Would you choose to live in presence today?

I was living on Long Island when the attacks occurred.  My family stood on top of the Twin towers several years before the attacks. What a beautiful view that was. A classmate of my twin girls lost her father, a fire fighter, in the attacks in New York City. Many of those killed on 911 were from Long Island and worked in NYC. Besides the workers from the investment business, some of whom were killed in the Twin Towers, many NYC fire fighters and police officers have lived for years on Long Island.

My view is that killing may be justified in instances like these, where Bin Laden’s followers would have likely terrorized the world to secure his release by killing thousands more.  At times, the greatest act of love can be the act of bringing evil to its end, though, if possible, perhaps not by killing.  And importantly, Bin Laden had the chance to surrender as long as our troops were not placed in harms way despite earlier reports that the operation was a “kill” mission.

Some may argue that no one should take another life even for the sake of self-preservation.  I would not go to logic or someone else’s dogma for an answer.  Better to go to the heart and know what serves the highest good, the highest love.

President Obama’s counter-terrorism adviser John Brennan claims that we would have taken him alive if the opportunity to do so had presented itself.  It did not, as Bin Laden apparently took hostile action and used one of his wives to shield himself as you’ve heard.

Regardless of whether it is agreed or not that Bin Laden should have been killed, he was killed, and it is important now to forgive and as Jesus taught, to “Love your enemy.”  Bin Laden clearly “knew not what he was doing.”  We forgive him, though perhaps love has been served through his death.   If killing him was done solely out of fear, at best it serves as an example to the unconscious of the world that their evil will not succeed in the end.  It is a very primitive form of communication.  One day, we will do better.  We  really don’t know for sure what happened in that room in Pakistan.  We need to forgive not only Bin Laden, but those who killed him if judgment arises in us.  The Navy Seals did what they felt was correct.  People always do.  If you want an exercise of forgiveness, please see this prior post: Forgiveness Exercise

Look for any remaining anger, grief, fear, pride, or any other negative emotions you may feel in regard to Osama Bin Laden or terrorists in general.  What we fear, we strengthen in our experience.  Being in resistance to anything strengthens it.  Pride takes us down in the end. It makes us smug and judgmental. When we transcend our fear, anger and pride and simply take necessary actions to ensure our safety and the safety of those we love, we can live in peace and will always overcome terrorism.  The power of love so far surpasses the energy of hate and terrorism that “Bin Ladens” and “Hitlers” never stand a chance. They will be defeated in the face of our Presence and our love.