Category Morals

In light of the release of Israeli & Palestian captives – a reflection

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Today (15th February 2025), Hamas has released three more Israeli hostages; Sagui Dekel-Chen, Yair Horn and Alexander Troufanov, making a total of 19 Israeli hostages released so far this year under the ceasefire arrangements, with over 1000 Palestinian prisoners released in exchange. This most recent release was met with great relief as Hamas had previously said it would pause the release of hostages because Israel had violated the terms of the deal – a charge vigorously denied. This means that under the current arrangements another 14 hostages are due to be returned but since only 6 of them are thought to be alive, the mood will become increasingly dark and the situation increasingly fragile as bodies are finally returned to their loved ones. But then of course the whole thing has been terribly tragic since the terrible Hamas attack of 7th October 2023 when 1200 Israeli’s were savagely killed leading to the ruin of Gaza and the loss of many thousands of Palestinians through the Israeli military response. The physical pain, suffering and psychological trauma of those held captive on both sides has become clear with each subsequent release and we will all be thankful when the hostages have been released and as peace is established.

In recent times, the world in which we live has become increasingly dark, sinister and violent and there can be no doubt that many would describe the anger, hatred and violence that we see as evil. The Christian would equate this darkness with our human, natural capacity to sin which is a product of our fallen nature and our selfish desire to put ourselves first, often at the expense of others. Indeed, self-centred people seldom see, care or recognise the needs of others. Sin of this sort is self-perpetuating – one bad deed leads to another, either to satisfy a personal or collective greed or ambition, or to retaliate, seeking vengeance and getting one’s own back.  In a sense we are all held captive and chained to the dark side of our sinful nature which ruins both our lives and that of our society.

However, the Bible tells us that the love of God is greater and even more powerful than sin, as demonstrated in the life and person of Jesus Christ. His compassionate love and grace ‘for the fallen’ is clearly a model for us all to live our lives by. But it his willingness to literally ‘step into our place’ and to die upon the cross which highlights and demonstrates just how much his selfless sacrificial love drove him ‘to set the captives free’ (Isaiah 42.7). This is illustrated in the fact that upon his arrest, a notorious criminal called Barabas was released in Jesus’ place! It is neatly summarised in the 4th verse of that famous hymn, ‘And can it be’ by Charles Wesley:

Long my imprisoned spirit lay
fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
thine eye diffused a quickening ray –
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
my chains fell off, my heart was free.
I rose, went forth, and followed thee.

This is a wonderful freedom which is available to all who put their faith in Christ, so please embrace it.

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners. Isaiah 61.1

What can ‘Mr Bates v The Post Office’ teach us about Lent?

Stephen Thorp 2 Comments

The recent ITV drama ‘Mr Bates v The Post Office’ has highlighted for many the dreadful plight that many subpostmasters found themselves in, following the installation of a faulty software accounting system called Horizon. The drama vividly portrayed the pain and anguish inflicted upon these sub-postmasters, who suddenly found their lives torn apart as the Horizon software frequently and falsely reported shortfalls for many thousands of pounds. This led the Post Office to accuse the subpostmasters of alleged theft, fraud and false accounting. The drama highlights the terrible burden, weight and consequences these accusations had on people lives and the enormous stress they were under. Between 1999 and 2015, 700 subpostmasters were prosecuted by the Post Office and 283 other cases were brought by the Crown Prosecution Service resulting in many people going to prison and many more receiving criminal convictions. Most lost their homes, livelihoods and savings and sadly four people committed suicide. The drama went on to portray the immense struggle that Alan Bates and his campaign group, the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance, had over many years fighting for justice, culminating in their incredible victory at the High Court in 2019 when it was proved that the Horizon Post Office software had been at fault and that the sub-postmasters were innocent. The drama raised such public awareness and concern that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced in Parliament that all criminal convictions will be duly overturned and each person fairly compensated. This news has been warmly welcomed and received by all.

However, many people will find themselves reflecting upon the morals and ethics of this sordid episode. How can a trusted business and brand like The Post Office allow itself to treat so many innocent people so badly for so long? Why should it be more important to maintain the integrity of the Horizon software system than trust the integrity of their employees? Why was it so hard for the Post Office to admit the failings of its system and say sorry?

