Does Jesus love Osama?

You have heard that it was said, “Love your neighbour and hate your enemy”. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:43-45a).

It was this extract from the Sermon on the Mount that led many churches this week to post the sign “Jesus loves Osama”. Of course he does! And so should those who follow Jesus. As Alan Soden, Secretary of the Baptist Union of NSW, observed in a recorded interview on ABC radio today:

It’s not about Osama and what he has done or may have done. We are all sinners and [God] loves us all no matter who we are or what we have done. Hopefully it might cause some people to think about Jesus’ teachings. The idea that we should pray for someone and even love them when we disagree with them or may even be opposed to them and their actions is radical. But many of Jesus’ ideas were radical.

Yes, Jesus loves Osama bin Laden. Jesus may hate what Osama has done (whatever that is), but he loves the person who did those things. In fact, I can say on biblical authority that Jesus died for Osama, and desires that he and others like him (even worse than him) should share the pleasures and joys of heaven forever. Now that’s something to shout about, both inside and outside our churches.

John Laws, speaking this morning on Sydney’s 2UE, took a different line. He wondered aloud what all the publicity will do to “dwindling numbers at Baptist churches”. Presumably he was referring to the latest church posters, but their purpose is, of course, to generate publicity and encourage conversation and reflection.

I attend many NSW Baptist churches in the course of my work, and I can assure John that numbers are not dwindling. In fact, according to national figures (PDF 843KB) released last year, Baptists and Pentecostals are virtually the only Christian denominations in Australia experiencing sustained numerical growth.

John Laws raised another important issue. If Jesus loves Osama, where does that leave all those who hate Osama? The answer is obvious: they are unlike God in nature and character, attitudes and actions. But God understands the reasons for this and continues to offer them unconditional love and free forgiveness. That’s what Christians mean when they talk about the grace of God. That’s what the gospel is all about.

I think a more interesting question is: “Does Osama love Jesus and, if not, why?” That would surely get the phones ringing. It might also get the Christians thinking.

Which reminds me that Outreach Media’s next poster, so I’m told, will simply say, “Forgiveness: One size fits all”.