Roger Mitchell on London Bombings

This from my email inbox, from Storm-Harvest's email list. Interesting perspective, and a good mix of the practical and spiritual:

Subject: Roger Mitchell on London bombings


Roger Mitchell has sent out the following. Roger has been involved with the
apostolic/prophetic & strategic prayer for many years. He recognises that
many in the Church will not completely agree with him on this.

A view in response to the London bombings:

Bombing, killing and wounding people is bad - we all agree. But we must
recognise the context in which this has taken place. When the attack on the
twin towers took place some of us did our level best to make the following
position known. The subsequent events and now the bombings in London have
underlined it even more.

1. The Western world is vulnerable to terrorist attacks because of things
wrong in its own foundations. These things create a fault line, or expose a
soft underbelly. These foundational faults are:

Ongoing economic injustice. Manifested in gross selfishness and
protectionism, aimed at maintaining the economic power base and affluence of
the West. This is expressed in terms of our current trade and economic aid,
including the terms of the current debt clearances (eg: the conditions of
the IMF and World Bank imposed on African nations even by the G8 summit
leaders).

The abuse of Military power. Manifested in the dominance of the West, based
on our superior nuclear weapons and our manipulation of the arms trade. This
is expressed in our double standards of justifying war in Iraq (who we
originally armed) on the grounds of their supposedly having weapons of mass
destruction like we do and of pressurising Iran and North Korea over the
same thing.

A Christendom-based church. Manifested in those church denominations,
networks, congregations and ministries which align more or less uncritically
with the foundational political, economic and military power bases of
society outlined in (1) and (2) above. This is frequently expressed in the
way that church government, theology, prayer and the prophetic is framed,
interpreted and enacted.

These foundational sins are clearly denounced by the prophet Amos in Israel
and in the other nations around them (See Amos Chs1-2). Amos makes it clear
that societies where these foundational sins exist will be judged (i.e.
given the consequences of what they are choosing) if there is no repentance.

2. Terrorist attacks such as those on the twin towers, the Madrid trains and
the London transport system are the consequence of exposing ourselves to the
jealousy, desperation and sin of those who are the victims of our injustice
and abuse of power. Where misguided, false or violent political, racial or
religious motives and movements already exist to exacerbate such reactions
to our Western nations' sin, the mix provides the current extremely
dangerous and destructive context for terrorism.

3. Western societies are the home of, and in many ways the product of,
Christendom. It is imperative that the church repents for its uncritical
alignment with these foundational sins of the western nations, brings a
biblical response to terrorism, and demonstrates the way of peace.

Biblically, the answer to this terrorism is to come in the opposite spirit.
That means repentance for our foundational sins and love and forgiveness
towards our enemies. This must be expressed in empathy towards them as
people despite the evil they perpetrate. It needs the willingness to
recognise the context in which they are operating described above, radical
and urgent efforts to change the injustices and abuses involved and the use
of dialogue and blessing not violence and cursing in our attitudes towards
them.

4. Since the attack on the twin towers, the Western World, and in particular
the political and military leadership given by the USA and the UK, has
exponentially increased our vulnerability to terrorism. Instead of coming in
the opposite spirit, we have declared war on terror and invaded Afghanistan
and Iraq. We have bombed, killed and wounded many civilians in the process,
adding the desire for personal vengeance to the already existing jealousy,
desperation and sin. It is crucial that the body of Christ humbly stands in
the gap for these sins of the Western nations, especially the USA and the UK
and agitates effectively for changed policies and behaviour in our nations.

5. Therefore, in summary, we want to make the following statements:

The random, indiscriminate and deliberate killing & maiming of the victims
of the London Transport bombings of 7th July 2005 is to be utterly deplored.

The Western nations must turn from their idolatrous worship of guaranteed
security, continuous economic growth and military strength, which takes
place against the sinful background of exacerbated global poverty, unjust
trade and an unrighteous arms trade.

The church in the West must repent as a matter of urgency from its
Christendom mindset, its vindication of selfish political actions and its
manifestation of a crusading rather than Christ-like response to terrorism.

We are trusting God for maximum grace as we pray for Europe at this time.

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