Saddam Hussein is dead. We all know that. What I want to know is what is going on in this picture? I pulled it from Foxnews.com. The caption said this is a human rights group in Pakistan having a protest of the execution of Saddam. Here are my questions:
1. Why protest the U.S. when it is the Iraqis who executed their ex-president?
2. Why, if this is a "human rights" group, is someone holding up a sign that reads: "Saddam, Hero of Islam?" What does that say about human rights?
3. Why is Saddam a hero to Islam? He was a secularist? Furthermore, if he is Islam's hero, then what good is Islam?
4. Why are we supposed to care what these protesters think? In my opinion, they should care what we think. And, you know what I think about the execution of Saddam? The blood of a million victims was crying out for justice. It has been done. God is good.
your thoughts?
11 comments:
i have to admit I felt relieved...sad for the people because they have been indoctrinated in darkness and evil - the light is foreign to them and painful to their eyes.
I think that often when people are in an oppressive situation (that is all they know) they are fearful of anything else.
We are given the American point of view, but in my previous experience living overseas, the third world commentary to the nationals re: US action is not usually positive. "who knows" what these people were actually told.
Pastor Mike,
Your questions are sound. The problem that we deal with here is three fold, as I see it.
First, our news editors seem to create a "thought" first for their space and then try to find a story to put under their headline. You see this frequently in news reports instead of the headline or captions describing the content. They look to capture the interest of the reader in the first few seconds that fits their personal perspective.
With all the articles of anti American theme out there, (which may fit the picture better) this editor sought to draw what would normally be a pretty big audience in the US (anti capital punishment) to his article. However - he was BUSTED!
The next thought, I think that many of the locals in Iraq blame the US for everything. They just see everything as coming out of the evil the USA cultivates, in their minds. There is some limited room for their thought, from their perspective, if you consider the extremes in the US environment (But that is another issue)
Next, the people of Iraq that would find themselves in a street protest are largely - of limited education. They find it easier to repeat the anti American slogans than come up with their own on any given subject. This makes a point toward world wide literacy efforts.
It just seems that with the holiday action, replys were a little slow for your posts, so I thought I would let you know that someone is out there.
Yes He is, and all the time He is good. I'm glad He is in control of all things in the world. can you imagine if he wasn't. Was just reading this morning how he took care of Ruth.
Rodney
I know you disagree with me on this...that's ok. lol. First of all, Saddam was a tyrant (to put it nicely) and I know what he did was 100% WRONG. He was a sick man. And I agree with you when you said that the blood of a million victims cried out. But how does executing him make anything better? How does man doing our "justice" by executing him make sense? Does it stop the hurting? I try to think if it was one of my children or my spouse -- would I feel better knowing he was executed? And I really don't think I would. It's just another life dying. I am sort of wishy-washy (which I know isn't a good thing) about the death penalty. I know Saddam's actions caused him to be put to death. I guess it's just hard for me to wrap my brain around the fact that we shouldn't kill people -- but then someone gets executed. Help me understand how it makes things better to execute him.
Annette, great point. If we think our media is biased here, at least it is free --opposing voices of the media machine can compete to get their side out. many nations don't have that option for freedom of information. This is what makes Iraq frightening to Muslim nations. They are becoming free.
remember, this protest was not in Iraq, but Pakistan.
Big Fred, yes, the locals on the ground are indeed given certain information historically that is very anti-U.S.
Freedom of the press is something for the Muslim nations to fear. This is the brilliance of Bush's vision. If there can be two free nations in the middle east (Iraq and Afghanistan), then the world will change. Of course, local politics in America is a bigger obstacle than anything happening over seas . . .
Margie,
you stated excellently the visceral reaction it is easy to have to capitol punishment.
However, the issue of the death penalty is not about deterence nor practical considerations. It is about just punishment.
Who determines just punishment? Answer: God. God says that the way to value human life like He does is for men to executed murderers. See Genesis 9 where this is spelled out.
There is something spiritual about murder, not just physical. The issue isn't simply, "Will the killer be able to kill again if we lock him up?" God says that the blood of the murderers cries out to HEAVEN when murderers are not put to death. It was a severe violation of Israeli Law for murderers to live.
Part of the problem is that we, Americans, equate justice with jail. Where does this concept come from? Truth? the Bible? Where? From our traditions and nothing else. It is not justice to put someone in a confined area to live. It inhibits his freedom, certainly, but there is no penal element (no punishment).
There is no greater crime than murder (Murder means illegal killing), says God. The highest punishment is called for by God.
Killing by government is not condemned as sin by God unless it is unjust. God, in the Bible, let's it be known that war to defend self and punishing evil doers are not only reasons for legal killing, but they are needed for safe and just society.
P.M.
As long as there is a Christian or a Jew left, these radical Muslims will not rest. What a sick joke that they would be considered a "human rights" group! A very transparent disguise.....I will say, however, that I did feel sorry for Sadam the other night, and prayed for his repentence. I guess it didn't work out since he was in the middle of a Muslim prayer when the trap door sprung. Ultimately, the world,particularly Iraq, is better off for his departure.
Ray, you are right. The Muslim faith encourages anti-semetic and anti-Christian violence.
As for pity for Saddam, yes, it would be a great testimony to the love of God for the cross of Christ to be applied to his sins. However, justice needed to be done, even if he did repent.
Of course, we are all evil. We all are saved by miracle grace alone.
Well Pastor Mike I am torn between this situation. Reason being is this yes what that man did was just horrible. But on the other hand he is a human being (some people might disagree with that statement) but none the less it does not take away the hurt and suffering that he has left behind. What needs to happen is the people he left behind in his devestation have to heal that is the most important part of all. Healing. Because without healing no matter how many people are executed it will not take away the pain.
Jamie, I see your point. Healing is needed for those left alive.
two other thoughts. One, he killed at least 1,000,000 people. Their voices will not be heard on this earth again.
Also, execution is not a wrong done. there is nothing morally wrong with executing a murderer. In fact, it can be argued that it is morally wrong to leave him alive.
There is a kind of healing that is deeper than we might first realize, also. When a man does great evil and is not punished justly, the society as a whole feels the injustice acutely. Consider, for example, OJ Simpson, or Bill Clinton. these people who broke laws with impunity and were never punished cast a shadow of injustice and even cause us to lose a bit of hope in truth and righteousness in our society.
Execution was the correct and just punishment for this mass murderer of humanity. The Execution itself will bring a measure of healing to Iraq.
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