Posted on 03/07/2006 12:06:20 PM PST by Stoat
Vicar can't believe in God | |||||||||||||||||
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By JOHN COLES A VICAR whose daughter was killed in the 7/7 bombings has quit as she cannot forgive the Islamic terrorists who carried out the attacks. The Rev Julie Nicholson has been unable to return to the pulpit since her 24-year-old daughter Jenny died on the Circle Line Tube train blown up at Edgware Road in London. Now the 52-year-old has given up her post in the parish of St Aidan with St George, Bristol, because she cannot balance her faith with her feelings towards the bombers.
She says: I rage that a human being could choose to take another humans life. I rage that someone should do this is the name of a God. I am hugely offended that someone should take my daughter in the name of a religion or a God. I certainly dont have any sense of compassion. Can I forgive them for what they did? No I cannot. And I dont wish to. I say the name of my daughters murderer every day. I believe there are some things in life which are unforgiveable by the human spirit.
She continues: All my understanding of what it means to be a priest is peace, reconciliation and forgiveness. It is very difficult for me to stand behind an altar and celebrate the Eucharist, Communion and lead people in words of peace and reconciliation and forgiveness when I feel very far from that myself. I will leave potential forgiveness for whatever is after this life. I will leave that in Gods hands. Bishop of Bristol Mike Hill, a personal friend of Julie, says he understands how her faith has been tested. He adds: These situations in life shake the faith of everybody because they immediately bring into focus the why question. Unfortunately, there is no simple Elastoplast answer to that question.
Jenny was killed by suicide bomber Mohammed Sidique Khan, 30, as she made her way to work at a music publishing company. Her last known phone call was to her dad Gregg from Paddington station minutes before the bombing. The gifted singer and pianist had recently moved to Reading, Berks, with her boyfriend James White after completing a masters degree in music at Bristol University. Her mother and father, who works for BAE Systems, were on holiday in Anglesey, North Wales, at the time of the outrage. Julie was too distraught to speak at her daughters funeral at Bristol Cathedral in August but the Rt Rev Hill made her anger clear.
He told the 1,000 mourners: There are few human words that can adequately express what we feel about people who indiscriminately carry out apparent acts of senseless violence against innocent civilian populations and, unbelievably, do so in the name of God. Such delusion, such evil is impossible for us to begin to comprehend. Julie, who has another daughter, Lizzie, 22, and a son Tom, 16, went on extended compassionate leave after Jennys death and has been unable to return to work. Churchgoers are disappointed yet support her decision to quit. Sales manager James Wray, 35, said: When she arrived she had so much conviction and confidence.
Words cannot describe the hurt she and her family must have felt when they lost Jenny. She will always be in our thoughts and prayers and we hope Julie will come back to see us. She has a great many friends here. Rev Julie had taken up her job in 2004. She was previously a curate at St Marys in Henbury, Bristol, where Jenny was head chorister. She is now taking up a role on a church-backed community youth project. John Lloyd, spokesman for the Bishop of Bristol, said: The Rev Julie Nicholson has indeed left the parish of St Aidan with St George. She will continue to work with a diocesan community youth project involving the arts. This new post will combine her theological and artistic ambitions and it is a natural extension of her work in the Church. She was given extended leave of absence and received great support from the diocese but she decided this particular project is something she is keen to be involved in. Julie has been filming a religious programme for the BBC. The Easter special will feature people in similar circumstances to herself to see how they have coped with the bombings and how it has affected their faith. Her comments were made in an interview with BBC Bristol for their Inside Out current affairs programme. |
Beyond the rivers of blood unleashed by these terror attacks is an ocean of sadness and pain shared by many people beyond the immediate victim.
I hope that one day Rev. Nicholson and all who knew her daughter may find some small measure of peace.
Hard to find fault with her in this case. Hopefully, over time, she can find her way back.
The religion of peace strikes again.
I confess I'd like to step on Mohammed Sidique Khan like a bug.
Not to diminish this lady's pain, but a more logical response to the 7/7 attacks would be to lose one's faith in Islam, not Christianity.
she should also know if not a born-again believer, you will not enter heaven, bottom line.
why am I not surprised she doesn't know these things?
Very sad...I can't blame her for her feelings.
Her religion exhorts her to forgive; the bombers' religion(?) exhorts them to murder and maim. Basic contradiction.
That's very compassionate of you.
A woman of principle and she gets my admiration.
The difference is???
Real Prophets climb mountains to be closer to God, they don't crawl into holes to hear Satan's voice...
I know a man whose only child, a college age daughter was killed in a auto accident. He was very active in his church and was devastated by his grief. He quit his job and I never heard from him anymore. He just basically lost the faith and will to live..............
horrible... but points to a hypocrisy with the practice of religion: she was able to "accept" thousands upon thousands of deaths, and continue preaching her message until her own daughter fell victim; then she couldn't believe what people do in the name of religion. her empathy and sprituality was conditional on this not happening to her. this is a common human characteristic that is infused in religion - always has been, always will be.
She is going through a feeling I have seen more than once from someone that lost a loved one. I have a relative, a pastor, who lost not one but two sons in senseless situations. He left the church altogether. Threw in the towel, raged against God, etc. Only in the past 10 years or so has he been attending a church service
She shouldn't have to forgive the butchers.
Even Jesus despaired.
Despite the headline, I fail to see that they have quoted her as saying she no longer believes in God. Perhaps I missed something in the article.
Less than a year after the murder, her feelings are completely understandable.
"...she should also know if not a born-again believer, you will not enter heaven, bottom line."
Funny.... I don't remember Jesus saying to the good thief while hanging on the cross: "Unless you are born again, you will not be with me this day in paradise." Seems to me, the only thing the thief professed was his own guilt and the innocense of Jesus." But, I guess he doesn't count.
This woman's faith will return. Jesus is very patient and forgiving of our human weakness and ignorance.
Thats because the modern Disneyfied version of Christianity in the west isn't worthy of faith. The older more authentic version that recognized just as Jesus could whip moneychangers out of a temple, they could launch Crusades against the heathen Moslems....that is the Christianity worthy of faith....the faith that drove the Moslems out of Spain and Sicily back in the middle ages.
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