Has the world gone crazy…… or is it me?

You have to be careful asking that question because you might not like the answer, but sometimes, just sometimes, things happen which take your breath away.

I have to admit that I am a "News Junkie". I could quite happily have links open all day to 24 hours news, but news items are not quite always as they appear, and when I first read this (it was actually Karen who showed it me), I thought it was a hoax….

 This comes from the New York Times, reported via The Independent


Georgia’s Republican Governor, Nathan Deal, is expected to sign the (gun) law, which will offer religious leaders the choice to allow guns into their places of worship.

 It goes on to say……………..

 Should a church decide not to allow firearms on their premises, those who violate the ban will face a maximum fine of just $100 (£60).
Places of worship have the option of prohibiting guns, but to do so, they have to post signs throughout their property. This is in America, not the UK I am glad to say where there are very strict gun laws

So to add to public display signs such as “No smoking, no pets, please switch off your mobile phone”, we can now add “please check your firearm with the duty elder prior to entering”

It may seem bizarre, but it does leave us asking genuine questions about the “baggage” we bring with us when we come to church and indeed why we come to church at all.

 We have left the tortuous story of betrayal and another kind of death behind (one which did not involve firearms) at Easter, and we walk into a world of resurrection, of new beginnings, of new possibilities and new hope.

The difficulty always arises when we try to mix the two worlds without proper reflection. Yes we are called to live in a world of violence of injustice, but we are supposed to be part of the solution, not part of the problem.

Jesus was uncompromising on the issue, and those of us who would seek to become disciples must do likewise.


Take Care

 Alan