Zarqawi

Yesterday, the US dropped a 500 pound bomb on a city killing 19 and wounding 40 (apporximately). In this attack, the US was successful in killiong al-Qaeda leader, Abu Musab al-Zaeqawi...

There have been a few (that's an understatement) stories covering the death of Zarqawi (BBC ). I was watching a clip from the Glen Beck show last night and they had made a Zarqawi cake, complete with an icing outline of his corpse.

My hope for Christians is that there is no celebration. Even if one affirms a just war theory as a mode of discipleship, one should always mourn death. And even if one affims that war as legitimate in any and all circumstance, I would hope that your reasoning and what little compassion may be left in your being would still flinch at the sight of death and violence. "Christians are prohibited from ever despairing of the peace possible in the world. We know that as God’s creatures we are not naturally violent nor are our institutions unavoidably violent (Stanley Hauerwas, The Reader, 325)."

"...love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 5:44)." And then it says something about being perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect which seems to indicate that we (Christians, not necessarily the US, although it might be interesting) can once again reflect God's image even as the Holy Spirit teaches us how to reflect God's image. Interesting.



Consider that Hitler smiled. It is often the case with "enemies" that they become the faceless evil of which one is not required to look at with the compassion and love of God. Perhaps one has to consider the situations that drive people to act the way they do. Please do not misunderstand me. I am not justifiying their action. Zarqawi, like Hitler, is subject to God and will be dealt with accordingly. As for our formation as disciples of Christ, we are proghibited from ever despairing. Perhaps some can be changed by the love of God, but it takes a Church willing to die at all costs that some might live to even regret their actions and be turned to God. Interesting.

Consequently, I found this quote from the Washington Post to be rather ironic: "This is a message to all those who use violence killing and devastation to disrupt life in Iraq to rethink within themselves before it is too late (said Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, appearing at a news conference with U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad and Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr., the top U.S. military commander in Iraq)."

Whose violence? which devastation?

Marantha!