freedoms?
17. How do you even do that?
18. Fireworks?
19. Hotdogs?
20. Starbucks? (Ok, actually that one has an answer)
21. If we're so desperate to celebrate that we're willing to celebrate a man's death, is it because we needed him to die, or is it because we've been desperate for something to celebrate lately?
22. If it's the second, then why is the Church so miserable at promoting joy and celebration?
23. What's my role as a leader in the Church in promoting joy and celebration?
24. Is this blog post too depressing?
25. Or is it actually raising questions that we need to deal with?
26. Back to Matthew 5:44, how do I pray for Osama Bin Laden?
27. Should I pray for his family?
28. Should I pray for the rest of Al-Quidea?
29. If yes, what in the world should I pray for them for?
30. That they find Christ?
31. That they stumble into Christ-like lives?
32. Would they even know a Christ-like life if they saw one?
33. Isn't that my job?
34. Aren't I doing a terrible job at that?
These are just questions. Some of them feel like they should have answers, but I'm not sure if I have answers to any of these questions. Of course, with as much respect for each other as we can muster, I would welcome a civil discussion here in the comments if you feel like you have something to share.
Godspeed,
Jason
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