On the death of bin Laden

It's hard to imagine that anyone in the English-speaking world has managed to avoid hearing the news that US special forces killed Osama bin Laden over the weekend, and that he has since been buried at sea. Reactions to the news have varied quite a bit - from raucous celebrations in the street to somber reflections on what it means to love your enemies, and not to rejoice when your enemies fall (see Proverbs 24:17). An article in The Christian Science Monitor, titled Celebrating Osama bin Laden's death is anti-American ... and not very biblical notes, "Remember when Palestinians danced on the streets of the West Bank, to rejoice over the World Trade Center attacks? That’s what we looked like last night to many of the very people whose hearts and minds we’ve spent billions to win."
I have a sinking feeling that sentiment may be true.
Do you remember where you were on 9/11? I was in Randalstown, Northern Ireland, just outside of Belfast. And once I was sure that my friends in New York and DC were safe, I was able to start paying attention to the reactions of those around me, who had experienced the threat of terrorist actions for their whole lives. A fairly common sentiment then, was, "I feel bad for those who died, and for those who lost loved ones, but it's about time Americans realize what it's like to live anywhere else in the world."
Ouch. How much we took for granted. How much I still take for granted. We tend not to be very good at putting ourselves in the shoes of others, considering our actions from their perspectives, or at reflecting on just what it costs to "defend our way of life" - in terms of global economics, environmental sustainability, and the burdens it places on the last, little, least, and lost - the very ones Jesus always seems to be hanging out with and lifting up.
May God bless us with eyes to see, ears to hear, and hands to do what God would have us do, as individuals, families and communities.

For your consideration: a letter to all members of the ELCA from our Presiding Bishop, Mark Hanson:

May 2, 2011

Sisters and brothers in Christ,

The death of Osama bin Laden is an occasion for solemn remembrance. We remember the lives of all whose deaths resulted from his choosing hatred and violence. We stand with those who continue to mourn the death of loved ones while giving thanks for their lives, their love and their faith. We also continue to hold in prayer all whose service in the military, in government and in humanitarian and peacemaking activities contribute to a safer and more prosperous world.

At the same time we also recall who we are: people baptized into Christ, freed to serve our neighbors. We are people called as Christ’s ambassadors of reconciliation with our neighbors, serving God’s work of restoring community. We engage our neighbors of other faiths, including our Muslim neighbors near and far, in respectful, searching dialogue and shared commitment to build a world that reflects God’s will for peace with justice. We pray for our neighbors, even those who are our enemies.

Most of all, in these 50 days of celebrating Christ’s resurrection, joy finds its fullest and deepest expression not over a human death but in God’s promise to unite all things in heaven and on earth, to reconcile the human family and to bring God’s reign of peace. Confident in what God has promised, we witness our resolve against any act of violence in the name of religion and our renewed commitment of service to the neighbors and world God so deeply loves.

In God’s grace,

The Rev. Mark S. Hanson
Presiding Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America