The Bishop has made the following statement following yesterday’s Terrorist Attack in Manchester Arena.
“While all normal, decent people throughout our country and around the world mourn with the people of the City of Manchester and try to come to terms with this latest of so many terrorist atrocities, I turned, in my regular Bible Study, to a passage from the Book of Proverbs 6:16-19:
“These six things doth the Lord hate: yea seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.”
It strikes me that all seven abominations are present, in the hearts, minds and actions of the perpetrators of such wicked evil, whether they are obsessive ideological or religious fundamentalists, criminally insane or motivated by some other compulsion.
None of this is helpful to the families or friends of the victims or those injured by this manifestation of human inhumanity. But it does point to an eternal compassion that God has for the innocent victims and those so hurt. It also points to an absolute justice that will punish the men and women of violence and also those who rejoice in such wickedness, warped by propaganda or their own agendas.
My heart is heavy and my eyes dampened by tears at the stories of the young people whose lives were so cruelly cut short at an event that should have been nothing but fun and joyous, of those who were injured and all their loved ones whose lives will never be the same again.
We must not forget the heroic response of so many ordinary people (as so often in these extreme, confused, incidents) as well as the ambulance crews, paramedics, police, hospital staff and those employed at the Manchester Arena.
May God grant rest to the dead, healing to the injured, comfort to those who mourn, and reunite those who are lost or missing.
May He protect and inspire all those charged with our safety and security, and all who seek to defeat the forces of darkness, and defend all who seek to live in freedom, peace and without fear.
The stability that many of us are so fortunate to enjoy in our lives is so fragile. Peace is so precariously maintained.
May all men and women of goodwill, regardless of nationality, political or religious belief or none, unite to ensure that the strongest message possible can be sent to the men and women of such barbaric violence and wickedness, that they will not prevail, they will not win.
May God turn their hearts and minds, may they repent of the evil they have done (or plan), may they amend their lives and make whatever restitution they can!
+Damien Mead
Tuesday 23rd May 2017″