Anglican priest: Celebrating Osama bin Laden's killing is wrong

[steve2470]

By George Pitcher Last updated: May 3rd, 2011

George Pitcher is an Anglican priest who serves his ministry at St Bride's, Fleet Street, in London – the "journalists' church".

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/georgepitcher/100086071/celebrating-osama-bin-ladens-killing-is-wrong/

We have to be very careful about our response to the killing of Osama bin Laden. The West was appalled and deeply offended by the street celebrations in Tehran and elsewhere after 9/11, but how do rednecks in Washington DC chanting “USA! USA!” after the shooting of Osama and other members of his household compare with that? And what’s this talk of “justice” having been done? I thought justice in the West was being arraigned for trial and judged on evidence. This was summary execution and, while it may have been necessary or forced by circumstance, it’s hardly grounds for rejoicing.

There seems to be a dangerous equivalence creeping into our politics. Our own British ministers speak of the necessity of striking at Colonel Gaddafi’s command post to stop him launching “murderous assaults”. That Nato strike cost the lives of three of his grandchildren, who by any measure are innocent victims. I don’t think there’s much of a future in preventing murderous assaults by launching murderous assaults of our own.

Back to Osama: the only bit of this story that speaks to our traditions of liberty and freedom is that he was buried having been cleansed, according to the Muslim rite. That has some of the dignity to which we aspire, which is notably missing from much of the rest of the story.

[CBGLuthier]

1. rednecks in Washington?

WTF you LIMEY bastard. Yes lets insult everyone today. Don't give a shit about your stupid fucking message priest if you are going to call people names.

[originalpckelly]

2. Hey, you bring the limey, I'll bring the Corona.

Oh wait, you were insulting someone.

[inademv]

3. I agree with him regarding the reaction to the news

The chanting and celebrating is highly inappropriate. While I would have much preferred for him to have been arrested, from what I understand he was not going to allow himself to be taken alive (not much hope of having that confirmed by a reliable source).

[OHdem10]

4. Give me a break. The people are celebrating victory. It is the

people's way of being victorious.

I am sorry but people die in war. We are going
to have wars. People are going to celebrate a win.

If you want a different kind of foreign policy.
Organize a movement on foreign policy. Establish
serious Think Tanks who develop a new foreign policy.
Find respected Democrats who share your views who
will lead these think tanks and be willing to go
on TV over over over and again to sell a new foreign
policy.

To many many Americans it sounds weird for people
to be so damned concerned about killing Bin Laden.
Where was his compassion when the planes crashed into
the Buildings in NY?

[OwnedByFerrets]

6. Yes, celebrate a win, because WAR is such a game.

You dont fucking celebrate ANY GODDAMNED WAR. Or the winning of such war. Look at these pictures and tell me that ANY WAR is worth celebrating.
http://www.zonaeuropa.com/20040504_1.htm
We, yes Americans, started that war. We caused ALL that pain. We should be soooooo fucking proud of winning that war and should dance in the streets and celebrate.
I could go on and on about whats wrong with your post, but I'm positive its useless. Dont bother addressing my post. You are on ignore.

[marions ghost]

8. you said it

:thumbsup:

[OHdem10]

11. In war no matter how you dice it, there are winners and there are

losers. If you call it a game ok. In life there are
winners and losers.

No one wants these wars ended more than I do. No one
had been able to get Bin Laden. Finally, it happened.
People are not celebrating his death. They are celebrating
a win.

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[LanternWaste]

12. I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one...

"The people are celebrating victory. It is the people's way of being victorious..."


"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars..." MLK





One may perceive the stark contrast between the two statements without the observation being in any way at all predicated on OBL's lack of compassion. One may emotionally react within the confine's of one's own set of ethics rather than co-opting the opposition's ethics if only to mere degrees.

[BlueIris]

5. Even I think celebrating a man's death is in bad taste. nt

[Ganja Ninja]

9. I'm not celebrating his death.

I'm celebrating the fact that he's no longer among the living and as such will never kill anyone again.

[marions ghost]

10. smart priest

with a deeper understanding of how the world works instead of just, "Osama dead. Drink beer and tear down the goalpost."