Are Christians allowed to be happy about other people being killed?

[hardrive]

Reading a thread about Osama Bin Laden being killed and many (christians) being happy about it, if was wondering what christians think about this matter. I myself am no christian, although I adhere to certain moral standards of which some have an intersection with this or that religious belief.

So... christians: "Is it ok to be happy about someone being (deliberately) killed?"

[Cooraan]

Why wouldn't we? He was an evil man who killed many innocent people. And likely would have killed more if he were allowed to live. His death was a good thing. That being said, I saw many Christians condemn the man to hell, which I find horrible no matter who the person is. Bin Laden chose his actions and he paid for it, am I glad he's dead? Yes, he was a terrible man. Am I glad he choose to live his life the way he did and is not in heaven? No.

So to answer your question yes, as long as the person was killed for a good reason.

[hardrive]

Why wouldn't we? He was an evil man who killed many innocent people. And likely would have killed more if he were allowed to live. His death was a good thing. That being said, I saw many Christians condemn the man to hell, which I find horrible no matter who the person is. Bin Laden chose his actions and he paid for it, am I glad he's dead? Yes, he was a terrible man. Am I glad he choose to live his life the way he did and is not in heaven? No.

So to answer your question yes, as long as the person was killed for a good reason.

Isn't there a christian law that forbids killing?

[Cooraan]

Isn't there a christian law that forbids killing?

No, there is a law that forbids murder.

[Lord of Lost Socks]

No, there is a law that forbids murder.

"Thou shalt no kill", turn the other cheek, he who is innocent throw the first stone, love your enemy, etc.

Selective reading at best.

Of course, the Bible is vague enough to justify anything as long as you exclude whatever opposes your opinion.

Killing is not christian. It makes no distinction between killing and murder. But then again, the Old Testament doesn't count whenever it's not convenient.
And if the killing of Bin Laden was an act of God, then it is no god I wish to serve. Life in prison. But killing is not ethical, according to me. Not apparently according to some christians and God(seeing as he did kill all first-born egyptians).

[Cooraan]

"Thou shalt no kill", turn the other cheek, he who is innocent throw the first stone, etc.

Selective reading at best.

Killing is not christian. It makes no distinction between killing and murder. But then again, the Old Testament doesn't count whenever it's not convenient.
And if the killing of Bin Laden was an act of God, then it is no god I wish to serve. Life in prison. But killing is not ethical, according to me. Not apparently according to some christians and God(seeing as he did kill all first-born egyptians).

Hehe selective reading. "Thou shalt not kill" does mean murder. The Israelite's own law required killing as punishment for crime. Now why would that be if killing is a sin? It doesn't make sense. War, law, and self-defense are examples of when killing is not a sin, because it is not murder.

3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
3:2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3:3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
3:4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
3:5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
3:6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
3:7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
3:8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

-Ecclesiastes

Bin Laden killed many people, on his own choosing. While we should forgive him, because we are to forgive everyone, does not mean we should just let him get off free. He still has to stand for what he did, his punishment was death. That is called justice. Now if I were to kill someone outside of the law because they wronged me then it's murder and revenge. And that is a sin. Turning the other cheek does not apply to mass murders, it's meant for Christians to not take revenge on people who have wronged them.

From an earlier post.

Bin Laden chose his actions and he paid for it, am I glad he's dead? Yes, he was a terrible man. Am I glad he choose to live his life the way he did and is not in heaven? No.

To add to that, I'm glad hes dead because he can no longer harm anyone. I'm not glad he died without knowing God. He should have been forgiven but not forgotten.

[Idwayreth]

No, there is a law that forbids murder.

ah a loophole! nicely done sir, like a true christian!

[Cooraan]

ah a loophole! nicely done sir, like a true christian!

Care to explain how that's a loophole?

[Oberbefehlshaber]

Why wouldn't we? He was an evil man who killed many innocent people. And likely would have killed more if he were allowed to live. His death was a good thing. That being said, I saw many Christians condemn the man to hell, which I find horrible no matter who the person is. Bin Laden chose his actions and he paid for it, am I glad he's dead? Yes, he was a terrible man. Am I glad he choose to live his life the way he did and is not in heaven? No.

