Jesus Christ: Terrorist Killer?
On Sunday, May 1, I heard the news that Osama bin Laden was dead, assassinated by the United Stated government/military. Folks in the U.S. rejoiced in the streets. To be honest, I even felt a sense of “he got what he deserved.” I mean this dude did some pretty awful stuff. But here’s what I don’t get…. Some churches (people who follow the teachings of Jesus and are called to advance the Kingdom of God) took part in the celebration and even attributed the success of the assassination to God. Wait, what?
Dear God. Thanks for killing that motherf**ker. Love, the Church.
Here are a few comments and tweets from churches and pastors (I don’t pretend to be a real news site and my intent is not to call out specific people or churches, so I’ve decided not to cite these quotes):
- “… it was good and right for the US government to seek [bin Laden], find him, and kill him. … this is an instance when [the US government] fulfilled its God-given purpose.”
- “Some tweets suggest we should feel guilty being happy about this, but I don’t….”
- “The cheering crowds remind us that justice is glorious & comes ultimately through Jesus’ cross or hell. Justice wins.”
If people who attend church are happy bin Laden is dead, I get that. People feel how people feel. But when church leaders suggest that there is some sort of “divine happiness” over his—or anyone’s—death, it seems to bastardize everything Jesus stands for. Is Jesus really throwing a party because he finally served justice to bin Laden by working through the U.S. government to kill him? The same Jesus who allowed himself to be crucified by his enemies?
I recently finished a series of Easter designs where I read through the gospels accounts of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Based on that, I can’t see him celebrating the death of anyone, much less a death caused by violence. In fact, during the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection, there are some people who celebrate and rally around the murder of someone, but they are not portrayed as being Christ-like at all.
I feel like I can’t trust my feelings
When you look at this design, it may not feel true. Honestly, it doesn’t feel true to me either. But guess what? I don’t get to decide whether it’s true or not. In Jeremiah 31:3, God says “I have loved you with an everlasting love.” In John 3:16, Jesus says that “God so loved the world…” The Bible is full of passages that paint God as loving people indiscriminately. If those passages apply to me and you, don’t they apply to everyone? I mean it’s not like we can just choose who God loves, right? If I believe the Bible, I have to believe this design is true—whether or not I feel it.
I’m not saying I’ve got this down. I’m just saying that, through Jesus, I know what God calls me to, and every time I fall short of that call, there is no excuse or justification. Instead I need to ask for forgiveness, fix my eyes on Jesus and ask him to continue to help me see the world through his love instead of through my judgement.
Hate bin Laden? Fine. Glad he’s dead? I feel you on that. But do you believe—not feel—that God loves him with an everlasting love? Because that is true, whether we like it or not.
42 comments on “Jesus Christ: Terrorist Killer?”
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Wow, Jim…. super heavy post. Really bold and well spoken. This is honestly my favorite post and design yet.
Great post, Jim. And a sobering one too. I agree Jesus loved (even) Osama with His unconditional, everlasting love. I believe that. Unfortunately, he – with his own free will – had chosen to deny that love and the truth and went his own way. I wonder if God had given him many many chances through out his life, but he many times also chose to ignore His nudge. I also believe that: “…all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:16. Osama probably shared the same conundrum as Judas in my mind. Someone had to do the dirty job? This is the kind of questions that I will know the answer when I face God in person. In the mean time, I believe that Jesus loved both Judas and Osama with the same intensity that He does us. Whether I like it or not.
I do not believe God sent Osama to “do the dirty job”. What Osama did was not “dirty”. It was murder. To compare him to Judas I think wouldn’t be the right way of seeing it.
To each man is a purpose, but to each man is a will. One has a beginning, one has an end. The path you choose inbetween is your doing…
A few years ago in Sydney, a group called Outreach Media (they make posters for churches to put on signs out the front so people stuck in traffic have something thoughtful to read) produced a poster that said ‘Jesus Loves Osama’, and then a verse in small print about loving our enemies and praying for them.
It was in the news and everything, because it was quite controversial.
whoa. didn’t finish that thought. The idea is so true though. This guy was not the devil. He was a rebellious, sinful person … but so am I.
Very powerful and so full of truth. I had such an emotional struggle when the news came out as well– it was so strange I couldn’t sort it out. But it’s right there, especially in your last paragraph. I perhaps wanted to feel a certain way but I knew God’s ultimate stance and so I checked myself and just directed my energy towards my prayers for all those who have been affected by the actions of this man.
