Thought for the week (we 31st August 2014)

The continuing tragedy of what’s happening in Northern Iraq has caused untold suffering for hundreds of thousands of innocent people. Death and destruction, the displacement of many more, the intolerance and zealous hatred of those who oppress and indiscriminately murder without conscience has left a world in great dismay and sorrow.

The graphic murder of James Foley last week has brought condemnation from all over the world and has left all people of good will in deep sorrow for the family and friends of a man who had dedicated his life to report what was happening in this most volatile part of the world. If, as has been reported the man who committed this atrocity was indeed from the UK then it is even more of a concern that he and so many of his contemporaries have become radicalised to such an extent that any sense of compassion or tolerance is lost to them is deeply worrying for us as a nation.

The radicalisation of the man who carried out this horrendous attack took him to a point of zealous hatred which cannot be justified as far as any religious faith is concerned. He and many like him are radicalised to the point of self destruction through the indoctrination of teachers and preachers who call for the annihilation of all they see as enemies of their ideologies.

Blinded by such hate they have failed to see that the central truth of religious faith is that life is precious and that the taking of life, especially in hatred and recrimination brings them and all who encourage and condone such actions under the judgement and condemnation of God. They also violate the doctrine which teaches that to kill one person is ‘as if he has killed all mankind’.

True faith will never turn men to terror and loving God is meaningless unless we love our neighbour as we love ourselves and extend hands of friendship and not of hatred to those of all faiths and none.