So much about the news this week is fascinating to me. The night we heard about OBL's death, Scott crawled into bed with me and said "people are celebrating in the streets. I don't feel right about that." I don't either... I totally get people's happiness, their feeling of hopeful relief, and I know that something important has happened, in the death of this man. But, it reminds me of my feelings back when a locally infamous man was killed in prison, where he was serving a sentence for sexual abuse of a child (as a priest). At lunch one day, a friend told me how glad she was that this man had suffered and died, and I couldn't go there with her. A true introvert, I didn't argue my point against hers, but drove home thinking "why don't I feel like she feels? Why don't I want to feel like she feels?"Which leads me to another fascination, which is how many places on facebook that I'm seeing people raise the question: should we be celebrating the death of this man, or anyone? I know my results will be skewed- my friend feed is full of Catholics and theology students- but I'm edified to see that it's not just me who hopes that (like Hitler, the long-standing bar-setter for people's questions about hell and forgiveness) OBL is in heaven, you know, however that works.
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”I will mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” - Martin Luther King Jr
As one of my teens would say, "I see you". I was really surprised to hear that people were celebrating in the streets, but also comforted to see similar questions on this conduct from my (also very Catholic) news feed.
Sometimes the extreme difference between the reported feelings of "the American people" and my friends feelings totally shocks me, and I wonder if I live in a little "Catholic bubble".
I have tried to refrain from passing judgment on the reactions of people who may have lost loved ones to terrorist attacks, but if we take their lead, they seem to be in some kind of quite revived pain. I just have this sinking feeling in my gut, similar to the one I had on the day that we first sent troops to Afghanistan after September 11, 2001, but thanks for your post, I found it comforting.
You're not alone in your feelings...my FB status that day: "Do not rejoice when your enemies fall, and do not let your heart be glad when they stumble..." (Proverbs 24:17). It's definitely occasion for mixed emotions, but mostly I'm praying for peace.
love you, sandi
Apparently, a former employer brought in a cake on Monday that said "Congratulations, CIA!" on it. There are so many things wrong about that. Sigh.
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