Holiday Reflection ...

During my holiday, God gave me a number of chances to share the gospel with people as I travelled. During a period of 24 hours, I twice heard that "Religion was to blame for all the trouble in the world".

I had difficulty commenting on that. Upon reflection, I think that there's an element of truth to that. Religion has left a mark on the world... The cartoon from yesterday's SMH was quite confronting, in a picture titled "How to Make an Explosive Device", Phillip Moir included as ingredients; poverty, intolerance, envy, martyrdom, self righteousness, and three parts religion. So obivously to the "world" religion has a large part in creating tension, and violent conflict.

Islam has often been referred to as the "violent religion", but if you look at Christianity, we too have much to be ashamed of. Much has been done in the name of Christ that ought not to be done. The examples shamefully come too easily too mind.

Which brings me to my point ... much harm has been done in the name of religion, but is it the source of the mess the world is in?

An understanding of the "troubles" in Ireland, of the American position on the Middle East, particularly America's "blind" support for Israel is due to a Zionist theology, and elements of the Islamic population are filled with a desire to convert the world to their faith and wage a holy war. The are also Christian's examples here beginning with the Crusades, the inquistion, and the age of colonialism, when converting or shooting the noble savage was a sport.

Maybe I could have told my friends that "don't follow the followers' of Christ, follow Christ himself". But as I utter that there is the bitter taste in my mouth that we are salt and light to this world, yet, we've left a foul taste in the mouth of so many. Particular hard to swallow is the taste of pedophilia in the church that those who pastor congregations could commit such vile things to those under their care, and bitter still, that those in authority could cover it up.. as so often has been the case.

I need to stop here, as I criticise, I also need to keep my own house in order I need to look at the life I live. Realising that I am an ambassador for Christ in this world, and my life must reflect the love God showed the world he created, and will redeem. But more than that I need to pray that God will show his mercy to all. He has shown grace to all, and who knows, but for the grace of God, that could be me. No, it is me I am a sinner too.

But at the same time We are challenged on some of the commands of scripture as well, commands that leave women as “different (or unequal?), commands that condemn homosexuality.

I can tell them that I believe this is the way the God that created the universe wants us to live. But in some sense, that puts us, to many, in the category of fundamental fanatics, who care more for a old dogged book than people.

I know that I want to, and have, put my trust in the God who created the universe, the God who loved his creation so much that He sent His Son to die, for a creation that mocks, that despises, and that ignores Him, and offers us freely the chance to be His Children.

Let's pray that in God's mercy many more will bow their knee to Jesus, as His Child, not unwillingly when every knee will bow, and every tongue confesses that Jesus is LORD.