McEwen Farming and Family Stuff

That romantic phrase from the film Casablanca has resonated through the years of my life as I ponder the good times and the values and dreams I have enjoyed as an Australian.

As I have pondered in my mind the special blessings, myself and my family and indeed my town and country have lived through, not forgetting the remembrance last week as we joined the whole western world in commemorating our freedom on the 11^th of the 11^th 1919.

This has coloured  my life experience, in part at home as well as in part of my world , especially as I wonder at our recent extended trip through North America and the culture of the land of the free.

The pain that Uncle Sam has gone through to get there. The War of Independence eclipsed by the horrors and loss of over 600,000 soldiers in the Civil War that still stirs deep feelings in that country and the 400,000 in the second World War and then Korea in the fifties and their peacekeeping efforts since then. The Indian wars that lasted over 60 years, helps us to understand the gun culture a little and their constitutional right to carry arms.

We have also heard and seen the horrendous and ongoing atrocities recorded in Ukraine on numerous  visits to that proud country. The mass genocide grave sites in places like Vinnitsa and Karharlic including Hitlers underground bunker known as His werewolf lair

I marvel at the peace we have experienced here as we have never had a real war in this country at least nowhere near the devastation experienced in the Northern Hemisphere. The dilemma faced by the challenges of terrorist regimes and how to deal with `radicalised kami kazi’ youth prepared to die for a cause.

The answer has to be a return to the values of Jesus Christ, the Man of Peace that is the only way to short circuit an eye for an eye philosophy. To turn the other cheek and allow the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ to have first place in our lives. It is interesting and disturbing that Christianity as we have known it is becoming politically incorrect.

The Church is under siege as skeptics have focused on the failings and sins of the clergy. The truth  is to realize that all mankind has this tendency to do the wrong thing . The Christian guide book , The Holy Bible in Rom 3.23 says, `we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God’, and Romans  5.8: ‘But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.’ and then John 1 :12  says: But as many as received him, to them gave the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name’

Watching the documentary on Channel 7 last night on how youth become disillusioned and radicalised. Surely the answer is as it has always been to repent from our sinful lives and trust God as many of our forefathers did and God gave us peace.

Rounding up the usual suspects as in the old film in the chaos of war is not the answer. However to  follow Christ can be the beginning of a beautiful friendship that will change our world. We may not `— always have Paris’ but we will always have Jesus Christ through eternity.

Ian McEwen after the Paris Bombing 15/11/2015