Christians will know that with Easter soon upon us, Lent is a great time for personal reflection and repentance, because it encourages us to consider our own lives and possible failings in the light of a God who loves us despite the fact that we are sinners. It encourages us to reflect upon how much we live up to the biblical command of loving God and ‘our neighbours as ourselves’ (Matthew 22.39), treating others with honesty and respect ‘as we ourselves would like to be treated’ (Luke 6.31). It also encourages us to reflect upon all those times when we have accidentally or deliberately fallen short, and sin has got the better of us, the consequences of which may be highly significant and impactful upon us and the lives of others. As we consider the events leading up to the death of Jesus Christ upon the cross, this season of Lent gives us another chance to reassess our lives, repent of our sins and reset the clock when we sincerely put our faith and trust in him, knowing that Christ died so that we might be forgiven.

We may not be able to change the misfortunes or immoralities of the world (or even the Post Office), but we can make things better where we are as we take responsibility for our own lives – words, deeds and actions – and as always, genuine moral change always starts with repentance!    

“I tell you … there will be much rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15.7

What can Lent teach modern people like us?

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The Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Revd Justin Welby, has just recently attended a meeting of Bishops and Primates abroad (The Anglican Consultative Council, Accra, Ghana) where he has described how the secularisation of western society has dramatically changed the morality of financially rich, independent Europeans over the last 30 years. Indeed, with 75% of people under 30 in the UK claiming to have ‘no religious affiliation’, the Archbishop saw this as further evidence that we live in a post-Christian world and society.

The Archbishop also noted that along with financial independence, people have sought other personal and individual freedoms, longing to be free from the traditional norms and external constraining authorities and influences. Such as ‘how we live’, ‘who we love’, ‘how we change and manipulate our bodies’, ‘produce our children’ and even ‘how we die’. He then went on to describe how this modern post-Christian morality, was not only a morality for the wealthy, powerful and intellectually well educated – but also a morality that does not believe in human sinfulness and failure. Nor does it believe in forgiveness or hope – and this is where the church struggles.

However, Lent is a time when we are all invited to pause, take stock and reflect upon the way that we live, both as individuals and as part of a broader society. And sometimes this reflection isn’t easy, because although we appreciate that much of what we do is positive and good – much of it is not!  ‘To err’ they say ‘is to be human’, but sometimes our errors and mistakes have unintended consequences, inflicting damage not only upon our own lives but also those of the people around us. The ripples of our ‘sin’ (as the Bible puts it) often spread further than we can possibly imagine, having a negative impact not only upon those we love and come into contact with, but also within our communities, our society and the world – and even the God who loves it.

Lent is therefore a time when we can reflect once again upon the glorious story of a God who so loved the world that, despite its sin, he stepped into it. Whose love led him to take upon himself the terrible consequences of our sin ‘in the person of Jesus’ by dying for us upon a cross, so that we might not only be forgiven but also have hope for the future. All we need to do is the one thing that modern people find so hard to do, which is to say sorry, sincerely repent (turn away from our sin) and recognise that in Christ we have a Saviour who loves us.

We may not be able to change the misfortunes or moralities of the entire world but we can make it better where we are – and as always, it always starts with us! 

“Repent and believe the good news!” Mark 1.15

Where is the truth and does it matter?

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I think we can all agree that today (15th June) was a bad day for the Prime Minister, for not only did the EU restart its legal proceedings against the government plans to unilaterally scrap parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol, but also a fiercely heated debate took place over ‘who understood what’ at the time of signing the Brexit deal and how it should be practically interpreted – with the European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic effectively accusing the British government of lying to the general public. Secondly, Lord Geidt resigned from his position as Boris Johnson’s independent ethics advisor stating that there was a legitimate question as to whether the Prime Minister broke the ministerial rules over Partygate. Once again, the whole issue of ‘who knew what’ and who was lying came to the fore.

The problem is that we live today in a postmodern world where it is fashionable to believe that there is no such thing as absolute truth; all truth is said to be relative, depending upon your own particular point of view, which in the realm of politics (and much of society at large) tends to mean that ‘the truth’ becomes whatever suits me and is the most convenient and practically expedient. In fact, in recent years,  the most expedient thing has often been to deny the truth completely. We saw this in Donald Trump’s use of the term ‘Fake News’ to dismiss anything that he didn’t agree with, and his false accusation that the US Presidential election result was rigged, which in recent days even close family members and political advisors have dismissed as nonsense. Sadly, we have seen the most serious and blatant denial of truth coming from Russia, as President Putin conducts his ‘special military operation’ within Ukraine, which most observers would have no hesitation in calling a war, which has disastrous consequences for us all.