“As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live.” Ezekiel 33:11
I agree with Matt. according to God’s Word, I deserve the same death as Osama, Hitler, Stalin…and anyone else who denies Christ. I am just as rebellious as they are sometimes.
it’s a hard thing to admit. props to you, Jim, for saying the tough stuff, even if none of us want to.
wow, that’s strong stuff. i appreciate your boldness in this post.
the other week in choir practice our director read some blog post from some bigwig, outlining how christians can (and should) indeed rejoice over bin laden’s death because God instituted government to protect its people, and that’s what happened–how He had commanded the old testament israeli army to wipe out their blaspheming enemies. my opinion at that time was that there was truth in that–perhaps something was resolved, perhaps justice was served, perhaps the government did what had to be done–but also that, on a human level, it’s inappropriate for the church to celebrate that one more person died without having Jesus in his life.
in the end i had issues both with full-on celebrating and full-on mourning. so i’m doing neither.
God did indeed place people like David and such to rule kingdoms, but I do believe in acting through a government who do not believe in Him.
You make a good point, Jim. The Bible is pretty clear that Jesus loved everyone regardless of what they had done… Just from a non-believer’s standpoint, I think it’s fine that he’s dead and he deserved nothing less than that. If people want to celebrate his death I have no problem with it. If they hate the idea of celebrating someone’s death and just want to sit around sullen-faced, I have no problem with that either. What I do have a problem with is when our reaction to this guy’s death is belittled. People saying we shouldn’t be happy or saying we SHOULD be… This is a big moment for a lot of people, and we should be able to feel what we feel without being reprimanded.
Sorry, I was on my soapbox there… I know that’s basically what you said in your post, but I had to rant!
I think that people should deal with bin Laden’s death however they feel necessary, but they shouldn’t start acting like his death was something Jesus would have wanted.
This is a challenging post. You’re right that God loved Osama intensely, and we need to come to terms with that. However, the Bible also teaches us to rejoice when a wicked person is punished. It also says not to. It says that God laughs when an evil person dies; and it also says that He mourns. I think we also need to do both at once.
I hear what you’re saying, Jacob. I just don’t know that it’s possible to do both at once. Can I laugh and rejoice at my enemy’s death while also loving him and praying for him? I don’t see that as a realistic option.
Anytime I come across stuff like that in the Bible that seems contradictory, I’ll always go with what Jesus says over anything else. I can’t explain what we’re supposed to do with some of the OT stuff that seems to imply God rejoices and laughs at certain people’s death, but I know Jesus is the clearest revelation of God’s heart for humanity. He seems to love everyone and not rejoice in anyone’s death.
Thanks for the comment! It’s great to discuss this!
I am entertained, sickened & baffled by thoughts like “Yeah, yeah. Jesus loved everyone and all that; and I believe that’s true, but…”
Whatever hateful thoughts in us that were satisfied at Bin Laden’s death are the same thoughts he had toward all of us. We “know” what he did was evil and wrong, but he did that because he “knew” in his heart that the US is evil and wrong.
So people seem to be standing on some sort of jacked up sense of moral high ground to say that his position was the lower one. That’s where he was standing when he killed people.
and the curse goes on and on…
Too true, too sad. Have you read Thomas Lux’s “The People of the Other Village”? A succinct and sharp poem that demonstrates the absurd nature of taking revenge–regardless of how justified we may think it to be.
I saw Marie’s response to your site and decided to check it out. Very good! I wanted to comment about the Osama article and say the I agree for the most part with Inka Matthew reply. God’s love reaches deeper than we could ever know. I don’t think Jesus would have pulled the trigger but hard to say what would have happened next. He allows the sunset to address someone who is reeking destruction upon the world and we wonder why all that beauty is shown to those kind of people. I guess so that maybe, just maybe they will search for Him.
Hi Christine! I was excited to see you left a comment! Glad you found the site through Marie
Bravo! I feel the same way we shouldn’t rejoice in his death. Especially when we are charged not kill, but to bring life. Jim I’m glad you made this.
What a powerful design!
I think I agree with you in all your comments but you need a little more nuance! Authorities (governments?) are supposed to judge, punish and even kill – they don’t bear the sword in vain! (see Romans 13). But they are supposed to do this justly, and I’m assuming that they are supposed to work as a shadow of Jesus who will come back one day to judge and restore good, proper and awesome justice.
In that light, I think that assassinating someone before they had a chance to a fair trial smacks terribly of the abuse of power. It is definitely not the Godly way of doing things.
