Cheering a Death

on May 03, 2011 by Walt Dilg

Got a facebook posting from a clergy friend talking about his feeling of “being conflicted” over seeing Americans out on the street cheering the killing of Osama bin Laden.  Glad that bin Laden couldn't kill anyone else; proud of the excellent work of our military in accomplishing their assignment; yet saddened, saddened that we as a nation were cheering a death.  Another post I got from a young adult relative said "I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even my enemy." 

I get what my colleague and my relative are saying.  I too felt a little “weirded out” watching our mostly young adult crowds cheering so wildly. The bully got knocked back and justice was finally served.  There was a real sense of vindication in it for us that felt good.  We accomplished what we as a nation had set out to do in our 9-11 righteous grief.  The cheering crowds were giving vent to a decade’s pent up emotion.  I get it.

Yet as pastor I must say, it just didn't seem right to celebrate a killing, even this guy's death.  We do what we have to do, the way the world is as it is, but we don't rejoice in it.  It's sad reality, this killing and being killed.  Vengance is a poor reason to celebrate. 

I didn’t remember the scene in To Kill a Mockingbird, yet another clergy drew my attention to how Atticus shoots a rabid dog, then chastises his kids for feeling too good about it.  The story hits home.

The question to us is how can we be a New Testament people in an Old Testament world?  

Lord help us.