I am writing this in the week in which people's hopes for  peace in Northern Ireland have reached a low ebb. Unionist and Nationalist, Loyalist and Republican seem to be hardening their positions. 

It is not for me to argue the case for the Union with Britain or the case for the opposite - a United Ireland. 
But I wonder why some people are so passionate about their feelings that they are prepared to use horrific violence for their cause.

Can't people simply recognise one another as fellow human beings and live together either as part of Britain or as part of Ireland? Neither the Irish Government nor the British Government, for all their many faults, are oppressive dictatorships like some other governments in the world. So what is all the fuss, passion and violence about?

It seems to me that the passionate views on both sides come from national pride. The Irish Republicans feel that the Union with Britain diminishes their Irish national distinctiveness. On the other hand the Loyalists are obsessed with their British identity. They are both so keen to preserve the pride of their respective national identities, that some are prepared to kill and maim for their cause. 

All over the world we see people raising the banners of their own national distinctiveness. This encourages them to remember past wrongs done against them so that they can try to settle old scores. This is what has happened in Kosovo, Ruanda and many other places.

But why should a person's national identity be so important to him or her? 
I believe that the reason is that people have an inner longing to know who they are and where they came from. One of the places they seek to find their roots is in their racial or national group. 
But is this right? 

The Bible shows us clearly that our identity is found only in God who created us all in His image and gave His Son to die for all the world's sins.  One day there will be no nations any more. But there will be people redeemed by Christ and also those who refused to accept that redemption. 

What use will be our national identity then?

In an imperfect world we have to have nations and governments to prevent chaos. We also rejoice in the various national cultures that there are in the world. As far as we are able we should seek to enjoy our own culture and even give it an honoured place in our lives. However we must never try to find our true selves in our nation or culture. If we do so try, we turn our nation or culture into a kind of idol. 

What is even worse is that we may be tempted to distort our Christian Faith to support our idolatry. I believe most Irish people do want to live at peace with their fellows, but for some more extreme people across the Irish sea Catholicism has become the badge of Irish national pride and for others Protestantism has become the badge of Ulster's pride. This is a far cry from the teaching of the Bible where we read:

Gal 3: 26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

That is why we must never compromise our message that in Christ God has embraced the humanity of all peoples and that Christ died and rose for all our sins. He did not just come for our nation nor just for the white man - but for all peoples in every continent and nation.

We all need His forgivness and salvation.
 

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