So to answer your question yes, as long as the person was killed for a good reason.

If you are a Christian and you think it is good to kill someone because he/she "deserves" it, then you are a hypocrite. That judgement it not for you to make, according to your faith.

[The spartan]

If you are a Christian and you think it is good to kill someone because he/she "deserves" it, then you are a hypocrite. That judgement it not for you to make, according to your faith.

This.

[Cooraan]

If you are a Christian and you think it is good to kill someone because he/she "deserves" it, then you are a hypocrite. That judgement it not for you to make, according to your faith.

Oh look and atheist telling me what my faith is.

It would be hypocritical of me to say he deserves to go to hell, everyone does including me, but I never said that. Being glad he's dead because he killed many innocent people is not wrong. Am I jumping with joy and spitting on his name condemning the man to hell? No, I'm glad because his death brings the war on terror a step closer to ending. Did I hate the man? No. Did I think he was deserving of salvation? Yes, everyone is regardless of actions. Am I sad he died unsaved? Yes, but he chose his actions and his life. And it's absurd to think that his life would have led to anything but his death. So no it's not hypocritical.

But I will say I was a bit shocked when people started celebrating in the streets when Bin Laden died, and I didn't agree with that.

[cfmonkey45]

Yes, and a request that you to pray for your enemies and bless those who curse and persecute you.

[hardrive]

Yes, and a request that you to pray for your enemies and bless those who curse and persecute you.

What?? Can't tell if your content or is right or wrong.

No, there is a law that forbids murder.

What then about a person that is deliberately killed for a good reason?

[Dan the Man]

Yes, and a request that you to pray for your enemies and bless those who curse and persecute you.

^ This.
Christians are told to respect all life, born and unborn, and regardless of what wrongs the person has committed. It is not up to man to kill another man as judgment for any of his Earthly crimes.
That said, I'm sure a majority of those who were happy about Bin Laden's death were more celebrating the victory over an enemy than celebrating the enemy's death itself.

[HunterKYA]

You could ask the same question about Muslims around the world, celebrating when they heard America had been attacked on September 11th, or Palestinians celebrating that they'd successfully bombed a bus full of Israeli students.

Your question can be made towards both sides, Muslims and Americans: Is it morally right for people to celebrate, or praise God, for the deaths of others whom they see as enemies?

It's an argument that could go on for weeks without a clear, definitive answer.

[Gromovnik]

You could ask the same question about Muslims around the world, celebrating when they heard America had been attacked on September 11th, or Palestinians celebrating that they'd successfully bombed a bus full of Israeli students.

Your question can be made towards both sides, Muslims and Americans: Is it morally right for people to celebrate, or praise God, for the deaths of others whom they see as enemies?

No you couldn't. That would be incredibly racist, insensitive and offensive.

[boofhead]

Happy? No.

"Say to them; ‘As I live,' says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?"

It's another thing to be satisfied or happy that someone like bin Laden cannot organise the killing of any more innocents, or happy that justice has been done.

[hardrive]

You could ask the same question about Muslims around the world, celebrating when they heard America had been attacked on September 11th, or Palestinians celebrating that they'd successfully bombed a bus full of Israeli students.

Your question can be made towards both sides, Muslims and Americans: Is it morally right for people to celebrate, or praise God, for the deaths of others whom they see as enemies?

It's an argument that could go on for weeks without a clear, definitive answer.

Mostly off topic what you said - but mostly agree. Anyway, it's about if Christians are allowed to be happy about other people being killed. And beyond that, what ones personal opinion is...

Happy? No.
(...)
It's another thing to be satisfied that someone like bin Laden cannot organise the killing of any more innocents.

Agreed! I'm not happy, but I also don't mourn Bin Ladens death. But I am no christian though.

[cfmonkey45]

What?? Can't tell if your content or is right or wrong.

Isn't there a christian law that forbids killing?

Yes, and a request that you to pray for your enemies and bless those who curse and persecute you.

[Morkonan]

So... christians: "Is it ok to be happy about someone being (deliberately) killed?"

No.