Horror

This weekend was not as busy as normal but still tiring; the football match was called off and in the afternoon a number of us went to see Nick play rugby (they won convincingly and Nick got a try, well done!!!). For those supporting it was a good humoured affair with a lot of "banter". Sunday involved playing bass at church, spending a lot of money for lunch (tea and bagette...£4.20!) and two very thought provoking sermons. Though the thing that hit me this weekend was something I watched on Saturday night. It was on Channel 4, a repeat of a show called "The Somme".

The documentary type feature length film told the story of a few British/French and German soldiers, using their diaries, letters and military records to give an account of the first day of the battle. The battle of the Somme was fought in the First World War. The Allied forces attempted to break through the Germans lines along a 25-mile front in northern France. One purpose of the battle was to draw German forces away from the Battle of Verdun; however, by its end the losses on the Somme had exceeded those at Verdun. The first day was the bloodiest day in Britain's long military history with 57,470 casualties on the British side alone of which around 20 thousands where dead. By the end of the battle, which lasted 142 days (as far as i know), there where over a million casualties. The allies made around 5miles, FIVE MILES!!!.

These figures are not something I can comprehend One of the people which the film focused on had just turned 17. Out of the 1000 men in his group he was one of only 27 to be alive after just the first days battle, thats means they had a 2.7% chance of living.........Not only that but he was then sent back to the front line a year or so later. As I thought about this I found myself in tears, I'm not sure why. Yet as I think of all the "healthy" men and boys around me; friends, family, work mates, people from Church, all of whom would have been sent to war, I just cannot picture only 2.7% of them living, its just beyond words, beyond belief.

As far as I can make out around 10million people died in the First World War: A war for a little bit of territory Such losses, for something of great importance, maybe just justifiable but for that no. All the Horror.


As I think about it more I saw things from another angle. As a Christan I belive that all those whom don't follow Jesus will have an eternity in hell. The horrors of war will surely be nothing compaired to the day of judgement. Not only for those who have the horror of an eternity without God but also for use who are being saved. Beacause we may watch, our friends, family and a massive proportion of the human race suffer for there sins. It is unimaginable.

Yet just as people being to talk about WW1 as just the historical fact it is the world (Christan's more than most) just talk about Hell as something which will happen. The Horror of WW1 will be so small compaired to Hell, yet we choose to brush hell under the carpet. One can be forgiven for trying not to bring up the past but, unlike that war, all the people around you can be saved, look around. If you stood on the battlefield would you let your closest friend die when you could prevent it