Ohio Adventist Offers a Burial Site for the Boston Marathon Bombing Suspect
by Adventist Today News Team
The CBS television affiliate in Youngstown has reported that an Adventist man in the area has offered space in a burial plot that his family owns in Crown Hill Cemetery, Vienna, Ohio, so that the body of Tamerlan Tsarnaev can be buried. The Adventist man told a television journalist that he believes God wants him to do this, although he does not want his name reported.
The man "believes in a strict interpretation of the Bible," CBS News stated, "particularly Jesus' call to love your enemies." He told reporters that he hopes that some good might come from his offer.
Tsarnaev "can no longer hurt anyone," he was quoted by CBS News, "and perhaps God can use this act of kindness to change somebody else's mind and keep anyone else from harming or trying to harm someone … anywhere else in the world." He stated that he understands that some people would be upset by his offer, including members of his own family, "but it is the right thing to do."
Tsarnaev's body is still being held in a funeral home in Worcester, Massachusetts. A number of elected officials have stated that they do not want him buried in the state, even in an unmarked grave inside the walls of a state prison where executed criminals have been buried in the past.
"The acts that were carried out in Boston were heinous," the Adventist man in Ohio told CBS News. "I have prayed for the victims. I have prayed for the families of those who lost loved ones."
"Adventists have a different understanding of the state of the dead than the standard view among Christians and others, and this might make it easier for an Adventist to make this kind of offer," a veteran Adventist pastor told Adventist Today. "But I am simply speculating. This man is to be affirmed for taking the teaching of Jesus seriously at a time when it is not politically popular to do so."
We need more people like this man who will take seriously the command of God to love our enemies and obey when the opportunity comes. After all, how can we claim to be reflecting the love of God and bringing people into a saving relationship with Him if we're putting limits on how far we are willing to extend that love? Who needs to know God more than those who are enemies of those who love God?
Amen, William, Amen!
Through the years the sincere concern shown by Adventists toward the Muslim world has moved me and brought a sense that as a church, we have not descended to the more confrontational anti-Islamic stance of some prominent evangelical organizations.
I have noted since 9/11 in the US, however, that the the flow of anti-Islamic belligerance seems to be increasingly lapping at the thresholds of our congregations. It is refreshing to see a man stand tall in the spirit of Christ and make a gracious offer of this kind. A Good Samaritan indeed, who sees a body by the side of the road and refuses to pass by on the other side….
Ed-
Do you acknowledge that there are Islamist terrorists? To be sincerely concerned about the tenets of Islam, which those who can read the Koran contend, tells its followers to destroy those who don't believe is not belligerence by any stretch. This aspect of Islam is highly controversial and it would be great to have someone who can read the original objectively tell us exactly what the Koran really says.
Burial of Tamerlan should not be such a problem and the SDA'S offer is commendable.
Maranatha
I think you may enjoy the book "Son of Hamas" by Mosab Hassan Yousef. He is a Palestinian and was raised in Gaza. His father and other relatives founded the Hamas movement that has grown into an active anti-Israel terrorist group. He spent time in an Israeli prison camp because of terrorist activity. Yet he has become a Christian. It is an amazing story of how God's love can touch a heart many would never imagine being touched.
This is a story of inspiration, and let us not interject political aspects that are by all means important but more appropriately laundered elsewhere. What I can say is that this story has touched me this Mother's Day Weekend, and I have determined to re-examine my attitude toward any and all religious enemies, and to draft better prayers than I have prayed thus far on their behalf. May we all remember fervently that all who die, especially in their youth, leave behind grieving mothers and fathers who wrestle with the meaning of life, as their children are buried before their eyes.
Ed-
Again you seem to misconstrue what is said. To acknowledge Islamic terrorism is hardly a political statement and you should be well aware of that. I'm more concerned about the hapless victims of the Boston massacre for whom Mother's day will probably offer little solace.
Maranatha
I am very sorry that a lot of Adventist are very ignorant of the Muslim World and its culture. The Muslims would like us to believe that the Islam religion is a peaceful one. On the contrary, people do not see that from what the fanatics are portraying with the terrorist activities in the last few years. I can remember 40 years ago when I tried to engaged in intellectual conversation on the subject of Islam. The first word I got is "barbaric" which came from history. Must of us who do a great deal of reading fine it difficult to reconcile Islam with terrorist and peace loving as part of their believe. It makes us extremely afraid.
