Can You Say...Martyr?

It never ceases to amaze me that, no matter how much we know about another culture or religious tradition, we still act as if they think like we do. The news of bin Laden's death last night brought this to mind again. Did a majority of Americans want him dead? Probably. Do the majority of Americans realize what killing a radical fundamentalist leader will do to his followers? Probably not...though they should. From our cultural grid, based in our mostly European past, we "know" that eliminating the leader of a group should disperse, or at least, severely weaken his followers. However, are we forgetting the last 50 years of history? What kind of people send children among their enemy strapped with explosives (Vietnam) or wipe out all of their educated population (Cambodia) or massacre children at a local school (Afghanistan) or blow themselves up in a crowded market (Iraq)? People that don't think like us. People who make decisions based on a different set of values than us. There is every likelihood that this action will result in a greater resolve by terrorists around the world who saw bin Laden as their leader to commit themselves ever more solidly to our destruction. Will they destroy us? Probably not. Are we at a greater risk of terrorism within our country's borders? Almost certainly. My response: praying for our leaders, our military and our people here and around the globe. Please join me.