I don’t know whether you’ve noticed this too, but in recent weeks the first items on the news have been dominated by this uneducated, politically inexperienced, racist old bastard called Donald Trump.

Just like the United Kingdom with their Brexit, the North Americans have played beautifully into the hands of the Islamic State. Unlike the UK and the US, IS understands that racism takes precedence over democracy … if the voters are stupid enough. Proof is: Trump tries to ban people from states whose citizens have never committed a terrorist crime on US soil.

Very much secondary in the headlines is the random persecution and murder of men, women and children, yes, children, in Syrian prisons.

I ask myself the question, therefore, a) how can a so-called God of love allow a nation whose population largely claims to be believing Christians allow such a fucking idiot to rule over their nation and b) how can this God of love sit by and watch these children, women and men be terrorized, abused and murdered in this way?

I went to church last Sunday, and the preacher, Frau Doktor D., assured the nervous congregation from Genesis, Chapter 16, that through the story of Hagar and Sarai, Jews, Muslims and Christians all come from one God and are members of one family and that they should ultimately get along well as such in the long term. This should give us all a reason for optimism and hope.

I don’t suppose that the dear doctor preacher has ever read Romans 9:8 or Galatians 4:23 , John 14.6,  etc, – which give Christians the right to say that only they are God’s true children and that all Muslims will go to hell. We do come from one family, she is right, but our dad loves only some of his children. Conditionally.

Whatever the case may be, Christians sit in their pews around the world, feeding their spiritual bellies, one step below the yoga class next door to my office, and most do almost nothing to bring peace to Syria.

If Jesus really did exist, it is very clear that he expected a radical, world-changing movement of people who were prepared to sacrifice everything to change the world. Rather like the IS, actually.

Instead, we have a group of largely passive, sedentary people who massage their butts and shout “Amen” to the likes of pukey Joyce Meyer and who ultimately do, let’s face it,  …..

nothing.

What gives me the right to be judgmental? Nothing, really. Though I did once lead a church in the UK that was pioneering and radical, rather like a Bugatti. Now, like all churches after a couple of generations, it’s become sadly no more than a Vauxhall Zafira church. Grey, compact, boring, predictable, neat and tidy and full of air bags.

Plus, I was the only Christian in a movement of about 50,000 people in the UK who was prepared to follow Jesus and to do something radical. But not one smug soul was prepared to come with me. The result: I failed.

My big question remains. What can I really do to help the plight of the people in Syria? Joining the church sure won’t help. So, can you help me? Comments welcome, as always.