There is nothing like using 40-yr.old history to form opinions. Should others form their opinions of Adventists from what it was 40 years ago? Christians have a history of hunting heretics and the Crusades that killed millions of Muslims. No religion has a lovely history. To Muslims, Christians are "unbelievers" to Christians, Muslims are "unbelievers. But to Adventists, Catholics have been the evil force against Adventists and destined to be the "harlot of Babylon."
The text in Matthew 5:44 says to "Love YOUR enemies." Too often people misconstrue this to mean that it's THEIR prerogative to forgive OTHER people's enemies. It's may be all nice and mushy for all those Hollywood actors to decry some mass murderer who gets the death penalty. It might make them feel all warm and fuzzy inside to think they're SO loving that they can forgive someone ELSE's enemies of the WORST crimes. But since they're NOT THE VICTIM and HAVEN'T LOST A THING, it's MEANINGLESS, if not an INSULT to the victims. If anything, we should be showing sympathy for the VICTIMS. As for loving or forgiving enemies, it's the VICTIM's right to forgive or NOT TO forgive, NO ONE ELSE's. This right is NOT to be compelled by well-meaning DO-GOODERS.
Thank you for reminding us of the personal nature of God's instruction.
Jesus was criticized for associating with sinners. That's where real ministry happens.
As in every group there is the good, the bad, and the ugly. From what I have heard from those who work among Muslims, they are generally kind and devout. We need to know people as individuals and not as groups.
The "fundamentalists" like fundamentalist Christians over time do not really understand or practice what their holy book says. (Try reading the OT superficially.)
The "ugly" base their religion on the superstition of gaining "paradise" by works of violence and killing infidels. Others by just numerically breeding, controlling with religion, converting more Muslims, and spreading around the world. Others are tolerant and believe in Jesus as a prophet.
As with all false religion (even in the Christian church) it is a works-related journey to heaven.
This is an opinion I am developing, but I will not let it lead me to judge an individual Muslim. We are saved by the light we have, and light is always based on love.
Remember Paul who participated in murdering Stephen? Let's pray for more Damascus Road conversions.
In 2011, I worked in Afghanistan for six months. During that time I discovered that the main reason why insurgent groups such as the Taliban and Al Qaeda are so successful is because of three things: 1) Poverty. Because life is so dreary for the average citizen, martyrdom doesn't look so bad. 2) Illiteracy. This makes it easy for terrorist leaders to interpret the Koran to their own liking, making it appear to support the more violent aspects of Islam (such as jihad), which they claim to be the will of Allah. 3) Among the established government there is still a great deal of corruption.
However, there are a few good leaders there that are not tied to the insurgency, crime or narcotics. These men spend a great deal of time trying to unify local leaders, work towards educating the populace so that they can think for themselves, and trying to emphasize the more peaceful aspects of Islam However, these leaders are in the minority. It's doubtful when we pull out that the government we tried to establish, and the ANSF (Afghan National Security Forces) will be able to maintain stability. The British and Russians both tried before us and failed.
Kenneth,
Where I work we have a branch that is directly involved in work in Afghanistan and friends in that group who regularly spend extended periods of time over there have made the same observations.
One of the most powerful tools radical Islamists use to keep the populace supporting them is providing tangible improvements in how people live. That is how Hamas got started in Gaza and a tool Hezbollah uses in Lebanon. Since the primary issue of the world's population is not politics but survival, I can't help but wonder what a spiritual revolution would result if Christians focused first on improving the lives of people in these areas instead of just teaching doctrine.
AToday News team, isn't this story now out of date? Hasn't the Boston Bomber now been buried in Virginia, not Ohio? A Christian woman, not an Adventist, seems to have been the first to offer a plot of land. Nevertheless, she appears to be a Christian and cited similar reasons about loving one's neighbour:
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/05/11/virginia-woman-has-no-regrets-over-role-in-boston-bomber-burial/
Mr Comstock said: "The text in Matthew 5:44 says to "Love YOUR enemies." Too often people misconstrue this to mean that it's THEIR prerogative to forgive OTHER people's enemies."
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I think Sir that that is not what Jesus meant. He really did mean the whole nine yards. Matt 5:44 is the opposite of what you are saying from what I can see. Your explanation to me is more in line with Matt 5:43 – "All of you have heard that it has been said, You shall love your neighbour, and hate your enemy."
