One of the primary reasons why I post on Facebook, apart from some sharing and reading news, is to provoke and stimulate thinking and discussion among friends and followers on some of the issues that we face as a society. 

I do so as a fellow human being, to think, reflect and prayerfully consider as someone who seeks to love God and follow the radical Christ, whose power to transform and affect for good life here on earth, has shaped my own life and faith. 

We are all influenced by our background, culture and experiences of life, all of which play into our perceptions and interpretations of happenings in the world. It is my desire in writing posts and sharing others to get readers to think about the issues that we are facing, serious issues that affect not only us but our children and children’s children and our neighbours here at home and abroad. 

Our ability to discuss and debate, hold differences of opinion, respect and recognise diversity is one of the characteristics I believe are essential for a healthy society. 

On the whole I have been encouraged by the responses to the posts that I have written or shared. It is obvious where my own persuasions, outlooks and views lay but I have welcomed those comments and critiques from those who hold, sometimes, very differing views. We have been able to discuss with respect. 

However, a recent post only illustrated to me one of the most disturbing aspects of the current situation we find that has arisen with Brexit. A resorting to vitriol in response to somebody’s post did little for the points that were being made because the anger, disrespect and name-calling on behalf of the writer drowned out whatever arguments they were putting. When those points were challenged it triggered even more vindictive language, and this sadly from someone who seeks to be a follower of Christ. The Christ who calls us to engage in the work of reconciliation in the world. The same Jesus who said that the world would know that we were his disciples by our love for one another. We do nothing for the cause of the faith or the values of the kingdom of God, let alone make any contribution to a society that is seriously conflicted and divided, by hurling insults at others or not listening to one anothers opinions and views. 

The European Union has not divided us. The Referendum has merely revealed the deeply held divisions, prejudices, intolerance and racism that reside in the human heart and has been kept at bay superficially by our alleged British tolerance and unloosed unintended consequences that are very disturbing.

I don’t claim to be an expert about anything but just someone who is trying to find a way to think through, in my case, as a Christian, how we live in these troubled times. 

I do have the privilege of knowing many good friends across Europe, the majority of them men and women of faith and I’m mindful of their perspective on what is happening in Britain. Most of them are dismayed by what they are witnessing here. They would strongly refute some of the lies, distortions, myths and false claims made by some Brexiters and the ways in which the EU is portrayed by some of our popularist demagogues. 

I am no great advocate of the EU. I am aware of its many flaws and failings, as well as our own and many other so-called democracies and political systems. I am however a committed European, someone who has valued the contribution of Europe, rooted in its Judeo Christian values, that has shaped and influenced so many good things across the world. Of course, history is littered with good and evil and Britain is no exception to that fact. 

I am mindful that most wars are triggered by trade conflicts and so I am obviously concerned about the implications of nations falling out over trade deals or no deals. We have been very fortunate in my lifetime to live through a period that has been free from war on a global scale. Something that most of our current politicians have not lived through and are therefore unaware of that which my parents generation lived through.

One of the greatest achievements of the European Union, for which it received the Nobel Peace Prize, was for keeping peace across Europe for over 60 years, something that should not be taken lightly. 

Most people I speak to are oblivious of the contribution that the EU has made to peace and justice. I am dismayed that Christians in particular are unaware that the vision for the European Union came from Christian statesman, like Robert Schuman back in the 1950s. He with others, in the light of the bloodbath that saw millions killed across the continent in World War II, determined to find ways of uniting the nations of Europe through trade agreements and working together.

The EU has moved a long way from those early foundations but please let’s not be ignorant about its noble aspirations and whether we work for its reform, leave it and no doubt with Brexit, contribute to its demise and eventual collapse, whether we are Brexiters  or Remainers we need to be mindful of attitudes and actions lest we trigger further conflict not only at home but with our European neighbours. The language that has been deployed, eg. ‘war cabinet’ is desttuctive and disturbing.

There is nothing more satisfying for more menacing superpowers in the world than seeing Europe fragmenting. We need to be careful that we do not add to the malign forces and sow the seeds of division that could lead to serious global consequences. 

I’m writing this post looking out over the Irish border, celebrating a 40th birthday, mindful that during those wonderful days celebrating the birth of our first born son, that here in Ireland Lord Mountbatten, his grandson and two others were killed by a bomb hidden aboard their fishing boat in Mullaghmore. On the same day just a few miles from here near Warrenpoint, eighteen British soldiers, a British and Irish civilian were killed and six more were seriously injured in the Narrow Water Ambush during The Troubles

I have family and many friends over here and I listen to their concerns over Brexit, the backstop and the potential consequences of a no deal exit from the EU. 

I remember coming to Northern Ireland during the Troubles and subsequently meeting people whose lives have been scarred by the experience of conflict as the toxic fires of sectarianism fuelled the atrocities committed by both sides in The Troubles. Thankfully those fires have been dampened or put out, largely as a result of the Peace Process and the Good Friday Agreement. 

I do pray for the Government and all those involved in negotiations over Brexit that they appreciate the severity of the task that is before them to secure an agreement that will not trigger a return to violence and unrest across this amazing land and its peoples. 

Lord have mercy