Notwithstanding my last post, lasty night I continued my sermon series with the Minor Prophets ... this week it was Jonah. It was an interesting week on which to reflect how the story of this obstinate prophet and events int he media touched upon one another. Forget all the stuff about the big fish the bottom of line of this biblical narrative seems to be that Jonah wanted only judgment on people he (and God) regarded as evil … but God offered mercy too and that was too hard for him to swallow.The balance of judgment and mercy is never an easy one and never more so than last week for Kenny MacAskill Scotland's Minister for Justice. His de
liberations and decision on the fate of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi has brought these tensions into sharp relief. So have the comments made from both sides of the Atlantic. I'll admit I've found the whole incident deeply problematic … it has left me with many unresolved questions and dubious answers … it has troubled me all week and still does, although on the grounds of compassion I cannot fault Mr MacAskill's decision. But I do know this much: There are many situations in the world today of barbaric behaviour that i would think deserve the judgment of God.
Some of these have undoubtedly come from nations like Libya who whether or not it was al Megrahi in person, as a nation have effectively admitted that they lay behind the deaths of 270 at Locherbie. But a few years before Locherbie the American Navy shot down Iran flight 655 with 290 on board. If it were an accident, even one where the crew got sucked in to what they call ‘scenario fulfilment’, then it seems to me that it due to some pretty reckless military behaviour. Yet the crew were subsequently decorated (along with all those who served in the Gulf at that time) and the captain awarded the Legion of Merit. Although 62 million dollars of compensation was later paid, America offered no apology and admitted no responsibility. In fact the then vice-president George Bush went on air to say: "I'll never apologize for the United States of America, ever. I don't care what the facts are."
We already know that Britain is far from immune in all this. Our actions here and overseas have often been no better. The conviction of corporal Donald Payne for war crimes in Iraq seems to be only the tip of a huge and troublesome iceberg of systemic and racist torture in the military. It would surely be naïve in the extreme to presume that Iraq was the first and only theatre of conflict in which this kind of thing has ever happened.
I am not seeking to condemn men and women who go to places and face dangers that I do not and could not and in the process protect my freedom. I have much respect for them. But war is hell and those responsible for such acts of violence have often faced horrors themselves. War dehumanises everybody. Military personnel may well have gone through more than we can ever imagine before they snapped and did things that they would never have imagined doing. It is not just them and their commanders who are responsible … it is the governments who send them and the people who elected them and then did nothing to protest.
Ask not for whom this bell tolls it tolls for us all.
Just as no child is born a terrorist or with that hatred in their hearts. They become so by the horrors they experience in life. Their bell tolls for us all as well.
And we could pick on any country round the world and ask the same question: Who can come to God and demand judgment or plea for mercy with clean hands? Which nation is good enough to demand judgment from God? Which is sinless enough to expect mercy.
Or if we got personal again: What person thinks they can come to God and think they are on a par with the wisdom of the Almighty and so can demand judgement on another? Who is sinless enough to think they are good enough to expect mercy?
liberations and decision on the fate of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi has brought these tensions into sharp relief. So have the comments made from both sides of the Atlantic. I'll admit I've found the whole incident deeply problematic … it has left me with many unresolved questions and dubious answers … it has troubled me all week and still does, although on the grounds of compassion I cannot fault Mr MacAskill's decision. But I do know this much: There are many situations in the world today of barbaric behaviour that i would think deserve the judgment of God.Some of these have undoubtedly come from nations like Libya who whether or not it was al Megrahi in person, as a nation have effectively admitted that they lay behind the deaths of 270 at Locherbie. But a few years before Locherbie the American Navy shot down Iran flight 655 with 290 on board. If it were an accident, even one where the crew got sucked in to what they call ‘scenario fulfilment’, then it seems to me that it due to some pretty reckless military behaviour. Yet the crew were subsequently decorated (along with all those who served in the Gulf at that time) and the captain awarded the Legion of Merit. Although 62 million dollars of compensation was later paid, America offered no apology and admitted no responsibility. In fact the then vice-president George Bush went on air to say: "I'll never apologize for the United States of America, ever. I don't care what the facts are."
We already know that Britain is far from immune in all this. Our actions here and overseas have often been no better. The conviction of corporal Donald Payne for war crimes in Iraq seems to be only the tip of a huge and troublesome iceberg of systemic and racist torture in the military. It would surely be naïve in the extreme to presume that Iraq was the first and only theatre of conflict in which this kind of thing has ever happened.
I am not seeking to condemn men and women who go to places and face dangers that I do not and could not and in the process protect my freedom. I have much respect for them. But war is hell and those responsible for such acts of violence have often faced horrors themselves. War dehumanises everybody. Military personnel may well have gone through more than we can ever imagine before they snapped and did things that they would never have imagined doing. It is not just them and their commanders who are responsible … it is the governments who send them and the people who elected them and then did nothing to protest.
Ask not for whom this bell tolls it tolls for us all.
Just as no child is born a terrorist or with that hatred in their hearts. They become so by the horrors they experience in life. Their bell tolls for us all as well.
And we could pick on any country round the world and ask the same question: Who can come to God and demand judgment or plea for mercy with clean hands? Which nation is good enough to demand judgment from God? Which is sinless enough to expect mercy.
Or if we got personal again: What person thinks they can come to God and think they are on a par with the wisdom of the Almighty and so can demand judgement on another? Who is sinless enough to think they are good enough to expect mercy?
We don't know if Jonah become chaplain to First Church of the Withered Vine in Nineveh? He may have hopped on another boat to Tarshish or thrown himself under a passing chariot and finally get his wish to die?
Seems to me we don’t know … and we’re not supposed to. The story is supposed to hang around in mid air .It invites us to write our own response … our own chapter 5. In doing so however we will need to ask how do we feel about a God who really loves the world as much as he loves the Church? How do I feel about a God who loves Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi as much as he loves me? How do we feel about a God who loves mercy as much as he loves judgment?
Seems to me we don’t know … and we’re not supposed to. The story is supposed to hang around in mid air .It invites us to write our own response … our own chapter 5. In doing so however we will need to ask how do we feel about a God who really loves the world as much as he loves the Church? How do I feel about a God who loves Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi as much as he loves me? How do we feel about a God who loves mercy as much as he loves judgment?
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