The Long Silence.

This is a well-known piece of work, but I haven't seen it anywhere for some time. I came across my copy this evening, while searching for something else, and decided that it was worth giving it an airing. No comment - it speaks for itself.

At the end of time, billions of people were seated on a great plain before God's throne. Most shrank back from the brilliant light before them; but some groups, near the front, talked heatedly - not cringing with shame, but with belligerence.

"Can God judge us? How can He know about suffering?", snapped a pert young brunette. She ripped open a sleeve to reveal a tattooed number from a Nazi concentration camp. "We endured terror ... beatings ... torture ... death!"

In another group, a Negro boy lowered his collar. "What about this?" he demanded, showing an ugly rope-burn. "Lynched, for no crime but being black!"

In another crowd there was a schoolgirl with sullen eyes, pregnant after having been raped. "Why should I suffer?" she murmured. "It wasn't my fault." Far out across the plain were hundreds of such groups. each had a complaint against God for the evil and suffering He had permitted in the world.

How lucky God was to live in Heaven, where all was sweetness and light; where there was no weeping or fear; no hunger or hatred. What did God know of all that man had been forced to endure in this world? "For God leads a pretty sheltered life", they said.

So each of these groups sent forth their leader - chosen because he had suffered the most. A Jew, a Negro, a person from Hiroshima, a horribly deformed arthritic, a thalidomide child. In the centre of the vast plain, they consulted with each other. At last, they were ready to present their case. It was rather clever!

Before God could be qualified to be their Judge, He must endure what they had endured. Their decision was that God should be sentenced to live on earth as a Man.

Let Him be born a Jew. Let the legitimacy of His conception be doubted. Give Him a work, so difficult that even His family will think that He is out of His mind.

Let Him be betrayed by His closest friends. Let Him face false charges; be tried by a prejudiced jury, and convicted by a cowardly judge. Let Him be tortured.

At the last, let Him see what it means to be terribly alone. Then let Him die in such a way that there can be no doubt about His death. Let there be a great host of witnesses to verify it.

As each leader announced his portion of the sentence, loud murmers of approval went up from the throng of assembed people. Then when the last had finished pronouncing sentence, there was a long silence. No one uttered a sound; no one moved.

For, suddenly, all knew that God had already served His sentence!

Gordon Brown and the Chilcot Inquiry.

"The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth".

These, as many have suggested, are the missing words from the Public Inquiry into the 2003 invasion of Iraq, that is chaired by Sir John Chilcot. This certainly appears to be the case with the 'performance' given by the current British Prime Minister, Mr Gordon Brown, M.A., Ph.D. Not having been placed under oath, this selfish, self-centered, man was free to come out with spin, half-truths, and suitable statistics. Unfortunately, others had already given evidence that flatly contradicted this despicable man's claims. Furthermore, Admiral Lord Boyce and Lord Guthrie, former chiefs of the defence staff, have both accused the prime minister of being "disingenuous" during his testimony.

Given the choice between believing distinguished military men, and the totally undistinguished (in any sphere) Mr Brown, I know who I believe. No contest, really!

Mr. Brown should have spent a little more time in the Classics, where he might have discovered the story of the boy who cried 'Wolf!' Had he done so, he would realise that he has told so many lies that now, even if he were to (miraculously) tell the truth, no-one would believe him.

It is a sad reflection of the condition of U.K. politics, today. Sadly, there still appears to be a tribal instinct that is rampant throughout the country, so that the next government is assumed to be either Conservative or Labour - with the only other option being that of a 'hung' parliament in which a Party (or Parties) unable to gather anything like enough votes to form a government themselves, suddenly acquire an influence and importance far beyond any popular mandate.

Is it too much to expect that, at least, the majority of the British electorate might actually vote for candidates rather than Parties? I continue to pray that, at the coming General Election, with an unprecedented number of members standing down (having realised that the 'gravy train' that they have been happily riding - in some cases, for many years - is at the end of the line!), a vast army of men and women of faith; of honesty and integrity; will fill their places. I trust that many will join with me in so praying.

Persecution and murder in Nigeria

The recent outbreak of violence in Jos, Nigeria, has had tragic consequences. Helen, a mother of ten, and her family who live in Bukuru, a suburb of Jos, were attacked in their home by a violent mob of Muslim extremists. In the attack her husband, Samuel Ani, and three of her sons, Kenneth Ani, Nonso Nweke and Chinedu, were tragically killed.

Muslims had gathered outside Helen’s house, incessantly banging on the door and lighting fires in the street. Helen and her daughters pleaded with the attackers and they eventually allowed the females to leave the building, before ransacking the house and mercilessly attacking Samuel Ani and his sons.

In total the deaths of 48 Christians have been confirmed in the outbreak of violence, which was triggered when Muslim youths attacked a church building. Police estimate over 300 lives were lost in the violence.

In order to bring such atrocities to the attention of politicians, Open Doors is working together with Andrew Pelling, MP for central Croydon, who has sponsored Early Day Motion No. 877. The Motion calls on the government to raise and pursue concerns about human rights and religious liberty when dealing with foreign governments. Open Doors is urging supporters to write to their MPs requesting that they add their names to the list of signatories.

To take part in the campaign please visit www.opendoorsuk.org/campaign

Richard Dawkins, and morality.

