Osama bin Laden, the master-mind behind the cowardly 9/11 attacks by al-Qaida terrorists that took the lives of more than 3,000 innocent people, has been found and killed in an operation led by the United States military. Justice has been served as bin Laden received the capital punishment that he so rightly deserved for his crimes. A tremendous salute and hearty thanks go to our great American military personnel!
The Bible plainly states: "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority, resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you then want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God's minister to you for good. But
if you do what is evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword (or gun, hf) in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who does evil" (Romans 13:1-4). Only the most radical bleeding-heart liberal will fail to appreciate what the inspired apostle of Jesus Christ said in the above passage!
From the beginning of time, God decreed that "Whoever sheds man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed…" (Genesis 6:9). The Old Testament clearly reveals that within the theocracy of Israel, capital punishment was to be rendered to those guilty of certain crimes. Solomon, the third king of Israel, wrote: "Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil" (Ecclesiastes 8:11). That is still true today. When crime goes unpunished, people get the idea that they can "get by" with it!
On yesterday's television news programs numerous images were shown of people rejoicing over the fact that bin Laden had been killed. Among this number were many young people—people in their twenties and thirties—in front of the White House. They understood that a criminal had been brought to justice and received his due punishment. It is passing strange that among many of this same age group—as well as many older people—there is an aversion to capital punishment upon criminals here in the United
States.
I do not profess to have the answers to all the problems that confront our society—the robbing, raping, killing, etc, etc. I am convinced that one reason for such is—that as the apostle Paul said in that same letter to the Roman saints cited at the beginning of this essay— "There is no fear of God before their eyes" (Romans 3:18, quoting Psalm 36:1). We have removed God from our homes, from our schools, from the marketplace, and from our government. We are reaping the results of our actions. "Be not deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man (or a family, or a city, or a nation, hf) sows, that he will also reap" (Galatians 6:7).
If we believe the United States was right in executing Osama bin Laden for his crimes, why is it not right to render due punishment—including capital punishment in cases deserving of such—on those of our own country who act in violation of the laws of our land?
Hugh Fulford
May 3, 2011
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