Break the Cycle of Knife Crime Revenge

Giant artwork by Alfie Bradley formed out of 1000 knifes confiscated by police 

A man with first hand experience of KNIFE CRIME was interviewed on the BBC Today programme. 

He said that REVENGE between one territorial gang for previous stabbings by another was the main cause of knife crime today.

People carried knives in the time of Jesus:

Perhaps an agricultural knife like a machete, or even a dagger.  Furthermore,  the name SICARII (Dagger-Men) was given to those Zealots who had chosen violence to get rid of the Roman army. Some think that the name Iscariot might have been given to Judas because he belonged to the Sicarii.

JESUS’ way was totally different.

He opposed the “Eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth” tradition and said “ DO NOT TAKE REVENGE ON SOMEONE WHO WRONGS YOU.”  And instead of “love your friends and hate your enemies,” Jesus said “LOVE YOUR ENEMIES AND PRAY FOR THOSE WHO PERSECUTE YOU.”

His disciples may have been slow to understand this kind of love, and in the Garden of Gethsemane when Temple soldiers came to arrest Jesus, Peter drew his sword and cut off the ear of the High Priest’s slave. Jesus told Peter to put his sword back in its sheath, and touched the slave’s ear and healed him. “All who take the sword will perish by the sword.”

This saying rings true in London, Manchester and Birmingham today.

Jesus’ rejection of violence exposed him to being knifed or judicially murdered. But his love was sacrificial. This was the foundation for friends and family to break the cycle of revenge which expected an eye for an eye.

In British cities today, let us  pray for and support any gang members who have the courage not to take revenge, but turn their enemies into friends. This will bring great joy in heaven.

Information on Alfie Bradley’s Artwork Available here

You can visit the Knife Angle Sculptor at Coventry Cathedral over the Easter period; For information follow https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/knife-angel-sculpture-coventry-cathedral-15832852

Disclaimer: This blog is intended to provide a space for people associated with APF to express their own personal views and opinions in order to promote discussion of issues relating to peacemaking and pacifism  It is not necessarily a place where the official views of APF are expressed.