Believe it, or not, I feel almost sorry for Richard Dawkins - the prominent atheist/humanist (see the post for 21st Feb., 2010). It has been widely reported that he has closed down the forum on his own website (http://richarddawkins.net/) because he considers that some of the comments that had been posted on it were unacceptable/unsuitable - "irrelevant postings and frivolous gossip" will, apparently, no longer be allowed under a new regime of tight moderation.

It is also reported that Mr Dawkins responded to the fury that greeted his intimation of the forthcoming tighter control with the statement: "Imagine your face described by an anonymous poster as 'a slack-jawed t**d-in-the-mouth mug'. Surely there has to be something wrong with people who can resort to such over-the-top language."

"Surely there has to be something wrong ..." It may be that I have not fully understood Mr Dawkins' position but I am forced to ask "What is 'wrong'?" From where does he acquire his idea of 'wrong' and, one must presume, its antonym of 'right'?

I lifted down from my bookshelves, a well-used copy of the classic "Mere Christianity", by the late Prof. C.S.Lewis. The heading given to the first section is "Right and wrong as a clue to the meaning of the universe". Obviously, the length of a post hinders me from providing a complete synopsis of the section but, having used some examples akin to the very 'problem' that Mr Dawkins has experienced, he arrives at the basic premis that "... human beings, all over the earth, have this curious idea that they ought to behave in a certain way, and cannot really get rid of it. ... [and] that they do not, in fact, behave in that way." (p.19) - what he refers to as a Moral Law. He goes on to develop this by explaining that this is neither instinct, nor social convention; and that "The moment you say that one set of moral ideas can be better than another, you are, in fact, measuring them both by a standard, saying that one of them conforms to that standard more nearly than the other" (p.23).

Over the next few chapters, Prof. Lewis leads us on to what I would consider to be the irrefutable position that, behind this Moral Law - the existence of which, even Richard Dawkins now appears (albeit unconsciously) to accept - is a sovereign Being Whom, in the English language, we refer to as 'God' (and Whose existence Richard Dawkins does not accept!).

"Mere Christianity" may well be out of print (my copy was published in 1955!!!), but it's a book that is well worth tracking down. In my opinion, it is still one of the best evaluations of, and arguments for, Christian theology - in spite of (or should that be 'because of'?!) the fact that it starts with the basic assumption that God doesn't even exist!! I wonder of Richard Dawkins has ever read it!?

Good-bye!

This coming Sunday is my last at Calderhead-Erskine Parish Church (Shotts and Allanton) - at least for the time being - as a new minister is to be inducted (settled in, for those unfamiliar with the terminology of Presbyterianism!) on Thursday, 11th. I am truly delighted for both the congregation and Allan Brown, the new minister, and trust that God will use them in great ways to further His Kingdom in both locations. Of course, from a very selfish, personal, point of view, I wish that the vacancy had lasted just a little longer!! I am certainly going to miss many of the folks whom I have got to know so well, over the months that I have been privileged to spend with them.

However, I am reminded of something that I said on my last Sunday as the incumbent in Bellshill: St.Andrew's over thirty years ago. I pointed out that although I knew people who preferred to say 'Cheerio' when leaving someone, on the basis that 'Goodbye' was too final, the latter word is actually a much better one to use when making our farewells. That's because it is a corruption of the phrase "God be with you" - and I could think of no better wish to make than that. That's why, albeit with moist eyes, I will be saying 'Goodbye' to the folk in Shotts and Allanton. I will be commending them to the loving care of a gracious God.

So 'Goodbye' may well have an air of finality about it - but it can be the finality of wishing the greatest blessing upon those whom we love. On Sunday past, one of the ladies in Shotts handed me a sheet of paper with some words printed thereon. I reproduce them, here, (slightly amended!) in the hope that they might speak to someone's heart, and be used to draw them into the Presence of the One in Whose care I will be leaving my friends in Shotts and in Allanton.

"If the devil were to write his version of the 'Beatitudes', they would go something like this:

1. I am happy with those who claim to be Christians, but who are too tired, too busy, too distracted to spend even an hour, once a week, with their fellow-Christians - they are my best workers.
2. I am happy with those Christians who wait to be asked, and expect to be thanked - I can use them.
3. I am happy with the touchy, who stop going to church over some trivial incident - they are my missionaries.
4. I am happy with the trouble-makers - they shall be called my children.
5. I am happy with the complainers - they always have my ear.
6. I am happy with those who are bored with the minister's mannerisms and mistakes - for they get nothing out of his sermons. (Mind you, I have heard some 'sermons' out of which not even Paul could have got anything worthwhile!)
7. I am happy with the church member who expects to be invited to his/her own church - for (s)he is part of the problem instead of being part of the solution.
8. I am happy with those who gossip - for they shall cause strife and divisions that please me.
9. I am happy with those who are easily offended - for they will soon get angry, and quit.
10. I am happy with those who do not give their tithes and offerings to carry on God's work - for they are my helpers.
11. I am happy with those who profess to love God, but who hate their brother and sister - for they shall be with me forever.
12. I am happy with you who, when you read this, think that it applies only to other people, and never to you - I've got you, too!"

To read the original Beatitudes, spoken by the Lord Jesus, please go to Matthew 5:3-12. They are well worth applying to oneself!