Going to Church
Two ladies, an elderly mother and her daughter,
both Palestinian Christians were going to church in Gaza.
As they approached the church door they were shot dead,
by an Israeli sniper.
The ladies were seeking solace,
by going to a sacred place to pray.
They are now with the Saviour they loved,
at rest in that kingdom prepared for those who love him.
They were not terrorists but collateral damage,
in a conflict of ethnic cleansing.
No one is safe in Gaza
The news of this tragedy has not disclosed the full circumstances.
Why would a trained military marksman select two women as
targets, and, if employed on a specific mission - upon whose instruction and against what "backcloth" of circumstances.
Women are often involved in terror-related actions and some
can become targets in the minds of those who are combating
these events in "the fog of war". The sniper involved will no
doubt remain anonymous and one can only wonder about the
state of mind when the mistake was known. Which leaves
the question - who sent/allowed these women into harm's way
when the risks were so obvious? Terrorists are not unknown
for devious deadly behaviour dressed as good intent.
Keith,
All I would say is, who are you to dismiss the notions of someone else's belief, can you not see that your doing so diminishes your own claims of worshipping the one true god.
You say Judaisms claim of the chosen people is ridiculous, what then is your claim of being the correct denomination or your personal interpretation and cherry picking of it if not ridiculous
The nonsense of religion is a distraction..people simply need to focus on their basic commonality. The promotion and even the speaking of personal belief is nothing but divisive, harmful and based in a heirachical desire for dominance.
I shall attempt to now restrain myself from further ineffective commenting on this particular subject.
All the best to you. I have no doubt of your good intention, I simply don't believe it to be progressive or helpful in our world today.
Carlton,
thank you for your contribution which I welcome. I have a profound faith which is not determined nor directed by any religious institution. I am a Christian because for me the gospels are completely authentic in their message. The IDF and the Israeli Security Services of that state might believe in some religious notion or reason for their actions, but it is a front for their propaganda. Scripture is the revealed or inspired word of God, which in reality means that man has interpreted it. I don't imagine God had a fountain pen and wrote it all himself. Many use it for their purposes. I too have dined, not with the illustrious of the land, but its inhabitants, both Muslim and Christian who simply want what is justly theirs. Land is the crux not religious afffiliation. The Jews believe they are the chosen people and Israel the promised land. This is ridiculous as I cannot imagine that God laid out a piece of land in the eastern Mediterranean soley for their habitation. Christian theology is clear that the chosen people are those who accept God through Christ and that the promised land is heaven which is far removed from Tel Aviv. There maybe some validity in what you say but it is superficial. The night clubs of Tel Aviv attract more Israelis than the synagogues on a Saturday.
I shall leave it at that as I too have spent a considerable amount of time in Palestine.
I thank you again for your contribution which I shall give some thought to.
Keith
Keith,
I cannot let your dismissive comment regarding the conflict in Israel, Gaza and The Occupied Territories being about territory and not religiously based go unchallenged.
I have dined with members of Hamas in Gaza (not out of brotherly freindship or love I would add but due to a legal requirement imposed that I should be accompanied by them)
I have also dined and socilaized with israelis' specifically members and former members of The IDF and Israeli Security Services...I can assure you that most of them were motivated by religious belief coupled with territorial claims they would see as being bolstered by their various scriptures. Whether that suits your interpretation or not, it is a reality I have witnessed.
It is too easy to glibly suggest religion has been hijacked by the wicked for their own ends. If it has, does that not highlight its inherent divisive nature and frailty.
Scripture was written for many reasons, one was that of control and the weilding of power and authority. Pilate washed his hands similarly, are you saying religion gets off scot free?
I apologise for breaking my own silence, but I found your remark rather dismissive and a little slippery tbh.
I also aknowledge that this is not the best forum to discuss such contentious and volatile issues on.
Truthfully I was angered and gave myself permission to speak up.
Regarding your poem, their murder was an abomination carried out by morally bankrupt swine.
Graham, the conflict in Palestine is about land not religion. There is a danger in making religion synonymous with the Institutions which purport to represent the faithful. Historically nations have used the banner of religion to champion their cause. Faith and belief are far removed from religious institutions or nations. Belief in the 'hereafter' is a question for each of us to consider. We are neither right or wrong because in this life it cannot be proven. The two ladies who were killed going to church were believers representatives of their faith not any nation or cause.
Thank you always for your considered opinion, even when it is at variance to my own. I welcome all constructive criticism.
Keith
Such barbarism has no such place in the same sentence as religion, which after all, is the whole reason for the barbarism.
Sadly I do not subscribe to the 'hereafter' but if I am wrong, there won't be many Palestinians or Israelis there surely!
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keith jeffries
Sun 17th Dec 2023 21:20
Thanks to all who commented on this poem. It was quite simply two ladies who were shot dead going to church. Make of it what you like . The secular world can be their judge.
Keith