This terrorism was directed at the United States and would include all its citizens and not just those who were killed. All were targets and the objective was to maximize the number of casualties. The Adventist concerned made this offer to perhaps show an act of love and mercy in order to influence the perception of supporters and adherents of such a religion which promotes terrorism. He said that the dead terrorist can't do any more despicable acts and therefore such a gesture may at least be useful in preventing others, even if just a few, from attacking the West.
By the way, the West is perceived as terrorists in Islamic countries. Many Muslims I have come across say that the war on Iraq was baseless and built on the false pretense of accusing Iraq of having 'weapons of mass destruction' which were never found. The country is still in a mess, perhaps even worse off than before, with thousands of Iraqis, both soldiers and civilians, together with US soldiers – dead.
This might provide an update on the burial. If true, it seems even fellow Muslims are not happy.
http://www.smh.com.au/world/furore-over-boston-suspect-burial-20130511-2jekz.html
A very thoughtful article on this whole sorry saga. After a discussion of the treatment of one's dead enemies in Greek tragic literature, DAniel Mendelsohn says this:
It was hard not to think of all this—of the Iliad with its grand funereal finale, of the Odyssey strangely pivoting around so many burials, and of course of “Antigone”—as I followed the story of Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s unburied body over the past few weeks. I thought, of course, of canny politicians eyeing the public mood, and of the public to whom those politicians wanted to pander. I thought even more of the protesters who, understandably to be sure, wanted to make clear the distinction between victim and perpetrator, between friend and foe, by threatening to strip from the enemy what they saw as the prerogatives of the friend: humane treatment in death. The protesters who wanted, like Creon, not only to deny those prerogatives to an enemy but to strip them away again should anyone else grant them—to “unbury the body.” I thought of Martha Mullen, a Christian, who insisted that the Muslim Tsarnaev, accused of heinous atrocities against innocent citizens, be buried just as a loved one might deserve to be buried, because she honored the religious precept that demands that we see all humans as “brothers,” whatever the evil they have done.
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/books/2013/05/unburied-tamerlan-tsarvaev-and-the-lessons-of-greek-tragedy.html
i believe the political leader of Australia, Gillard, has the proper slant on emigrants who enter a country and then offer complaints of the system and way of life norms. Who ghetto together in locales until they have a voting majority, and seek to change the traditional norms politically. By this strategy they now have 2 in the US House of Rep., one from Minnesota & one from Indiana. Obama has appointed 2 Islamist to high advisory positions in HOMELAND SECURITY. Also another 4 Islamists to White House Advisory positions. All of these are members of Islamist National groups whose aim is to change America to SHARIA LAW.
Many of the Islamist mosques are breeding grounds for fomenting change of the American way of life, some providing guidance to recruits for terrorism training. The product of which we viewed in the wanton murder of several innocent young people, and serious injury to approx 170 other celebrants to the annual Boston Marathon.
The body of the evil murderer is dead. He did not earn an honorable internment. The City of Boston should have buried him in an unmarked plot in "potters field", better yet have cremated him. His notoriety has received more media press & some sympathy, far beyound all of the innocent victims of his religious hate. Wake up America!!!!!! The organized Islamists on our doorstep is a National enemy, maybe not your personal enemy. i find it outrageous that this country's Political establishment shouts foul whenever the word CHRISTIAN is raised, but offers havens for Islamist radicals in our Nations Security police, and in our midst.
Gillard, told the Islamists in Australia to conform to Australia's traditions, and language, and to stop whining and being a victim to Australia's laws and way of life, or to GET OUT. i like that.
Sorry Earl, for once I have to disagree with you. Not sure where you get that info on Gillard, but she is nothing like your description. She is trying to undo the damage done when her government came to power in 2007 and immediately made it a lot easier for 'boat people' refugees to press their claims on an otherwise welcoing country. But she has become deeply unpopular partly because of these 'immigration' policies. I have seen emails circulating along the lines you describe. Don't believe it. Urban myth.
But the concept of Muslims congregating in communities/ghettoes is likely true, and they also influence government here by similar means. The UK is a classic example of such ghettoisation. Not sure if it will lead to Muslim control fo national governement with Sharia law in place, but it does have a strong influence. Such is democracy.