On rememberance, on war, and on preventing the war cycle
Archive - Originally posted on "The Horse's Mouth" - 2012-11-11 23:01:30 - Graham Ellis
The 11th day of the 11th month ... and Remembrance Sunday. I was honoured to represent the Chamber of Commerce in laying a wreath at the war memorial in Melksham. And it was heartening to see so many people there - a packed church and a filled Canon Square. There are now no remaining soldiers alive who fought in the first world war, but still we don't and should not forget them. And there were a number of grand older men who had fought in the second world war - rightly towards the front of the line in laying their wreaths. I was heartened to see a group of youngsters too, brightly dressed, with a very clear emotional attachment (though I don't know their details) making their own very personal contribution. These things are very close to home.
Our new vicar took the service - and certainly preached a sermon that provoked deep thought. For he talked of cyles of around 30 years of boom, bust and fight for a cause that brings boom in the next cycle. And he talked how the naught-ys were boom, we're now into bust ... and he pointed out some of the rather nasty stuff that has started up in the middle east.
I can, I suppose see two cycles ... 1914, 1939, but where did the cycle go then - or should we be looking at some war across the world for the cycle around the latter part of the 20th century. I hope he's mistaken. He talked in one breath about religion and committment being the solution, and the next about how religions (and things done in the name of religion) in other parts of the world are the cause of some attrocities. And he talked of "just wars". A very strong sermon indeed for the cubs and brownies, present in large numbers!