Was Archbishop right about ‘Christian martyrs’?
CAN anyone really take the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby seriously after his latest contribution to world affairs? I find his suggestion for Christians not to defend themselves, but to become martyrs at the hands of ISIS, abhorrent. I’d much rather see a live Christian than a dead Christian martyr and most other people would think the same. Has Mr Welby forgotten the lessons of the past from allowing the likes of Hitler and Stalin to carry out mass murder while we turned our Christian cheek? Thankfully, Mr Welby was not alive to advise Mr Churchill not to fight fascism. I think he should defend his flock, not advise them to accept being lambs for slaughter.
JOHN ADAMSON, Swanland, E. Yorks. THE Archbishop of Canterbury has declared that the students murdered in Kenya are now martyrs. Martyrs, I understood were willing to die for their religious beliefs. Did the students, or the many other Christians in other parts of the world, terrified for their lives, and similarly murdered, give their lives willingly for their faith? I think not. I am glad we have someone other than the Archbishop to depend on for our safety from terrorist threats.
ELIZABETH GRINDLAY, Ayr. I WONDER if Justin Welby would like to go out to where ISIS is creating ‘killing fields’ and offer them some Christian love? They’d chop off his head. He should be singing onward Christian Soldiers, not bowing down to Muslim radicalism. Mrs r. LAWRENCE, Blackmore, Essex. ARCHBISHOP SENTAMU is right to urge Christians, as well as other believers, to be proud of their faith (Mail on Sunday) — a stirring, unashamedly political, Christian message from the C of E’s most outspoken Archbishop. Our task is to be authentic to our traditions and a blessing to each other and wider society. Many faith groups have a commendable track record. A report on volunteering in the C of E showed 79 per cent of Anglicans volunteer, compared with 49 per cent of the public. Charity Commission figures show there are 32,000 faithbased charities, 18 per cent of the total in Britain. Faith groups carry out crucial work. Without them, society would be a lesser place. ZAKI COOPER, Trustee, council of christians and Jews, london W1.