Thanks for the comment, Alison!
I hear what you’re saying about authorities and governments. My point in this post isn’t about what the U.S. did or should have done, or the right or wrongness of any of it. The U.S. (and every other country/government) is a kingdom of this world and like all kingdoms of the world, it’s based on power and the threat of violence. That’s just how they work. My issue is with church leaders who loop God into that, suggesting that he is happy about the murder of ANY of his children. Jesus allowed his enemies to crucify him. That is how he rolls.
Again, thanks for the comment. It’s great to converse about this stuff!
Thanks for the comments, everyone! I gotta be honest, i was a little nervous about posting this. It’s super cool to see the respectful thoughts and discussion that has followed.
I adore this design. I think the boldness of the design really gives weight to the scandalous truth you’re proclaiming. I hope you don’t mind me leaving the URL to an article I wrote on the subject on the day of the news? Thanks for this post and design.
http://jesusradicals.com/on-the-death-of-osama-bin-laden/
Jim,
Thank you for your courage to speak the truth.
This morning the veil was lifted in my heart just a little to imagine the throne room and judgement of God. I was sincerely afraid. Not in the sense that I didn’t look forward to it, but the sense of the overwhelming glory of God and being before Him. How could anyone stand? The realization of all my life before Him. All my faults, all my sin, all my good. I was so humbled.
I’ve really been asking the Lord who my enemies are. I only ever interact with other Christians or creative people who are like minded. But where are those who hate me so that I can love them? Not that I feel I need to move across the world or anything, but just start with something small.
I know this is off topic a bit, but I felt I should share it. I hope you are well. I pray the Lord continues to bless you and you continue to choose Him in all you do.
Thanks, Kyle! I appreciate the comments and prayer.
Hi Jim,
Late to this post (I’m slow on the ol’ Instapaper queue), but it was, without a doubt, my favorite on the topic of bin Laden. Thanks for such a well-written, honest post.
Cheers,
Andrew
Thanks, Andrew! No worries on being late. I didn’t even post this until 2 weeks after it happened, so I wasn’t really in the ball either
Jim,
Probably the best articulation of this I’ve seen. Thanks for courageously posting!
e.
Thanks, Eric!
[...] http://jimlepage.com/blog/jesus-christ-terrorist-killer/ [...]
I love it how people write “we KNOW that he did this and that” etc.
Here’s some insight for you:
YOU don’t know s**t.
All you THINK that you know, is what you have been told by the “news” through various media.
Think for yourselves. The last thing you should put your trust into, is televised and printed “news” publications.
Thanks for the comment, Growie. However, I think it’s not quite relevant to what this post is about. My point was that no one is outside of God’s love and that the church (and myself) can’t put claim that Jesus endorses any violence or murder.
For what it’s worth, I do agree that many media outlets are not reliable sources for actual “news.”
This is incredible, definitely one of the most emotionally moving and spiritually creative pieces I’ve ever seen. I want to share this with everyone I know, but that thought is intimidating, especially within the Church. In my region of Texas I hear many people discussing politics and spirituality hand in hand, but I’m continually shocked to hear racist/derogatory remarks made by people who I thought were loving members of the body of Christ. This is such a daring reminder of how our sinful nature twists and contorts the love of God and degrades it to only loving the “sinner” next door. I genuinely appreciate this post! Seriously has challenged me, and I’m praying that Christ continues to inspire you and your work! Thanks!
Thanks, Kristi! This post continues to challenge me too and probably will until I die.
If you’re interested in the church/politics stuff, my pastor wrote a book specifically about that:
http://www.amazon.com/Myth-Christian-Nation-Political-Destroying/dp/0310267307
Your artwork, is the truest communication of God’s love. Thanks Jim!! Being a Graphic Designer, and a Christian you fill me with so much pride, and if me, how much so your heavenly father right!!
Always know, whatever we do, whatever a friend of ours does to us, we still have a something within us that loves them, that wants us to forgive and reconcile. Now God being the magnanimous God he is, how much more will he love right?
Found many of your graphics through a Google+ link. Love the graphics and started reading. Then I stumbled on this beauty of a post. Here were my thoughts on Osama Bin Laden the day after…http://culturalawakening.wordpress.com/2011/05/02/osama-bin-laden-and-the-christians-response/ .
I have been reading some of your posts. I would love to connect with you some time.
Grace & Peace,
Really great post. I wish more people could read this. I too was a little shocked at the reaction by some churches.
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Thanks for this. That image says so much I want to believe.
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