It's good the archbishop is able to think of and speak to this human situation. I am glad all the internal 'anglican stuff' hasn't so monopolised him, that he has no energy for the needy world.

I think Rowan excels in these pastoral fields, I hope he can be allowed to engage in this kind of ministry of care and reflection. I bet he'd go there if he could --such is his pastor's heart. Perhaps, he will find a way to go there.

Bravo to Canterbury for speaking up so quickly in this latest iteration of violence. We are happily on another end of another spectrum, finding this voice. Many thanks and prayers.

It has been excellent to see so many souls from so many denominations and faiths offering prayers for peace in the Middle East, including ABC. My prayers are also for peace, and that God will touch peoples souls to realise that peace is a multi-pronged phenomenom. True peace can not be imposed by States, bribed through religous institutions, intimidated by threats from the biggest warlord, gained through neglect of family nor basic needs.

Thus solutions that only focus on one aspect - e.g. solutions from the State ignore the impact of other factors. So if the religious castes have a Baal "human sacrifice" mode that will ripple into the beliefs and behaviours of their communities and how their children are raised e.g. romanticising suicidal bombers; being a human shield to a terrorist enclave; depriving food, shelter and medicines to the "unworthy". The latter examples also show that if we are not "above reproach" in acknowledging the holy spark in all God's creation, we become guilty of giving propaganda weapons to Baal-like inciters. A Holy People seeks to have as many souls as possible in fellowship, so that the souls who do embrace Baal-like philosophies do so out of a biochemical disorder that is not justified by sociological or economic circumstances.

The risks of embracing the violent continuum of God's manifestation (which He does when His name is being insulted) is being able to stop the cultural dynamics once started. So if you are raising children to be suicide bombers, at what point do you tell them to stop? And how do you detrain a person or a community where the core of their identity is based on glory through destruction of the ungodly "other"? In turn, how can communities trust when they can not reliably feed, shelter or provide for their children? There is a difference between being thrust into a shanty town with no options to choosing an individualistic course of destruction from an affluent sheltered family. Both might have problems reliably feeding and sheltering themselves, but one groups' problem is externally imposed, irregardless of how well they personally manage themselves.

I've given up on Ruth Gledhill's blog (although I have been grateful for the educative process in reading it). A blog that allows a (moderated!) comment that says in its entirety "Rowan Williams is a moron" is much more on the heat than light end of the blogging scale. Gledhill's blog seems to show two concerns only; selling of parsonages and synod being beastly to Israel. Her prototype blog would be 3000 words from Irene Lancaster on why the selling of parsonages was further evidednce of the anti-semitic conspiracy enveloping the CofE. Life's too short.

Today Monday 31st July 2006 is a Day of Mourning for the 37 Lebanese children and 20 or more Lebanese adults killed by an Israeli bomb yesteray.

Israel's cruelly dispassionate use of banned weapons like white phosphorus bombs and "daisycutters" whilst the US procrastinates, constitutes war crimes by the Israeli government.
Yet another internal confidential Israeli investigation is promised with regards to the slaughtered Lebanese but we can all expect another verdict of "Israeli army found blameless" as was the case of the internal confidential Israeli army investigations into the deaths of:
James Miller
Tom Hurndall
Rachel Corrie
The Palestinian family "wiped out" on the Gaza beach.
The people killed in the ambulance attacked by Israeli fighters.
The 4 UN observers.
The Sabra & Shatila massacre by the Israeli army.

It's high time that Ehut Olmert and top Israeli generals were tried for war crimes in open court in the Hague by international judges, instead of these internal Israeli investigations carried out by kangeroo courts fit for the Medieval Ages.

Justin lewis-Anthony is quite correct that we all bored stiff by the heartwarming tales of life in a jewish family or the beauties of Haifa given ad nauseum by Irene Lancaster whose tactics consist of writing overly long postings to which one is tempted to do likewise or get drowned out.