The problem with all this political spin, ‘fake news’ and propaganda is that it erodes trust as people lose faith in their political leaders and become disillusioned and suspicious instead. What can we believe and where can truth be found?

One’s own perspective of the world is greatly determined by one’s values and what one believes, which is why for many, Christianity offers a bedrock of security in a sea of change and relativity, for in the person of Jesus, we see a man who as the ‘Son of God’ not only had a great love and compassion for the world, but also kept his promises, living a life full of integrity and truth, backing up his words with action. Jesus had described himself as ‘the way, the truth and the life’ (John 14.6), offering his disciples not only a way to his Father in heaven but ‘life in all it’s fullness’ (John 10.10) and a ‘truth that will set you free’ (John 8.32). Despite the fact that the people were living in difficult and uncertain times, because he spoke with such authority and lived with such integrity, people were willing to embrace his words ‘do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me’ (John 14.1), and many people did trust Jesus because not only were his words trustworthy and true, but also so were his actions, as ultimately demonstrated by his life, death and resurrection.

As much as I would like everyone to enjoy a firm confidence in Christ, I’m also certain that we need to step back from a world where ‘all things are relative’ but have the confidence of one’s own convictions, for paraphrasing a comment made by Jeff Myers, a Christian commentator – ‘If something is true, then it is true whether we admit it, like it or not! May we and all our politicians live in the light of such certainty, and within it foster a high regard and appreciation for the truth.

 31 Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8.31-32

What do Boris Johnson, Prince Andrew and Novak Djokovic all have in common?

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They all believed that they were free to do as they wished with little thought of the consequences or how their actions might be felt, perceived, or viewed by others. Sue Barker, the BBC’s tennis commentator and presenter, was spot on when she spoke to Radio 4 about Novak Djokovic being thrown out of the Australian Open because of his lack of vaccination status.

“We wanted the No 1 player in the world. He could have been there by being vaccinated. I know he’s chosen not to and that is his right, but it is also his choice and with that choice come consequences and this is why he is where he is now.”

Novak Djokovic may have felt that he was entitled to play, but his choice not to be vaccinated led others to think otherwise. Boris Johnson may have felt that behind the closed doors of Number 10, there was little difference or distinction between meeting for work or for drinks, but when it became public knowledge against such a stark background of the pandemic and its restrictions, many were aghast that the Prime Minister and his colleagues should think that they were above the rules. Prince Andrew’s story is still unfolding, but with his military titles and patronages already stripped from him, along with the use of his  HRH title, it is clear that the consequences of previous choices and company are profound.

It’s easy for us to point the finger and accuse others of hypocrisy, but in truth how many of us haven’t bent or ignored the rules from time to time to suit our own dreams, desires and convenience?  We all have a natural tendency to put ourselves at the centre of the universe and expect the world to obey us. Sometimes our misdemeanours are frivolous and of no real consequence, but sometimes they become huge, affecting not only ourselves but also others. The Bible calls this waywardness ‘sin’, and perhaps the word sin should be spelt with a capital ‘I’, because so often the causes of sin are the pursuit of ‘me, ‘myself’ and ‘I’. In other words the putting of myself first, spoiling our lives and those of the people around us.

The Christian will be aware that God hates sin, but he loves us and through the loving and selfless actions of Jesus Christ and his death upon the cross, God takes the tremendous pain and consequences of our sin upon himself and offers us, in exchange, the forgiveness of sins, freedom to start again and the hope of a new life – a hope which is eternal.

Let’s be clear, in this life none of us are perfect or ever shall be, but in Christ we are given a new life and a new perspective, one which helps us to be a bit more loving, thoughtful and considerate not only about the people around us but the consequences of our choices and the way we behave.

