"Remembrance is not enough"

(banner, Peace Museum, Bradford)

Remembrance over these last 100 years has meant, for us good angelic Brits, remembering to wage war on foreign countries in every single year since, at least, 1914 (source: Guardian 12 Feb 2014).

Perhaps, we need to try forgetting our war heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice in killing and being killed. How about remembering my heroes like Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jnr and Jesus of Nazareth and following their more worthy example?

We have difficulty in remembering Magna Carta - admittedly, it was over 800 years this year. For example, the illegitimate Guantanamo Bay has gone on for over ten years in order to get round the US constitution that has Magna Carta at its heart, apparently. Magna Carta was imported to America with the British and European settlers.

We have difficulty in remembering our own British wars of religion and our own barbaric behaviour by pious monarchs down the centuries. Particularly brutal and barbaric in the 16th and 17th centuries.

'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!

Violence gets the world's attention but Palestine must try non-violence

Last week, I heard on BBC Radio 4's 'Today' programme a Palestinian MP and former Presidential candidate, mention the word, 'non-violence' half a dozen times.  He said that he had been urging non-violent resistance on his fellow compatriots for many years but that it had fallen on deaf ears, so far.  He said Hamas had, quietly, already changed its position over Israel.  What was his name?

Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jnr commanded the moral high ground, as did the Indians who also chose non-violence during the Amritsar massacre by the British Army.  Eventually, India gained its independence from the British Empire.

In Northern Ireland, the sectarian men of violence (including the British Army), eventually, tried non-violence.  Ceasefires led to the peace process of talks, compromise, consensus, give and take and, a large drop in the numbers of killings.  Could Israel not talk and act on wanting a similar peace process, once more?

Could Israel not join with that Palestinian MP and, at least, talk non-violence, to begin with?  Israel's policy over 66 years has not worked in giving them peace and security and friendship with its Palestinian neighbours.

Could Israel not make use of the UN's General Secretary or, make use of the knowledge and experiences of both sides in Northern Ireland?

Could Israel consult with Angela Merkel to get her ideas and help to, eventually, get a resolution?  Or Desmond Tutu?

Violence gets the world's attention but Palestine must try non-violence and top level talks with world leaders - followed by Israel coming to the table, too.

Both sides might try a cycle of non-violence, compromise and constraint and never revenge to improve their prospects.

Thoughts on the day of Mike Verduyn's funeral

19 Dec 2013

At Mike’s funeral, Tony read out from Ecclesiastes about a time for killing and a time for war.  This on the very day that the two converts to Islam were convicted of the killing of ‘Help for Heroes’ T-shirt wearing, Lee Rigby outside Woolwich Barracks.  They say they only killed a British soldier because of their killings of Muslims in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan.

The week before saw the death of Nelson Mandela who was feted, applauded and celebrated.  Yet, he was a man of violence who had long renounced non-violence as being ineffective.  Yet, Gandhi and then Martin Luther King Jnr had shown the power of non-violence.  Both men got what they wanted.  Mandela did too but, only after spending 27 wasted years in prison.  He should have stuck to his earlier non-violence.

Mike had a rear car window sticker that said, ‘Respect for British armed forces’.  Respect them as heroes, as 450 making the ultimate sacrifice and, all the soldiers serving, so nobly their Queen and Country.