Forgive Osama bin Laden?

Luke 6:27-36
"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

As an American, what Osama bin Laden and the 9/11 hijackers did offended me...but as one of the few people who lost absolutely NO ONE in that horrific incident, it is far easier for me to say what I am about to say than I would expect it to be for anyone else.

I believe that the 9/11 hijackers are in hell. If when I die, they are there...in their heaven...then it is my belief that will be the equivalent of hell to me. As far as I am concerned, I would be in hell (based upon my personal belief...not because this has come up for discussion at church in any way).

Now, that is under the assumption that they are in 'their' heaven.

In MY understanding of heaven, there will be a time of ...purging of evil. That would be purgatory to Catholics (or the BEMA to some protestants). If some of them are there after going through that time of purging, I leave that in G-d's hands. Perhaps they repented of their actions. I really don't know and it isn't my place to judge what G-d chooses to forgive and what he chooses to retain.

I believe I will also go through a time of purging. I hope that by making every effort to follow G-d's laws (as I understand them) that will leave as little as possible that is necessary to be purged from me.

Regarding OSB, I pray for him. I pray that he repents of his actions. I pray that he feels sorrow for what he has done. I believe he suffers for those actions in this life and I believe he will continue to suffer for those actions... So, I do feel pity for him. If he is captured, I expect he will receive the death penalty...and if he lacks a willingness to repent for ALL of his evil (as I am willing to repent for ALL of my evil) then (I believe) he will spend eternity in hell. What saves me is that Christ died for me, but what I suffer for are my own sins. In times when I face what I believe to be unjust suffering, I can only look to myself and say, "Look at what Jesus suffered for me. Do I believe I am more worthy than he is?" There is no value for me to complain about any injustice I face because ANY injustice I face, I know deep inside I deserve far worse than Jesus suffered to die for MY sins. I don't always succeed at not complaining (in fact, there are times I believe I enjoy it a little too much) but I make every effort to identify MY issues because I don't want to hurt someone else.

I don't hate Osama...I don't like him either. I think I probably would hate him if someone I love died. I don't blame anyone who DOES hate him and I don't think that hating OSB would prevent someone from entering heaven. I think G-d would understand that hurt. I believe that allowing that hurt to rule the rest of my life would poison what G-d requires of me. I would become bitter and hateful and be more inclined to see the negative in people than try to help people overcome that and soften toward the Lord. My own actions resulting from that behavior might end up with me having just as many sins as Osama...and hating G-d as well. I believe G-d does allow us to experience trials in this life when he knows that we NEED the discipline in order that we might return to his love. I believe that until the day that Osama dies he will experience trials...and the more trials he experiences in this life, the softer his heart can become and the more likely he will repent...the fewer trials he experiences in this life, the less likely that his eternity will be spent with G-d. Because if he isn't experiencing trials in this life, then (I believe) G-d has determined that he will never repent and he is destined for hell. I believe that some people have no repentance whatsoever in their hearts and that lack is their downfall.

And if you have NO faith in G-d, then there are sins (not all sins) that you have no reason to repent of.

So, do I forgive Osama and the hijackers? I don't really feel it is my place to forgive them as they hurt me emotionally, but their actions didn't directly touch my life. I would HOPE that I could forgive them (in my heart), but that doesn't mean that I wouldn't expect them to still face the penalty for their actions on this earth.

Mark 11:24-26
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."