Anzac

[AndrewG]

I just thought i should say something about Anzac day and how it really isn't a celebration of war, it is a wake up call to the world of how pointless war really is.
There was so much loss of life on a scale we could not imagine nor would we want to, I think it just puts into perspective how precious life really is and we sometimes take it for granted.
My thoughts go out to all the poor men, women and lets not forget children that have lost there lives to these pointless wars, I can only imagine what the lord was thinking and feeling watching such pointless slaughter of his children. When i see images of these men running across the open battle field i cant help but feel angry saying to my self why? why? why? I feel sorry for both sides fighting whether it was Turks, Germans, Japanese , etc they all have felt the pain of war just as much as us they to have lost family, friends, and children and all because of Greed and Power. But that's fine they can go about there deceitful plans but it is to no avail as we all know Galatians 6:7-9
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

[Sherlene]

Really understand those sentiments you expressed about war, Andrew.  My Dad was  in WW2.  When he was alive (he died in Feb 2008), he always refused to wear the medals given him for his work in the war.  Dad said there is nothing good about war and he never wanted to talk about it. However on a couple of occasions, he did mention some things that happened to him in the war. He saw children and women shot and in fact was commanded to shoot on children who had gathered at the army's rubbish dump.  These little ones were trying to feed from the army's rubbish dump including from tin cans.  Dad said the children were so hungry they were putting their fingers into the cans to get the jam and were licking their fingers.  Sadly, the children were cutting their fingers on the tins' jagged edges and were licking their own blood with the jam. This was while my Dad was on guard duty.  His superior ordered him to fire on the children, but Dad refused and instead he shot above their heads.  For this disobedience was put into the army jail for 'disobeying an order.'  My Dad saw many people injured and killed. He had one of the most grotesque tasks - loading his dead and mutilated mates' bodies high onto pallets for collection by the authorities. Dad was wounded in action twice - the first time he was shipped out to recover in a hospital and was offered a discharge from the army, based on the severity of his injuries, however he insisted on being allowed to stay in the army so he could return to the war and to again be with his brother.  From here, he was again wounded but was not found by his mates or medical personnel.  He was noted as being missing for 3 days.  He was actually suffering shell-shock but from what he told us of what he remembers,  we believe he experienced torture at the hands of the 'enemy' during that time he was missing.  The army has no record of what happened to Dad in this time, but I can only imagine the horrors he couldn't mention. When he was found by his mates after 3 days, my Dad was in a severe condition.  I shudder to think of the unrepeatable memories of atrocities he endured, and those which he saw inflicted upon others - many of these memories he took with him to his grave.   I often wonder what my Dad would have been able to achieve if he had not had to suffer such mental, physical and emotional anguish in the war.

I do not for one moment devalue the incredible sacrifice that so many men and women made on behalf of us for our freedom.  They endured absolute hell - not because they wanted to be shot at, mutilated, starved, cold, suffering, captured, tortured, become diseased and invalided or die on the battle-field, but because they thought it was the only thing they could do to save their countries, their wives and their children.  This is to their great credit. The fault for wars  is not with those with such motives, but with the system that says 'might is right.' 

Isn't this the principle of thought that causes people to consider that war is so necessary? 

There seems to be something wrong with the mentality that accepts the thought that 'the biggest bully wins' or that 'God helps us to kill our enemies.'  Didn't Jesus say that God would enable us to 'love' our enemies - not kill them?' 

Jesus was bullied too, but He won - through love, not violence.

But with so many beautiful men and women and children's' lives lost, shouldn't civilized people have already conceived a more mature, more civilized method of solving international problems?  I'm sure there must be an answer to the human selfish spirit and I'm sure the answer can be found in the example of Jesus Christ.

 I know it is a very complex problem, but thankfully heaven will not be plagued with death and sorrow and suffering - all of which my Dad and millions like him, did their best to alleviate.

If the whole world adopted Christ's method of loving their neighbours and their enemies, then we would succeed in achieving peace on earth. However what do we do when only one side of the conflict is prepared to abide by Christ's words and the other side is prepared to be selfish?  As I said, it's not an easy question to answer.