Thoughts on the death of an evil man

Top of Form

Top of Form

Top of Form

Top of Form

Top of Form

While the death of this man Osama Bin Laden brings some relief, and a measure of closure, it is sobering to think it takes killing someone to bring joy for many. What we need to remember is, it is radicalism, hatred, misinformation that provide the platform for a man like this to wield whatever power such people have over others

He was charismatic, and directed hatred that was already in existence, he fueled and united radicalism which was already there, and he did so through misinformation which hooked in people, including lots of youth, who were too ignorant to know they were being mislead and so often sent to die to serve his own hatred and sick agenda.

History shows that when a people allow such hatred to fester and grow, and when they allow radicalism, in any form, to drown out civility, and when they allow ignorance to become acceptable-- lack of education that will lead to rational thought-- they become vulnerable. Apathy is not neutrality. Ignorance is not bliss. Apathy and ignorance are the nutrients that allows charismatic people with violent tendencies to rise to power.

For some reason, charismatic radical, violent people attract others who are willing to go to the extremes. To combat all of that we have a message from a man who changed the world, but could not yet end the violence: Jesus. Until and unless people of faith do more to live his message, recognize his call for peace, and begin to serve their communities more with God's love, charismatic evil men and their violence will be such an attractant.

WWII should have taught the world much more than it has: Hitler. Our own Civil War should have taught us at home more than it has: John Brown. The revolution in Cuba: Fidel Castro. There have been many others, and of course the issues are more complex than one man, or one reason for violence. But given divisiveness, prejudice, hatred, ignorance, apathy, and carefully crafted misinformation, and we see the results.

The words of Jesus Christ, as we have them in Matthew 5: 38-48 are difficult words—a difficult teaching—when we face evil such as Bin Laden. But, we who claim faith have the tools, we have the power, we have the Holy Spirit to destroy the roots that feed those who believe violence is how to achieve their ends. God has provided the message, the example, and the means. If we believe the words of Christ, we are his instruments. 

Walt