14 January 2015
The terrorist attacks in France last week were not in the name of God, as claimed, but were the results of a brutal and savage political ideology of fear and terror. No amount of debate on freedom of speech should be allowed to cloud the evil of these killings. All who participate in acts of terrorism should be brought to justice.
With that in mind, we need to acknowledge we live in a global village where our neighbours are likely to be different to us. They will likely have a different ethnicity, culture and faith. We need to learn their names, share their food and understand their culture and faith. If we did this then why would we knowingly and intentionally want to offend them?
The most dangerous response is to dehumanise the people next door by giving them a label and then projecting our worst fears upon them; in doing so we justify our own hatred and violence. This will make us just the same as the terrorists.
We also need to acknowledge religious faith of any type is capable of being distorted, resulting in any number of atrocities in the name of God. Christians have been and continue to be capable of acts of violence and judgment against Muslims, Jews, women, children and homosexuals. This needs to be unreservedly condemned!
True religion however:
1) Values all people; does not divide people by race, creed, class or identity
2) Seeks mercy and justice
3) Seeks peace and reconciliation through dialogue, understanding, repentance, forgiveness and restoration
4) Is life-giving rather than life-destroying
The acts of terrorism in France were not "over there" but are also "right here and right now" in our own communities, if we allow fear driven ideology and faith to divide “we” into "us" and "them".
Let us stand against the movement of global terrorism and let us also take great care to examine the evil “within” that is much closer to home, in our acts of judgment and violence in all its forms against others.
For this is what God requires of us:
”To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micha 6:8
Rt Rev Andrew Norton
Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand
Note: You are welcome to distribute the Moderator’s comment in church bulletins, on church websites and via other social media.