A Christian Response to Bin Laden’s Death

This post was written by CCF Senior Pastor Dave Gadoury.

What is a Christian to make of our government’s action to locate and kill Osama Bin Laden? I recently exchanged correspondence with a pacifist friend of mine, following a brief conversation about this subject. In it, he wrote:

I’m finding the celebration of bin Laden’s death to be disturbing for multiple reasons:

I see no cause for celebration.

I agreed with my friend on some of his thoughts, but not all. My response included these comments:

“Yet another murder” pre-judges the open question of the justice of the act. Justly executed death penalties are not morally equivalent to and should not be referred to as “murder” (even if they are opposed on other grounds).

The absence of (or ambiguities related to) a formal judicatory system for such things as non-state terror networks does not, in itself, make state-initiated retaliation unjust.

The killing of any combatant must be morally justified on the basis of “just war” principles (which a consistent pacifist would deny the existence of altogether). But assuming the “war on terror” conforms to such principles (e.g., It is for a just cause, under legitimate authority, with right intention, with probable chance of success, with benefits proportional to evils/harms, as a last resort, etc.), the taking of a life in such circumstances could be morally justified.

The larger question of whether taking his life makes us safer would have to weigh his influence in the ongoing network, his role as an inspirational leader, the benefit of information gathered in a life-endangering capture/kill mission, etc. against the possible inspiration his death might provide to other terrorists.

One could argue that Bin Laden is the international equivalent of Charles Manson, who merely inspired/guided others to execute his murderous wishes – but was a serial murderer nonetheless.

Violence does not ALWAYS beget more violence. The defeat of the Nazi regime required violence, but saved many lives, and would have saved even more if it was accomplished sooner than it was. It remains to be seen whether the degrading of the potency of Islamic terror movements will eventually merge with Islamic cultural self-criticism to further marginalize and eventually defeat this ideology (compare, for example, the rise, and subsequent, nearly complete, demise of world-wide atheistic Marxist communism).

Each human is created in God’s image, and the taking of any life must be mourned, even if such mourning is mixed with celebration (e.g., the death of courageous individuals, such as the Flight 93 passengers, might be mourned, even as their heroism, and the lives saved as a result, might be celebrated.) In the case of Bin Laden, the triumph of good over evil, or the removal of a dangerous threat, or even, perhaps, the “doing of justice,” which is a good thing, might be appropriately celebrated, BUT with a proper humility about our own failings, and with a proper gratitude to God who “brings one down, and exalts another.” (Psalm 75:7)

The principles which guide our perspective on a state’s law enforcement powers and national self-defense are not the same as those which guide our personal conduct as citizens of the Kingdom of God. We have “dual citizenship” which allows us to pray for and thank God for the protections of legitimate government, while at the same time loving and praying for our enemies. I look forward to the day when the Prince of Peace executes justice in the earth. Until then, I am to live my life, “…not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.” (1 Corinthians 10:33)