AMID CELEBRATION OF BID LADEN’S DEATH, INT’L HUMAN DIGNITY GROUP SUGGESTS PRAYERS FOR HIS SOUL
By Greater Long Beach
At 4:11 this morning, amid the reflexive celebration that has dominated the early aftermath of Osama Bin Laden’s death, GreaterLongBeach.com received this e-mail from a Rome-based organization that calls itself the Institute for Human Dignity. This is what it said:
PRAYERS, NOT REJOICING, NEEDED OVER BIN LADEN’S DEATH
Following reports of the killing of Osama bin Laden by American forces in Pakistan, Benjamin Harnwell, Chairman of the Dignitatis Humanae Institute, said:
“It has been widely reported that many are rejoicing at the death of Osama bin Laden. Leaving aside the extra-judicial circumstances of his death and the issue of capital punishment, the Institute would like to stress that everyone, without exception, is made in the image and likeness of God. This imago Dei is inalienable and exists even in such gross and fanatic murderers as Mr. Bin Laden.
“Yesterday, the Universal Church celebrated the Feast of the Divine Mercy which intimately binds God’s righteous justice with His infinite mercy. Osama bin Laden is unlikely to have availed himself of the sacrament of Reconciliation before his death, and in denying himself the possibility of mercy, may at this very moment be suffering the desolation of an eternity separated from Jesus Christ. And yet it is proper for Christians to pray for his soul and God’s mercy. In life, Mr. Bin Laden stained and fouled the image of God that was in him. We should not do the same at his death by displaying a lack of charity.”
The press release also included a link to the website for the Institute for Human Dignity.
12 Comments
“at this very moment be suffering the desolation of an eternity separated from Jesus Christ”
not really sure why that would bother a muslim, unless the notion is that all muslims become catholic after death. personally im hoping for something a little more severe for bin laden.
I’m not celebrating his death, but I have no intention of praying for his soul. His soul is going to get what it deserves.
Bin Laden’s soul is a matter between himself and God. It was our job to arrange the meeting.
Citizen Journalist Quotes of the Day – Forgive and Forget
”Forgiveness is the answer to the child’s dream of a miracle by which what is broken is made whole again, what is soiled is made clean again.” — Dag Hammarskjold
“He that cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he must pass himself; for every man has need to be forgiven.” — Thomas Fuller
”Forgiveness is the economy of the heart… forgiveness saves the expense of anger, the cost of hatred, the waste of spirits.” — Hannah More
“How does one know if she has forgiven? You tend to feel sorrow over the circumstance instead of rage; you tend to feel sorry for the person rather than angry with him. You tend to have nothing left to say about it all.” — Clarissa Pinkola Estes
”Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.” — Mark Twain
(Source: brainyquote.com)
Wasn’t cheering the deaths of his enemies part of what made bin Laden so odious?
revenge is a dish best served cold.
I can’t help thinking people are celebrating his death so vociferously because the man achieved exactly what he wanted to achieve — a neverending, bankrupting war with the US, and the destruction of the perception of America as the world’s moral leader. Talk about Mission Accomplished. If (when?) the American empire fails, historians will be putting Osama front and center as the leader of the opposition that took us down. And, to clarify: I do not like what bin Laden achieved — I’m just noting that he achieved it.
Only a symbolic “victory”. Unlike VE, VJ Days, the War On Terror is on-going and possibly never-ending.
I’ve never been one for patriotic fervor so I won’t be celebrating anything in the streets, fist-pumping to chants of “USA!!!” while wrapping myself in the stars and stripes.
“the War On Terror is on-going and possibly never-ending.”
exactly the point, after the soviet union let down their end of the “cold war” scam the MIC needed something permanent, what could be better than a nebulous “war on terror” which could mean anything or anybody as need be.
I never agree with John Greet, but so well said! Now if you could just apply that same logical mind to other Long Beach Issues
Demonstrably relishing bin Laden’s death is like the extreme cheering you hear when an underdog sports team flirts with or achieves an improbable upset. It means the celebrants usually feel defeated in such a circumstance. The quality of celebration for a team (or country) that knows it should prevail in these instances is not what we have just experienced these past few days. I’m glad the prez is finally trying to dial back the bloodlust. He should have done so from the start. Act like you’ve been there before.
“Bid Laden??”