John Watson - Priest in Residence

Remembering wars – or preparing for them?

Last week the UK unveiled a new national armed forces memorial –commemorating the armed forces dead since the second world war – 16,000 names.

What surprised me more was that there was space for another 15,000.

The thought that we have to prepare this amount of space for this amount of names scares me. What are we really remembering? What have we learnt?

I pray that the Churches in the UK may speak out for peace and against wrong wars – where the futile loss of life over rumours may end. That the Churches may speak of another list of names recorded – the names of those on the book of life (see the book of Revelation) – not death – of people who follow the Prince of Peace – working and living to see God’s Kingdom of peace on this earth.

Of Monks and Machine Guns

It has taken me a whole to put thoughts down on this whole event – which by now will be out of our media attention, as the next news item is eagerly sought for our ravishing appetite.

Yet something quite profound was happening in Burma – the non-violent resistance of the monks – who see reality quite differently to the reality as seen and lived by the military.

Some will say that their efforts were in vain – some will argue that the only way the regime will change is through violent uprising.

Some said that 2000 years ago – in a small relatively unknown, dust bowl part of the Roman Empire after the radical message of love and justice was lived and taught by the holy man Jesus.

Those with power and guns feel invulnerable – until the root of their power is dealt with. Jesus dealt with the root of violence and war through his own life, teaching and own death – where he met death head on and showed that it was not the end. For death is the only weapon the power hungry and the violent can ultimately wield – but once death is taken out of the equation – what is there to be afraid of?

Free Burma

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