Osama Bin Laden Is Dead

[Catholic_Press]

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – The Vatican said the killing of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, a man who sowed division and hatred and who caused “innumerable” deaths, should prompt serious reflection about one’s responsibility before God, not rejoicing.

…

Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, released a brief written statement reacting to the news.

“Osama bin Laden, as we all know, bore the most serious responsibility for spreading divisions and hatred among populations, causing the deaths of innumerable people, and manipulating religions to this end,” Father Lombardi said.

“In the face of a man’s death, a Christian never rejoices, but reflects on the serious responsibilities of each person before God and before men, and hopes and works so that every event may be the occasion for the further growth of peace and not of hatred,” the spokesman said.

More…

 

[Whitacre_Girl]

I mostly agree with this-----but what can you do? The folks all over the US celebrating this are basically showing off their frustration and also pride in their country. I DO agree it was overdone. And slightly embarassing. But hey, like you youself said, it was the right thing to do.
And I will pray for him anyway.
Good post.

I am okay with celebrating if done for the right reasons. I admit, while not everyone is doing this, I have seen some men and women celebrating a long awaited victory on a war for terrorism and I believe they would celebrate if Osama was merely captured and held trial. I admit, I am not frustrated at the celebration in the streets, what frustrates me is the Christians I see on my FB and other places saying “Hope you enjoy hell” and “Rot in the pits of hell” that bothers me…

 

[kimmielittle]

I have only overflown the site of the former World Trade Center. But I have stood at a mass grave in Iraq and watched as people dug and sifted through the anonymous remains of hundred, or thousands of bodies, hoping for some sign of a loved one. I have stood on ground that was slippery with civilian blood from a bomb detonation. I have seen wounded children and orphans. I have seen more than this… If anyone deserves dignity, it is the victims of terrorists. In my secular life as a US Marine, it was my duty to eliminate threats to civilians. I don’t care if the threat is a US citizen, another nationality, a Christian, or a Muslim, blond hair of blue hair. If a person intentionally targets and kills civilians, and also destroys their property, in order to further a political or religious aim, or to make a “statement”, then the only dignity they deserve is to be hunted down and killed. I think that kill should be merciful and painless as possible under the circumstances.

 

[catholictiger]

No, we don’t have to pray for his soul.

Tell me, am I committing a sin if I don’t?

youtube.com/watch?v=KBmfUubaNRY&feature=player_embedded

while this doesn’t address this issue it does address the issue of celebrating his death.

 

[bellasbane]

No, we don’t have to pray for his soul.

Tell me, am I committing a sin if I don’t?

Matthew 5:43-44

"You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…”

That’s what Jesus said.

 

[catholictiger]

btw I celebrate the fact that thousands of people could have better lives. Celebrate the fact that less people could die becuase this man is no longer in power. I celebrate the good that may come out of this event not the death of an evil man.

 

[iamrefreshed]

Matthew 5:43-44

"You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…”

That’s what Jesus said.

So I’m sinning for not praying for a man already dead and judged by God?

 

[catholictiger]

That’s what Jesus said.

hard to disagree with this guy

 

[catholictiger]

So I’m sinning for not praying for a man already dead and judged by God?

you don’t know that this man has been judged by God yet, he could be in purgatory.

why do we pray for the holy souls in purgatory if they have already been judged

 

[catholictiger]

ask yourself if a good friend close to you died would you pray that God would have mercy on his soul?

 

[iamrefreshed]

you don’t know that this man has been judged by God yet, he could be in purgatory.

why do we pray for the holy souls in purgatory if they have already been judged

Someone in Purgatory is destined for Heaven. Prayer for them is in the hopes it speeds up their arrival.

No prayer is wasted, even one for OBL. However, I’m not forced to do so as the other poster implied.

