"The enemies we face are resourceful, merciless and fanatically committed to inflicting massive damage on our homeland, which they regard as a bastion of evil," Mueller said. "In this war, there can be no compromise or negotiated settlement." - FBI Director Robert Mueller

I have no doubts that bin Laden and others in the Muslim extremist community consider the residents of the US to be evil. I also know that some Jamaicans are not real happy with US government policy. These are two different things - thinking the country a bastion of evil and being dissatisfied with government policy. Further, I do not know of any Jamaicans that are intent on doing harm to US citizens (to further their own cause). One group would as soon anhilate us, the other just wants to find it easier to gain entrance to the US. Perhaps bin Laden thinks the Jamaicans are just as evil as we.

I think we are evil too, but my definition of the word probably differs from bin Laden's (and others'). We all fall short of the glory of God, that is, we all fall short of his expectations for us. This has been true since the Fall, the source of evil within each of us. This evil nature is inadequate reason for any man or religious movement to appoint itself responsibility for carrying out judgement on mankind.

That leads to an interesting conclusion. Both bin Laden and I are evil - even equally so. We have both done wrong in God's eyes. Sure, bin Laden has comitted many more attrocious acts than I, nevertheless, we have both gone astray from the source of absolute truth (and are both equally accountable). Others may reject this thinking, not wanting to recognize a system of absolute truth, but that leaves us with little, if any ground, for productive discussion. I think bin Laden's followers have similarly removed any common ground for productive discussion. (I need to leave and I'm not quite sure where to take this. I'll post and revist tomorrow.)

4:21:35 PM    Google It!