Home   News   Article

Remembering the real lesson this Armistice Day


By Contributor

Easier access to your trusted, local news. Subscribe to a digital package and support local news publishing.



Click here to sign up to our free newsletters!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: By the Rev David Macartney, North Coast Parish, Church of Scotland

Poppies are the symbol of remembrance.
Poppies are the symbol of remembrance.

Each year the country comes to a halt to remember the great wars. We take two minutes out of our day on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month to silently recognise the sacrifice of all those whose lives were lost, as well as all those since, who have fought and sometimes died for the freedoms and lifestyles we take for granted today.

Many people will buy and wear poppies to help out injured veterans, and there are also services held at churches across the nation on Remembrance Sunday.

The numbers of those who died in World Wars I and II is staggering, the violence and impact is indescribable and yet we look back and remember because we must learn from our past.

We remind ourselves to never get to a point where that kind of conflict is possible once more. Humanity is capable of doing so many dark things that it is always good to stop and see the light of peace being shone into these moments.

The idea in Isaiah of a world in which wars, and the weapons needed to wage them, are obsolete is one that Christians and people of all faiths and none can and should strive for: “And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” (Isaiah 2:4)


Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.



This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More