Apparently 81% of ninemsn poll respondants say that Jesus doesn't love Osama bin Laden, contrary to the posters some churches have had up in recent weeks.
The Rev Fred Nile has compared the posters to saying Jesus loves Hitler or Pol Pot, saying, "Certainly if you had any association with the 3000 people that were killed through bin Laden's attack on New York, I don't think you'd say how much you love him."
This isn't about how much you love him, though, Mr Nile. This is about the fact that Jesus would love him, leading me to say, "Remember, Jesus loves you too, Fred Nile. Even though I think you're a great big twit for thinking you get to tell Jesus who He gets to love or not."
Just because we personally don't like someone it doesn't mean that Jesus doesn't still love them. That's the position we have to take as Christians, as much as we'd like to think that God would be all for the smiting of those who we want to see zapped by lightning/squished by a run-away train/any other number of horrible ends.
What Osama bin Laden, Pol Pot, Hitler and others throughout the centuries have done is wrong - it's resulted in the combined deaths of millions. There mightn't be justice for it on earth, but Christians tend to believe this is something they'll ultimately be answerable for when it comes to the "meet and greet their maker" time.
I once read a comment that said something like, "You'll know you've successfully created God in your own image when He hates all the same people as you." God (and Jesus) loves everyone. That's it, the beginning and end and everything in between. Or it's meant to be for Christians. As much as it sucks to think that He still cares for people who are utter bastards (to be perfectly frank) (or at least who we think are utter such-and-suches), He still does - perhaps you could say like how parents still generally love their kids even though they grow up to be investment bankers or something.*
You read the Bible and Jesus still came to die for a whole lot of people who didn't like Him. He still loves them all, which is pretty masochistic I guess. But it's about relationships - a person's connection with the divine, etc. Although that said, a good relationship with God probably wouldn't see you rushing out to slaughter a lot of people...
What have Christians learnt about love?
Apparently not a whole hell of a lot.
*Just kidding, investment bankers! ;)
2 comments:
Amen, Adele!! That was a fanastic post!! I really enjoyed it!!! :D It was cool to catch up with you in Mel! :D Keep having fun!! :D
Thanks, Shaz! I'm working on changing it into an article (which I have to get done this weekend, as well as having a 10th anniversary party thing and other stuff - ikes!).
It was great seeing you again :D We do have to catch up more often, I think :)
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