'Faith hate' vicar Michael Ainsworth speaks out

Joanna writes: This is Canon Michael Ainsworth who was attacked  outside his church in East London, St George-in-the-East.

From the outset he urged people not to use the incident in which the attackers reportedly shouted "this should be a mosque not a church" as an excuse to widen religious and racial divisions in the community.

He has written this week in the East London Advertiser of the need for calm in an area where "community relations...are, on the whole good and worth working at."

He explains movingly how  his assailants left after "six or seven minutes of assault" and  "an Asian boy and girl came to help me. The girl kindly retrieved my spectacles and gave them back to me; the boy called round a few days later to see if I was OK."

Reports of the incident were wildly exaggerated and used to draw "bizarre and mainly racist conclusions" he says.

"No baseball bats or weapons were involved: only fists and feet. I was not discovered on the ground, I did not fall and summoned help myself. I cannot say if drink or drugs were involved; it's possible it was a spill-over from an argument elsewhere.

"I am returning to work in Holy Week, when Christians pray that we may 'follow the example of Christ's patience and humility, and also be partakers of his resurrection. The belief that good can come out of suffering, and new life out of a painful engagement with truth, is not a glib response to the evil and wickedness of a broken world, but a mark of faithfulness to the love that God shows to all his children."

Comments

[al malik]

Another case of the guest abusing the host. We should call for the silencing of their call to prayer and enforce our laws against hate crimes. They go to pray and then curse other faiths. It is said that oil and water don't mix, muslims and civilsation also don't mix. They take all our kindness and yet spit on us.
We can not accommodate their dreadful behaviour in this country any longer.

[tea]

Well done, Joanna, for highlighting the ELA article. Canon Michael has spoken well. I hope all those who've seized on the "faith-hate" aspect of the incident will take his words to heart.

Happy Easter!