“And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6.8

Fake News, Brexit And ‘The Prophets Of Doom’

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Brexit_cartoon_06.23.2016

Long before Donald Trump coined the phrase ‘Fake News’ (dismissing whatever is inconvenient), British politicians were juggling with ‘spin’ and ‘spin doctors’, as certain individuals or political parties tried to get their own political message across in the most favourable way possible, whilst portraying competing projects, events and points of view negatively. ‘Project Fear’ is perhaps one of the most recent and prominent examples of this where politicians favouring a ‘no deal’ Brexit consider the arguments presented by Remainers as scaremongering, whereas those in favour of remaining portray Leavers as chasing after unicorns and duping the public (arguing therefore that many of those who voted to leave didn’t really understand the implications of what was put before them). Naturally, this is seen as patronising twaddle by those who voted ‘leave’. All of this has been magnified by television, social media and the internet to fever pitch. However, the stakes have been significantly raised by Conservative politicians each vying to be the next Prime Minister with many leaning towards a harder or no-deal Brexit in the light of the recent European elections. But this has caused many on the opposition benches and those wanting to remain in the EU to highlight all the more fervently the perils of a no deal Brexit and falling off the so-called ‘cliff edge’.

The problem is of course that we are not homogeneous human beings – we all come to life with our own particular values and perceptions, but in the game of politics, many of our politicians are deliberately selective, trying to promote their own particular viewpoint or party-line to gain some sort of party or personal advantage. It’s therefore very difficult for members of the general public to ‘see the wood for the trees’ and discern the impartial truth. The BBC may try to give us its own ‘reality check’ but many people are still wary of fake news and ‘media spin’ and therefore find it hard to discern fact from fiction. Surveys repeatedly demonstrate that people want honest politicians but discerning the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth is very hard.

With so much at stake it’s becoming increasing important that we should trust the politicians who represent us – and honesty is paramount, because it’s honest and transparent politicians who garner the greatest trust and respect. As someone who the Bible describes as being ‘full of grace and truth’ (John 1.14) it’s not surprising that Jesus encouraged his disciples to be equally open and honest, advising them not to make promises that they can’t keep but urging them to simply, “let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one” (Matthew 5.37). Biblically speaking it’s not just cleanliness which is close to godliness but truthfulness, whereas lies and deceit generate confusion and are much more likely to be destructive. So let us do our best to discern the fact from the fiction, the fake news from reality and when it comes to determining our future, let us call for less political spin and more honesty and truth from our politicians and then vote for those who do so.

He whose walk is blameless … speaks the truth from his heart. Psalm 15.2

project fear

The Nations Morals Are Like Its Teeth …

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THE NATIONS MORALS ARE LIKE ITS TEETH, THE MORE DECAYED THEY ARE THE MORE IT HURTS TO TOUCH THEM” – George Bernard Shaw

At the start of the year many of us made New Year’s resolutions and will do our best to keep them as the year progresses (lose weight; give up smoking; pass a driving test or embark on a new career etc, etc). Sometimes our thoughts are more reflective as we consider our place in the world and the lives of those around us, often culminating is a silent prayer for the world to be more peaceful, kinder and charitable than it was the year before. Sadly it doesn’t seem long before the very next calamity or personal tragedy pops up on our television screens or appears in our newspapers to dampen our New Year optimism. ‘What has the world come to?’ we say; ‘Doesn’t the world have any standards?’; ‘Things weren’t like this when we were young!’

What we are doing is lamenting the passing of standards or a moral code by which people commonly live; a moral backdrop, climate or culture which protects us from the negative excesses of society. And yet to speak about morals makes us feel uneasy. We don’t like it! We don’t like people interfering with the way that we live our lives or questioning our standards, or the way we behave – we just simply don’t like being preached at!

The problem is made all the worse because we don’t know or perhaps can’t agree on what standards are acceptable. This is because we have made relativity a virtue in its own right! There is no such thing as absolute right or wrong, just what is right or wrong for me. We are all like Humpty Dumpty in Lewis Carroll’s “Through the Looking Glass” who said “When I use a word …. it means just what I choose it to mean – neither more nor less”. The problem with each person choosing their own set of values as if ‘no one else matters’ is, that ultimately they don’t – each person does their own thing and can’t be held responsible for going their ‘own way’ even if the effect is to hurt or grieve another.

You don’t have to be necessarily rigid or religious to appreciate the need for a common set of values, and yet as a Christian minister I can’t think of any better guide to live by than those found in Scripture, based upon the message of a loving creator who nurtured the understanding that each person ‘made in his image’ was therefore special. So special that through the life, death and ministry of Jesus, God demonstrated his love for the world and encouraged his followers to do the same. Perhaps the answer to the world’s moral malaise (at least in our own small corner) lies not just in what we do but in what we believe. It always, always starts with us.

“ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength’ and ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ Mark 12.30-31