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. |
I, for one, am impressed that she has managed cling to her faith as much as she has. She has received a wound that is incomprehensible to me. I don't know if I could bear it. I might seek to return evil for evil.
Many a heavy blow is recorded in Scripture. Grief and desolation sometimes must run their course in our lives.
Psalm 13:2-5
How long, LORD? Will you utterly forget me? How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I carry sorrow in my soul, grief in my heart day after day? How long will my enemy triumph over me?
Look upon me, answer me, LORD, my God! Give light to my eyes lest I sleep in death,
Lest my enemy say, "I have prevailed," lest my foes rejoice at my downfall.
Yep. In fact, she says she will leave forgiveness in God's hand, that hardly suggests disbelief. It's her inability to forgive that has driven her from the pulpit, because she is a convicted person, not a disbelief in God.
I don't blame her for her inability to forgive, but it's too bad a believing priest with principles has left the pulpit, particularly in a country that needs more of them.
I left the Episcopal Church over 20 years ago, but if this woman came to be the pastor of the local chapel, I'd seriously reconsider joining.
I was as certain in my ignorance as you once.
You'll find out with certainty one day who is "brainwashed". That much you can have faith in.
I agree but put yourself in her position and see if you wouldn't have your doubts as well.
my point is this goes well beyond any muslim trying to kill him/herself and others.
this is a war against God and Satan and I believe it is heating up in these most tumultuous, last days.
People will be tested, some more so than we can imagine. I sin and fail the Lord each and every day but I must keep a short tab with the lord and repent.
I don't know if nicholson is a true believer, born anew in Christ, and i will not judge her. But it seems from her comments about forgiveness, God, and knowing Christ, something is wrong.
I pray for her...
headline totally wrong. As article clearly indicates, she still retains her faith in God.
"Gird your loins and stand before me like a man." is the way the old King James says it I believe. And if you think about it Job did pretty good for himself. When you consider that God basically made a bet with the devil that Job wouldn't curse his name if He let the devil mess with him for a while. God let it happen and Job hung in there. He only wanted to know why. I'll say a prayer for this poor woman that the peace that surpasses all understanding can return to her.
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