Joy Attmore comments on recent events in the UK and America.

Joy Attmore

The last few weeks have been littered with turbulent news, leaving people and nations reeling in fear, anger and disillusionment with their government and leadership. The result has been a surge of questioning previously safe and stable foundations, whilst finger pointing in judgement at individuals and people groups that they don't understand or connect with.

In the early hours of Sunday June 12th, a gunman entered the grounds of Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, shooting and killing 49 patrons and injuring many others. It was the deadliest mass shooting in US history and the targets were the LGBTQ community.

On June 16th we heard about the brutal murder of Jo Cox, a Labour MP for the Batley and Spen constituency in England, who was a spokesperson on the side of the 'remain' campaign for the EU Referendum.

Then just eight days later, the world awoke to the news that the UK would be leaving the EU, following the public vote taken on June 23rd.

As a British citizen now living in America, I have felt the impact of all of these events and had to stop my own emotions from reacting negatively, blaming individuals and political parties.

I felt saddened for my beautiful home country, as I awoke to the news that we had left the EU, our Prime Minister had resigned and the British pound had taken the biggest drop in value in the country's history. My sense of sombreness deepened, as I sat at our kitchen table in NYC reading status after status on Facebook, of different people's responses and feelings of heartache and fear, worried for the future of their country. The United Kingdom has suddenly become a divided one and no-one seems to know quite how to fix it.

I turned my Facebook stalking into journaling time and saturated the room's atmosphere with the sounds of worship from my iTunes player. Peace began to comfort my heart and I turned to the book of Psalms to read:

"God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,

though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling."
Psalm 46:1-3

God is with us. He is our very present help in the midst of turbulence and confusion, grief and uncertainty. He is with us as the morning dawns. He is sovereign.

As I processed my heart onto paper, I was reminded of a recent conversation I had with two dear friends, about the Orlando shooting. Our friends are a gay couple, celebrating their 30th anniversary this year. As one of them reflected on the events of June 12th, he made a comment that struck my heart with a depth of love and compassion that I hadn't felt before. He said, "I suddenly realised that I was viewed as someone who was 'less than' by the gunman, but also by many people because I am gay."

My heart broke. As someone who identifies as a Christian, I know that many others, calling themselves by that same label, have poured out words of hate and judgement towards the LGBTQ community; their tongues speaking declarations of death, rather than anything resembling love. In that moment, I saw just how far from Jesus' commandment of 'love one another', we are. I am not talking about agreeing with a lifestyle, but I am talking about loving those in it.

"To love another person is to see the face of God." Les Misérables

Although the circumstances in the UK seem completely unrelated to the shooting in Orlando, I have found myself needing to respond very similarly to both sets of circumstances.

In the UK, fear seems to have overpowered many people, producing statements of judgement and sudden disregard for their country. In the States, some churches have spoken out in support of the atrocities that took place in Pulse nightclub, saying that those who died deserved it because of their sin. In both scenarios, there has been a severe lack of love.

When we fear another person because of our differences, we give rise to hate and anger, seeking to protect ourselves from them. When we close our borders to others, whether that is the entrance to our hearts or our homes, we are choosing to value self over relationship and family.

We each desire to be seen, known, valued and loved. I do not always agree with every choice my family members' makes, their political views, or lifestyle choices, but I do always seek to see them and value their differences and to choose connection and love over my need, or desire, to be right.

I think we could all do a better job of seeing and loving one another.