Please will everybody just STOP

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4723339.stm

What is it about humanity so that hate and desire for revenge overcomes human desires to understand, listen and reach out?

Joke

How best to return to blogging after a couple of weeks break than with a silly joke a friend on an email list sent me.

A little flippant and irreverent perhaps, but I'm allowed to poke fun at my own brand of Christianity I'm sure....

A Hindu priest, a rabbi and an evangelical Christian were travelling together when they were overcome with fatigue.

They stopped at a farmhouse and asked for lodging, but the farmer said he only had room for two. One of them would have to spend the night in the barn.

"I'll go," said the Hindu priest, and off he went.

A few minutes later, there was a knock at the back door. There stood the Hindu priest, exclaiming, "There's a cow in there, and cows are sacred in my religion. It would be impossible for me to sleep in the same room as a cow."

The farmer then asked which of the other two would volunteer to sleep in the barn.

"I'll go," said the rabbi, and off he went.

A few minutes later there was a knock at the back door. It was the rabbi. "There's a pig in that barn. It wouldn't be kosher for me to sleep there. I cannot do it!"

"Oh, all right," said the evangelical. "I'll go," and off he went.A few moments later there was a knock on the door. It was the pig and the cow.

Today

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4661273.stm

God I ask for peace, of whatever sort we can manage as humans.

I ask for acceptance of those of other faiths and none.

I ask that the difference between peace loving Muslims who are seeking and following you, and Islamic extreemist groups would become apparent to those who are led to pre-judge.

I ask that you would be with the families of those who have lost their lives and with those who have been injured. I ask that you would protect the minds of the vulnerable, that they would feel safe to go about their lives without living in fear of another attack. I ask that people would put aside their differences and pull together through this time.