As Americans across the country watched the twin towers topple to the ground on 9/11/2001, it was nearly impossible to think (in those excruciating moments of pain, sadness, and terror) of forgiving the men responsible for such acts of hatred and violence. Yet as we have learned in our theology classes across the years, we are called to forgive others. So why not forgive bin Laden and the associates responsible for such a horrible act of terror? What would that forgiveness even look like? This idea is presented by Mike Hayes in an article he wrote for "Busted Halo."
Forgiveness lies at the heart of Jesus' mission. Even having been beaten, embarrassed and abused by the soldiers, Jesus forgave his persecutors on the cross with the simple words of "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." This approach to life and forgiveness confirms the need to forgive bin Laden. We cannot bring back the lives that he took. We cannot erase that moment of terror from our history books. But we can move forward, writing our history in forgiveness and peace.
In the aftermath of 9/11, various religious organizations banned together to form a coalition to promote inter-faith communication. We need to work for peace and not for vengeance. We are called to forgive. I think that forgiving bin Laden is not justify what he did, but rather coming to terms with what happened and moving forward without hate. If we weigh ourselves down by hate, we are only drowning ourselves with a burden heavier than anything we could carry. Yet through forgiveness, we are letting go of the baggage of the past and letting ourselves move forward. That is why the coalition is so vital. It stresses the need for communication, not crime.
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