The countdown has begun to the orderly exit of British troops from the Middle Eastern country after 445 British lives lost and millions spent during 12 years of international efforts to stabilise the region and to counter terrorism. But questions remain about whether the venture was justified
The last British brigade has been deployed to Helmand. The 7th Armoured Brigade, also known as the Desert Rats, will be packing away equipment before the final pull-out of British combat forces next year. Already the retrospection has begun in earnest about whether the venture has been worth it. This question is made all the harder by the lack of clarity or consistency about what the actual aim was in Afghanistan, or about the balance between an Afghan- or an al-Qaeda-centred response to 9/11. And w
02 November 2013, The Tablet
Afghanistan: was it worth it?
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User Comments (4)
I'm disappointed by how little publicity there was of the diocesan questionnaires. Our archdiocese had one (very difficult to get at and use) on its web site but our priests made no announcements and there was no encouragement to respond. I didn't even know it was there until I enquired after friends told me about their dioceses. We had filled in the first one and been told that responses showed the laity needed more education - not that our voice was being heard. We received no acknowledgement of our second submission.
We are concerned that all the discussion seems to be about gay and second marriages. There seems to be no thought for those who are trying their best to be faithful to their vows but find the church's ruled on non-abortifacient contraception unfathomable. It seems to us particularly scandalous that by equating such contraception with abortion the Church hierarchy has lost the war on abortion so hundreds of thousands of babies die each year
Thank you Diana for a constructive & thoughtful blog.
Rufus here are scriptures as 'starters'
We are Children of God, 1 John 5.19
We are in Christ, 1 John 2.5-6
Gods temple & spirit lives in us, 1 Cor 3.16
We have passed from death to life, 1 Jo 3.14
We will be raised with Jesus, 2 Cor 414
We will go to heaven, 2 Cor 5.11
We will receive glorious inheritance, Eph 1.18
We will be rewarded by Jesus, Col 3.28-24.
Also many of the parables reflect Gods love for us & our families. Also Woman at the well and indeed most of Jesus's encounters....and so on.
A thoughtful blog and one I hope Cardinal Vincent takes note of.
Sadly we didn't publish survey results in England & Wales.
Whilst accepting the ideal of "near perfect families" resemblng in so far as is possible The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph... it seems somewhat inconsistent with a loving God that the Catholic Church excludes remarried Catholics from receiving the nurturing weekly reception of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
Odd but I haven't found the passage in scripture or the Catechism stating that "The core of the Gospel is that God loves us, despite our brokenness. Families need to understand that God loves and accepts them as they are". This sounds like Once saved always saved.
Could you provide it?
But I do see a call for repentance.
from the Catechism: "So that this call should resound throughout the world, Christ sent forth the apostles he had chosen, commissioning them to proclaim the gospel: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.”
Weird huh?