Here’s one of those nativity sets that I was talking about in my Midnight Mass sermon the other night.
8 responses to “Bin Ladin”
-
I agree with him entirely.
Then I think my friend that you join him in a conclusion that at this moment cannot be substantiated by fact. There is no evidence that bin Laden was executed. He died in a fire fight when the team tasked with his capture tried to do so. To claim more than the facts currently state is to jump to a conclusion based in personal prejudice.
Aside from that one discrepancy, I also agree with much of what he said.
-
It did occur to me that the UK does public rejoicing (see Friday) better than the US (see this morning).
-
We have no room for complacency – remember ‘Gotcha’ in the Falklands war???
-
Yes, that was vulgar too.
-
-
Irrespective of the terrible atrocities masterminded by individuals such as Osama Bin-Laden…and…regardless of the improbable scenario of his being captured alive and put on trial, the rejoicing that followed his death was both tacky and tactless. Comments (albeit by family members of 9/11 victims) alluding to …”God placing him in Hell to rot for eternity…” similarly did nobody any favours. If anything, the backlash from extremists eager to avenge his death (martyrdom?) will now cost further innocent lives. The phrase that jumps to mind is: ‘least said soonest mended…’
-
I’m not sure that pacifist prooftexting is any lbetter than the other kinds. It’s surely morally permissable to celebrate the death of a legitimate, significant military target. And much of the “fanning the flames” rhetoric is inane – people can argue over whether nominally Islamic terrorism can be appeased , but the idea of Al-Queda dialing back their actions or reforming their ethos because (say) the world didn’t overly celebrate killing Bin Laden is ridiculous. Wouldn’t capturing him alive and forcing him to endure infidel courts be even more provocative than a martyr’s bullet and burial at sea?
-
I don’t think I like the idea of celebrating the death of anyone, Ryan.
That’s the kind of thing we find too often in the Bible, isn’t it? And it is vulgar there too.
I don’t like lynch mob mentality no matter who is on the receiving end.
-
-
Indeed – I agree that the “get it up ye!” response very much does not represent humankind at its best. But not celebrating *anyone’s* death is quite different, to me, to the most popular current arguments that largely emphasise that Bin Ladin personally is an inappropriate figure for Sic Semper Tyrannis triumphalism.
I found the Vatican’s reaction interesting:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reactions_to_the_death_of_Osama_bin_Laden#Europe
Previous Posts
-
Cardinals
I asked a source close to the Scottish Parliament [ie one of my MSPs] last night whether he would like to make any comment on Cardinals and Sex Education. He replied that he thought it a good idea. Sex Education for Cardinals, that is.
-
Geometry
Have just discovered that a lozenge has 4 sides. I have always called the SEC logo with “Evangelical Truth and Apostolic Order” on it a lozenge, but it isn’t. So what shape is it? Clearly is a regular shape enclosed by bisecting symetrical curves. I could define the curves too, if I was minded, but…
-
Conference yet again
Yes, I know that you don’t want to hear any more about the conference. There is nothing more boring than people going on and on about a conference to people who were not at it. (SEC21, I am talking about you!) But indulge me a moment. This is what I have submitted to the Scottish…
-
Muddled links sorted
I've sorted out the links in yesterday's post. They got mangled as I tried to enter them in a hurry. Both books recommended for anyone trying to understand what on earth is going on in the minds of those who tinker with liturgy.

Leave a Reply