The powers that be might now cite Rev McIlveen to justify the pension for terrorists

Rev David McIlveen has said many things in press appearances with which I agree. I think he has often presented a reasonable and thoroughly Biblical perspective on matters of public importance.
By Samuel Morrison
Published 2nd Oct 2019, 07:12 BST
Those who broke Gods civil in the Old Testament were excluded from its protection (Exodus 22:2)Those who broke Gods civil in the Old Testament were excluded from its protection (Exodus 22:2)
Those who broke Gods civil in the Old Testament were excluded from its protection (Exodus 22:2)

That being the case I was surprised and disappointed by his comments on Sunday Sequence in support of payments for people injured during the terrorist campaign which would include those injured as a result of their own actions.

This proposal - which dates back to the report produced by Archbishop Robin Eames and former Roman Catholic priest Denis Bradley - has been widely condemned by innocent victims, reason enough one would have thought for Rev McIlveen to think twice before making his comments.

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In fact, the support of the Victims’ Commissioner for a pension along the lines suggested by Rev McIlveen resulted in almost every innocent victims’ group calling for her to be removed just weeks ago. In spite of that she was reappointed. It is very useful for the powers that be to be able to cite Rev McIlveen as a supporter of the scheme.

Letter to the editorLetter to the editor
Letter to the editor

I also think Rev McIlveen should reflect on how Scriptural his comments were.

The fundamental, God given duty of civil government is the punishment of evil doers (Romans 13:3). The government does not escape that obligation by way of establishing a pension - especially if that pension includes victim makers. It is worth noting that those who broke God’s civil in the Old Testament were excluded from its protection (Exodus 22:2). Rev McIlveen’s comments fly in the face of this.

But perhaps most disappointing of all was Rev McIlveen’s failure at any point in his broadcast interview to tell victim makers that they will one day answer before a higher court than any here on earth and before doing so they needed to get right with both the victims they have created (Luke 19:8) and call upon God for mercy.

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The most fundamental reconciliation which we need in our land is not between communities. It is between individual sinners and a holy God whose law we have all offended. We can only find the most important form of peace, peace with God, through Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1).

Samuel Morrison, Dromore, Co Down