 

[OrdinaryMelkite]

I am okay with celebrating if done for the right reasons. I admit, while not everyone is doing this, I have seen some men and women celebrating a long awaited victory on a war for terrorism and I believe they would celebrate if Osama was merely captured and held trial. I admit, I am not frustrated at the celebration in the streets, what frustrates me is the Christians I see on my FB and other places saying “Hope you enjoy hell” and “Rot in the pits of hell” that bothers me…

That I agree with. Like I said in my previous post responding to your post, I feel neither joy nor gladness. I’m basically relieved that he cannot kill any more human beings. OTOH, I will pray for him. (Though you and I would almost certainly be right in saying that that would probably not do any good).

But yes, “rot in hell” is disgusting-------------to ME. Even though he does not deserve a dignified, we are so much better than that. And the way he died just did not fit the evil ohis crimes. Perfectly human response, but still----------------we are called to something “higher” as Christians.

 

[iamrefreshed]

No one was dishonored.

 

[iamrefreshed]

I don’t know. But I am not sinning if I don’t pray for this man.

 

[SamH]

Did anyone make that claim?

 

[Joe_5859]

What a weekend. With the royal wedding at the start of it and Osama’s death at the end of it, Blessed John Paul II gets the short-end of the stick in terms of media coverage. I can’t help but think he doesn’t mind, though.

It reminds me of how Mother Teresa died so shortly after the death of Princess Di. Even in death she was humble and shirked the spotlight.

 

[SamH]

Just so you know a Christian burial Osama would have been a huge insult.

 

[Whitacre_Girl]

That I agree with. Like I said in my previous post responding to your post, I feel neither joy nor gladness. I’m basically relieved that he cannot kill any more human beings. OTOH, I will pray for him. (Though you and I would almost certainly be right in saying that that would probably not do any good).

But yes, “rot in hell” is disgusting-------------to ME. Even though he does not deserve it, we are so much better than that. Perfectly human response, but still----------------we are called to something “higher” as Christians.

I completely agree. Aside from the fact that saying these things only sink us to his level (let’s face it, his whole platform for his terrorism was using his faith to call his crimes "God’s justice), but I think of it more like this:

Scripture makes it abundantly clear that hell is never anything to be wished for for anyone. Then, of course, there is the idea that God sending anyone to hell (not that I am assuming that he did this) breaks his heart in ways we can’t imagine since we are all his beloved no matter how far we have strayed. I don’t wish for anything that hurts our Lord. Jesus died for Osama too because he loves him that much.

I also keep thinking of St. Paul and how he used to slaughter innocent christians as well, and he converted. God can have mercy on anyone, and I dare one person here to say that St. Paul is in hell for his crimes which were just as horrendous.

 

[hircus_muneris]

We should pray for him. Even if he is not in purgatory (I should be shocked if he is, but we should not judge another’s soul) we should still pray, as no prayer is wasted. Truthfully I am not sure if I could bring myself to do it, but we are to pray for our enemies.

Pray for him if you like. I will be praying for my best friend. We signed up together on the “buddy system”. Trained and deployed together. I watched his face as he bled out and I tried to stop the blood loss. Bin Laden is on his own, wherever he is, in my little world.

 

[barb_finnegan]

Its about time. I know its a bad thing to say, and I should pray for my enemies like Jesus said but I cannot pray for this man’s soul who ordered a group of men to cause a lot of deaths on my country’s soil on September 11, 2001, and also have done other things to cause death & injuries in other nations over the years.

I do pray for the several thousand innocent of my fellow Americans and those of other nationalities who were killed that dark September day in New York City, Washington DC and the farmlands of Pennsylvania. May they rest in peace, and let perpetual light shine up on them.

I’d rather pray for the innocent people who died on 9/11 (and for those who died in Kenya and Tanzania in the embassy bombings, and the members of the USS Cole). Bin Laden has gone before the judgment seat of God, and has already received his sentence…he had the blood of thousands on his hands.

About time that ‘the good guys’ won! God bless the brave Navy SEALS who performed this necessary task! WOO HOO!

Not only is God merciful-HE IS ALSO JUST! And we have to remember that!

Rest in peace, all you who died at the World Trade Center in New York City, at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, and in the field in Shanksville, PA [this one is always forgotten for some reason]. This was done for you!

I heard the news while listening to the radio in bed-I couldn’t believe it at first, but then I whooped with joy! It jarred me out of a sound sleep!