Celebrating the Death of Osama Bin Laden - Should We?

Well, to start off, I already thought Osama Bin Laden was dead. I know - I'm very uninformed. I need to work on that... anyways I do not think we should celebrate the death of Osama Bin Laden. I agree with the statement that we all deserve to be punished and we should rejoice in God's great love that he has saved us from ourselves. Romans tells us that everyone has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and that the wages of sin is death. However, we have an awesome God who saved us from this death. Romans 2 also says that "if you think you can judge others you are wrong." We are in no position whatsoever to judge what Osama Bin Laden deserved. We all deserve the same punishment which is death and I don't think we should celebrate for his death.. Mrs. Jackson and I were talking the other day about whether or not all sins are equal. We talked about it for a while and in my opinion, I think in the eyes of God sin is equal. God HATES sin. Revelation 21 says that liars, murderers, cowards, adulterers and more will ALL have a place in the lake of burning sulfur. God hates sin. However, we talked about how on the earth there is a measurement of sin to keep the world in order. We talked about how maybe God set up this systematic order on earth to keep the world from going into chaos. But it was just our thoughts coming up. Anyways, I think by no means should we celebrate for the death of a person. I think its truly heartbreaking. No matter how horrible of a person they are, like the author of this article said, he was made in the image of God. When asked the question if any of these people celebrating had prayed for Bin Laden to change his heart, it really made me upset. I was really upset that I had never done that, and it really makes me regret not praying for him (I mean... I did think he was dead though) anyways I just really want to start praying for people across the world more. Proverbs 11:30 says wise is the one who saves lives". It needs to be my mission to save lives and if I can just start by praying for people across the world, then I need to do that. God can change the hearts of anyone.. I mean he did for Paul! Dr. Martin Luther King Jr says, "Through violence you may murder the hater,but you do not murder hate. In fact, violence merely increases hate. So it goes. Returning violence for violence multiplies violence,......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."So in conclusions.. am I pleased this dark period of violence in our country is closed? Sure. Do I want to rejoice in the fact justice is served? I do. Does my mind warn me of deeper issues that will take me to darker places if I hold a contradictory worldview of peace in the NT with the Judgement and wrath God is coming to serve? YES! This is probably the biggest issue to me. How can God bless America when the killing of a killer is issued? Didn't the Muslims say "Allah Akbar" on 9-11 for the same reasons, or in other words...God bless us for the violence we are ensuing on those WE see as villain, mainly America? So the greater question is, whose side is God on? I believe the Bible answers this very clearly. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. That whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." God loved the world and all the people in it. God's side is on those who repent and turn to Him. So as my spirit wants to leap with excitement this chapter of Bin Laden is closed, I'm readily aware of God's pain for the millions of people who die apart from being in His family. It's the whole world that suffers when someone moves from under the banner of God's umbrella of grace and forgiveness. May we be a people who humbly approach the justice we serve. May we take caution our emotions don't leap too fast when God's will be done. "May we continue to focus on our primary objective as faith followers, "Go therefore and make disciples to all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And teaching them to obey all that I have commanded. For I am with you always, even to the end of the age.' Matthew (28:19)" Andy Braner