Monday 19 October 2009

We Will Remember

Ambient Wonder, the alternative worship collective I am involved with, are putting on an event about Rememberance. Being alternative this will be a much more current or counter culture and reflective meditation than a traditional CofE rememberance service. Our planning discussions revolved around the conflict between Christianity and War and the churches culpability in so many wars. Can you be a Christian and not be a pacifist? If so are you truly following Jesus' teachings or that of often conservative nationalistic church bodies?
But I feel that in entering into this argument we miss the true essence of rememberance that individuals - fathers, sons, husbands,friends, neighbours, colleagues, lovers, partners were lost. They were somebody - and they died fighting a war they were told was just. God knew each one of them and does not forget them. Rememberance doesn't need to be about glorifying war but about remembering war is personal -we talk in thousands and millions of war casualties but each one of those had dreams and thoughts and feelings - unique fingerprints, shoes worn to the imprint of their soles, treasured creased letters and photos - grubby from repeated readings slipped in their jacket pockets.
Remember me when I am gone

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