ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½

Good morning. The murder of British hostage, David Haines, was in the words of the Prime Minister an ‘act of pure evil’. The carefully choreographed video, the method of killing and the threat to another aid volunteer, Alan Henning, betrayed the deeper agenda of a group not interested in negotiation but who want to terrorise and provoke a reaction from what they call the ‘allies of America’. But what should be the response to such an act?

I visited New York shortly after 911 and was engulfed by the emotion of ‘we must do something significant’ in the face of such evil. I can understand the force of this, which no doubt motivated in some part the subsequent political and military response. The emotional outrage is natural but if it becomes too dominant it can easily mean an adoption of the agenda of the initial act.

When Jesus introduces his disciples to the values of the Kingdom of God, he cautions against the wisdom of his day of an ‘eye for eye, and tooth for tooth’ by using the image of turning the other cheek. I don’t see this as a universal commandment to pacifism or a denial of seeking justice. It’s about subverting the power of the aggressor by not giving in to the reaction that they are trying to provoke. This was part of a message which also stressed compassionate action for the poor, and a belief that attitudes at a fundamental level could be changed - all modelled in the life and self-giving of Jesus himself.

The murderers of Mr Haines need to be brought to justice, and human compassion will feel deeply for the unimaginable grief of his family and friends. Pope Francis reflecting recently on terrorism and war said, ‘Humanity needs to weep, and this is the time to weep’. And then I want to try to subvert rather than be shaped by the agenda of the terror group. For example, imams and organisations representing British Muslims have committed themselves to oppose the group’s hatred and poison and suggested that we should not accept their stylising themselves Islamic State saying ‘It is neither Islamic, nor is it a state’.

This terrorist group needs more than to be degraded and destroyed. Its narrative of radicalisation needs to be undermined in many ways, perhaps including allowing disillusioned Jihadists to return to Britain to tell their stories.

David Haines, according to his family, ‘helped whoever needed help, regardless of race, creed or religion’ in the Balkans, Libya, South Sudan and in Syria. His humanitarian story will in the end be more powerful than acts of pure evil.

Show less