turned the very same curse to the guard. It brings pictures to mind of when Jesus Christ was crucified for the sins of the world. In his last breath rather than cursing his murderers he asked that they be forgiven. Luke 23:24 Stephen one of the first martyrs of the Christian church asked for his murderers to be forgiven as well. Acts 7:60

Saddam left this world clutching a book (the Koran) that has of late been the object of more study and debate than at any other time since the very beginning of Islam. One thing is cer

The initial responses to Saddam’s death have been a mixed bag. Some have pondered its larger implications and some have scoffed it off as so much of nothing. A few have rejoiced and sneered at his death as if he only got what he deserved.

The Christian attitude on the death of Saddam should be guided by the bible but sadly in some circles it is not. What is that attitude as called for in the scriptures? There may be several verses of writ that we could call upon but perhaps the most succinct would be found in the book of Proverbs.

Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: Proverbs 24:17

Rejoicing over any mans death is not pleasing to God under any circumstances. Man is the crowning glory of his whole creation and the loss of even one is a great matter. Whether a man is good or evil is secondary to the fact that he is a man. When the day dawns that even one life means nothing that is the day when all life begins to mean nothing.

That some people think of Saddam as a martyr is only proof that filial extremes and nepotism accompanies society throughout the ages and often guides or misguides people, especially at a time when a kinsmen or relative meets death. It is from such extremes that adages such as “he has a face that only his mother could love” are born.

As far as Saddam being a martyr for some good he may have done for his country or the world would be a stretching credulity far beyond the limit. Cavorting around a plethora of grandiose palaces while ordering the gassing and murder of your own countrymen would hardly be found under the heading of “great martyrs of the world.”

As for being a murderer Saddam left behind his record which for a public figure is also very public. It was his public (a jury of his peers) that decided that his record was true and something they could no longer bear. The laws of reciprocation have proved themselves once again to be immutable.

News services around the world have reported that just moments before his death one of the guards damned him with a curse. Saddam returned the very same curse to the guard. It brings pictures to mind of when Jesus Christ was crucified for the sins of the world. In his last breath rather than cursing his murderers he asked that they be forgiven. Luke 23:24 Stephen one of the first martyrs of the Christian church asked for his murderers to be forgiven as well. Acts 7:60

Saddam left this world clutching a book (the Koran) that has of late been the object of more study and debate than at any other time since the very beginning of Islam. One thing is cert

f Proverbs.

Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: Proverbs 24:17

Rejoicing over any mans death is not pleasing to God under any circumstances. Man is the crowning glory of his whole creation and the loss of even one is a great matter. Whether a man is good or evil is secondary to the fact that he is a man. When the day dawns that even one life means nothing that is the day when all life begins to mean nothing.

That some people think of Saddam as a martyr is only proof that filial extremes and nepotism accompanies society throughout the ages and often guides or misguides people, especially at a time when a kinsmen or relative meets death. It is from such extremes that adages such as “he has a face that only his mother could love” are born.

As far as Saddam being a martyr for some good he may have done for his country or the world would be a stretching credulity far beyond the limit. Cavorting around a plethora of grandiose palaces while ordering the gassing and murder of your own countrymen would hardly be found under the heading of “great martyrs of the world.”

As for being a murderer Saddam left behind his record which for a public figure is also very public. It was his public (a jury of his peers) that decided that his record was true and something they could no longer bear. The laws of reciprocation have proved themselves once again to be immutable.

News services around the world have reported that just moments before his death one of the guards damned him with a curse. Saddam returned the very same curse to the guard. It brings pictures to mind of when Jesus Christ was crucified for the sins of the world. In his last breath rather than cursing his murderers he asked that they be forgiven. Luke 23:24 Stephen one of the first martyrs of the Christian church asked for his murderers to be forgiven as well. Acts 7:60

Saddam left this world clutching a book (the Koran) that has of late been the object of more study and debate than at any other time since the very beginning of Islam. One thing is cer

r own countrymen would hardly be found under the heading of “great martyrs of the world.”

As for being a murderer Saddam left behind his record which for a public figure is also very public. It was his public (a jury of his peers) that decided that his record was true and something they could no longer bear. The laws of reciprocation have proved themselves once again to be immutable.

News services around the world have reported that just moments before his death one of the guards damned him with a curse. Saddam returned the very same curse to the guard. It brings pictures to mind of when Jesus Christ was crucified for the sins of the world. In his last breath rather than cursing his murderers he asked that they be forgiven. Luke 23:24 Stephen one of the first martyrs of the Christian church asked for his murderers to be forgiven as well. Acts 7:60

Saddam left this world clutching a book (the Koran) that has of late been the object of more study and debate than at any other time since the very beginning of Islam. One thing is cer

turned the very same curse to the guard. It brings pictures to mind of when Jesus Christ was crucified for the sins of the world. In his last breath rather than cursing his murderers he asked that they be forgiven. Luke 23:24 Stephen one of the first martyrs of the Christian church asked for his murderers to be forgiven as well. Acts 7:60

Saddam left this world clutching a book (the Koran) that has of late been the object of more study and debate than at any other time since the very beginning of Islam. One thing is certain, no examination of this book can be made without discovering one well documented fact. The inspiration for the Koran was highly disputed not by Arabs or Christians at first but by Mohammed himself. It is well known that he was inclined to believe that the inspirations came from Satan and only his wife was able to convince him that he should ignore those doubts and publicize his visions.

In contrast the words of the Bible are said to be God breathed and the words of Christ were not only inspired but Jesus said they will be the measure by which the whole world will someday be judged. John 12:48

The death of Saddam is for many the proof that strict adherence to religion apart from a savior is still one of the greatest sources of confusion the God of this world (Satan) uses today as he did throughout antiquity.

The blaring contrast of the death of President Gerald Ford which was concurrent with Saddam’s execution and the six day long funeral held in his honor can’t be ignored. Here was a man who in spite of his failures and weaknesses offered healing and reconciliation to a country worn by a long and divisive scandal and an equally divisive war. He carried himself as a statesman and was carried to his dignified burial by others who by so doing testified of his statesmanship and his contribution to his country.

Perhaps less noticed but no less important was the agreement among both Democratic and Republican leaders about the undignified manner of Saddam’s death. That some of our leaders took notice of this and made their views known publicly is a heartwarming, almost hopeful sign that not all is lost in America.

Even though Saddam was our enemy and a terror to his own people those we have called upon to lead our nation voiced their opinion about his death indicating that our trust in them was well placed. That they are willing to say that even Saddam should have been treated with more dignity says more about their own dignity than any mere rhetoric or self assertion.

Be it the old stove hat kind of dignity or the good ol’ boy kind of gentility it is one