Monday, May 2, 2011

Dissing Islam

So apparently the US has "buried Osama bin Laden at sea."

We aren't big enough to return the body to his family?

We fear a funeral that becomes a demonstration or a resting place that becomes a shrine?

On Sunday evening there were promises that the body was being handled with respect for Muslim tradition--but being dumped in the ocean is surely alien to Islam, even if it was done with prayers.

What an insult: an Arab's body given to the sea, not the sand.

Why not just put his head on a post or do a dance around the body?

The macabre joy of our nation reminds me of scenes from Beowulf--warriors displaying the torn off arm of Grendel.

Can't we do any better than this? We could have turned over the body to the Saudis and let them make the decision on where to send it from that point.

Instead we offend Muslim standards of decency.

I think also of the Roman guards posted at the tomb of Jesus in an effort to make sure the body was not stolen for false claims of resurrection.

If bin Laden is going to be a hero to some, we can't stop that.

The more human stance would have been to return the body to his family and hope that other warriors will show like respect for Americans who die at their hands.




2 comments:

K. Solheim, Principal said...

Just a question: Why focus on a religious ceremony for someone who has not following the religion? Sort of like burying Hilter with full Catholic or some other Christian rites. Seems to me that he was misusing an honorable faith for his own ends. More evil than misguided.

A Linstatter said...

Lovely comment, Karen. Osama bin Laden was indeed misusing Islam. President Obama said in his speech a few days after the US attack that bin Laden was not a Muslim--just a fringe extremist trying to get attention by purporting to speak for Islam.