The F Word

So my faith is a psychological crutch, and it is, but not in the usual sense of the understanding: The fact that a person can only get through life in the knowledge that there is a better life to come. Something that I find easily used for oppressive purposes. Rather I think the gospels give hope for the life now, and a vision to effect and change the world now, and the hope that your life acts positively on that of others, making the world a better place to live, all this inspite of whatever heaven is or has in store. So my crutch is a sense of belonging and purpose and the chance to change the world. Though I understand it as being empowered by God to do his will and show the compassionate unconditional love of Christ which should impact my neighbours.
So where am I going, the fact that this crutch is not easy to hold, it digs into the skin and causes wounds, it's not easy to follow the vision of Christ, and he said it himself, and today I read a most extreme example of how hard following Christ can be.

You may have heard in the news about the awful killing of a young man in Liverpool that was racially motivated. How can a family come to terms with the fact that their son/brother died after being bludgeoned with an axe?

Well I read this today on the bbc news website:

The three walked away but were followed into a park where Anthony was attacked and an axe was left embedded in his skull.

He was taken to hospital but died later.

Mr Walker's sister, quoting from the bible, said: "Seventy times seven we have to forgive", that's what Jesus said. So we have to, we have to forgive.




Forgiven - The F word

now that's not easy