Killing is the oldest hatred

The killing of others must be the most obvious indication of hatred.  Unfortunately, the Jewish people are not exempt.  Nor is any other faith group or non-faith group.

What we do know is that the most well known, Jew, Jesus Christ taught that we must love one another, even our enemies, do good to those who hate us, to pray for our persecutors and bless those who curse us.

Killing/violence is the oldest hatred, I think.  Not antisemitism.  The most ardent fighter of antisemitism must turn to non-violence or, at least, to violence as the very last resort, as Jeremy Corbyn MP has taught all his life.

'Focus on Israel'

Dear friend

My son, this morning, gave me the Summer 2014 issue of 'infocus', that I read at the time when my copy was sent to me - thanks.

My Bible believing and Zionist Christian family are in full agreement with Israel continuing to wage war on Gaza to teach them a lesson that they never seem to learn. Would you, perhaps feel able to write a short piece in the next issue of 'infocus' on the following lines?

TELL THEM TO TALK TO THE TERRORISTS!

This must be one of the most important and tragic unresolved nightmares in the world today.

Over the years, tight road blocks and checkpoints, strict restrictions and searches, invasions/occupations, suicide bombers, rockets and aerial bombing raids have all failed to bring peace with justice for both sides. Three wars on Gaza have all failed.

In our church, it seems that I alone think that non-violent actions must be tried, in the spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ of the gospels. Bizarrely, it is not our political leaders with their Judeo-Christian upbringing - nor our church leaders in sermons - who have ever uttered the sentence, " We must use non-violence". In fact, it was a Palestinian MP, Mahmood Bagooti on the Radio 4, 'Today' programme last July. I counted four utterances of the all too rare two words, as he was interviewed by John Humphrys, showing what he was doing to persuade his side to follow in the footsteps of Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jnr and, above all, Jesus Christ!

Israel must talk to the terrorists with the help of their ally, the USA, as Margaret Thatcher began to do with the IRA, when she was Prime Minister. John Major and Tony Blair continued to success.

Israel and Palestine MUST talk to each other.  Make friends of your neighbours, O Israel, rather than deepening the enmity!

"The same old story" means never ending violence and aggression - for even the righteous of the Lord/Yahweh. A dismal outlook!

CARDINAL KEITH O’BRIEN

CARDINAL KEITH O’BRIEN – response on CrazyRev blog, Rev Brian Ross

Thanks for these excellent thoughts on the need for repentance by us all.  My own less worthy thoughts follow!

Are you not missing the point, Brian, that although his own sexual orientation appears to be gay, he was speaking out, very vigorously in recent years and months, against homosexual activity and orientation.  Therefore, the charge of hypocrisy remains and his repentance - if it ever happened and you are only hoping it did to help salvage your position(!) - was not genuine.

Cardinal Keith O'Brien remains in a very strong state of discrimination and prejudice from his outspoken comments, something that the Lord Jesus Christ never did.  In fact, He embraced gladly the outcast minorities of His day - women, lepers, tax collectors and sinners.  And you must know who the sinners were (while telling them not to do it again, I know!).  But the good Lord was really rather namby-pamby on such issues of sex, according to Dr Luke.  He was much stronger on preaching non-violence.  He was, too, dead against empire building, according to temptation no 3 - something that we Christian Brits have been particularly good at down the centuries, along with the accompanying violence.

Did you also oppose the decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1967, Brian?  Do you, now wish the law to be repealed?