Osama Bin Laden's death

So, my first posting on this blog I set aside to write about whatever I wanted. Quite frankly, the death of one Osama bin Laden (henceforth, OBL) has left me flummoxed. Well, not his death I guess, but my reaction to his death.

I find myself just sad about it all. I don't even know what I am sad about really.

OBL was a man whose actions were reprehensible. What he did to spearhead efforts to kill innocent civilians was terrible. Unacceptable by any standard. So it's not the character or the loss of OBL himself that I'm sad about. In fact, apart from the obvious crimes against humanities he's committed, his attitude towards women is enough to make me despise the guy.

That having been said, why are so many celebrating? While I'm not an OBL fan by any stretch, I find that celebrating someone else's death is tacky at best and at worst...well, I don't even know. But I think it is sad.

OBL had a soul. I mean, he is going to hell and that alone makes me sad. Perhaps what makes me sadder is that I get the impression that people are just placing all this hope in his death. Frankly, I think OBL's death represents something that is only symbolic. From what I've read, the operations of al Qaeda are so distributed that taking out any single player will do little to disrupt the operation of their terrorist network. That is, they will continue to operate just fine without OBL.

So why put hope in his death? Are we really that desperate to feel hopeful about something? This hymn has been something stuck in my mind all of last night and this morning. Deriving lasting hope from any circumstance on earth is short sighted. And deriving hope from someone's death who doesn't directly impact you is just sad.

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,

All other ground is sinking sand;

All other ground is sinking sand.

I am so sad for the victims of terrorism around the world.  I hate that the death of OBL is probably reopening the wounds of grief for those who his actions directly or indirectly impacted.  But lasting hope can be found only in Jesus.  Not in people.  Not in OBL's death.

And celebrating death and gleefully hoping people rot in hell is either sin or incredible ignorance, and both make me sad.  And kind of convicted too.

I don't know what good can come from this, but I pray some does.