My Opinion--A Few Days Delayed

     A few friends have asked me how I "feel" about traveling to Turkey in the wake of the world's reactions to the assassination of Osama Bin Laden.  They know that my prayer is that I will not be in Turkey just as a tourist but that I will be a traveler among potential friends and dedicated experiences--experiences dedicated to brotherhood/sisterhood, just like all the experiences with all of God's children are supposed to be for Christians--and I believe for Moslems too.
     Many friends and family members have sent me their responses to the death of Al Queda's truly vile and violent ruler.  I have watched as many news reports and read as much as I could about both the Special Forces Operation and the reactions of people near at hand and far away.  And I am finally ready to add my thoughts to the ongoing conversation.
      All nations, influenced by the principalities and powers of the world, are ambiguous when it comes to good and evil.  Some, like Hitler's Germany and the Grand Inquisitor's Spain, seem to have been swallowed up by monstrous evil.  But no nation-state, people, empire, or confederacy is a perfect reflection of God's perfect Kingdom, which exists fully only in Heaven.  This Kingdom of God is a reign of perfect justice, peace and love. We pray for this Kingdom to come on Earth as it is in Heaven..  No effort of Christians is more important that striving for the advancement of this Kingdom.  But no decision of any political people unambiguously builds the Kingdom of God. Some decisions and policies and even some acts of violence are less imperfect than others and Christians who are good citizens try to influence their countries to do the maximum good possible in any situation.  
     The assassination of Osama Bin Ladin was an imperfect good.  Most of us feel better because he is dead. Citizens of many countries and even many Moslems feel better because he is dead.  We have a feeling of satisfaction; a feeling that a horrible wrong has been made right.  I read a story about a ten year old boy who lost his adoring father in the 9/11 inferno.  Hearing the news report on Bin Ladin's death, he went to his mother and they wept together.  Together they felt relief that the mass-murderer had been brought to justice.  Justice for them included closure.
     Yet, almost immediately we begin to ask questions that point out the ambiguity of this justice.  For example, some information used in tracking down Osama Bin Ladin came from the victims of torture at the hands of their American captors.  Many of these tortured captives knew nothing useful.   What policies on torture and assassination should guide the foreign policy of our country?  Do you and I have different answers to this question when we are seeking to be good citizens than when we are seeking to be radical followers of Jesus?
     When are most Christians in the United States of America going to take seriously the clear and dramatic and consistent and persistent teaching of Jesus that we are to love our enemies and do good to those who persecute us?  Jesus never instructed his followers to be people of violence.  We are always to be people of peace.  For the First Three Hundred years the church of Jesus Christ followed this practice to the letter.  Today most Christians say  this practice of non-violence is impractical.  Impractical!  Egypt is not even a Christian nation and they just practiced non-violence to overthrow an oppressive government.  If the Egyptians, and many others, can do this, when are Christians going to believe again?