MK forum

There have been several cases of late where a driver has been charged with "Dangerous driving causing death". The bereaved family have forgiven the offender and asked the judge for leniency. The judge takes into consideration the request, but still hands down a penalty, because of the obligation to society and the law in such a serious matter.

I dreamed of a New Jerusalem
Where forgiveness was obsolete
For there was committed no more crime
Against the children of holy feet

I dreamed in the New Jerusalem
Preaching was no longer heard
That lives were lived in harmony
And love was the utmost word

I dreamed the New Jerusalem
Was no ashes from the past
That all was built a new
And the pain of yore was cast

I wandered in the New Jerusalem
Where each did truly live
And just existing did not exist
For all had so much to give

I beheld in the New Jerusalem
Faiths diverse but free
Where man had learnt to be different
Yet live in harmony

I saw within this New Jerusalem
The wealthy and the semi poor
But I saw no souls a destitute
Begging at a strangers door

And the jails of New Jerusalem
Were empty year after year
For long gone was the evil
The destructors of yesteryear

Then I woke from the New Jerusalem
Into my own fields of green
And I gave thanks for that glimpse
Of the New Jerusalem I had seen

Amen. I love that dream!

I'm reliably informed
New Jerusalem beyond the Jordan lies
And the method of crossing
Is walk, swim or flies

Those with great faith walk
For on water they may tread
Or have the water parted
And perambulate the river bed

They of lesser faith
Dive in and swim to other shore
The current carries them about
But they eventually reach the Holy Door

But MKs cross by flying
When their wings are set to go
And they've figured out which way is up
While hovering to and fro

By now, we have probably all heard of the allegations that Bill Cosby, the comedian we all thought we loved, actually raped or sexually assaulted a number of very young women. It is so hard to believe, and it really upsets us to think someone like him has such a dark side.

Today I read a post on a friend's Facebook wall and I want to copy it here. I think this really helps to explain why we all have such a hard time reconciling in our mind the idea that someone we think we know and trust has actually committed acts of violence and evil.

To bring it home to our NTM world: people just don't want to believe that their friend Gary Earl, or their co-worker Frank Parker, or the Dave Brooks that they trusted could have hurt innocent, small children in such vile ways.

Read this quote and see if it makes sense, and if it applies to the attitudes we encounter as we work to raise awareness about the ugliness that is being kept secret and hidden by NTM.

"My friend Pamela Patterson Lake nails it.

'Cosby is a beloved icon of funniness who has been in our living rooms, hanging out with our families for years. He's like the wonderful funny uncle who comes to dinner all the time, but unbeknownst to us he's oogling our teenaged daughter and raping her in the garage. We don't want to believe that because it messes with our heads, it threatens our sense of harmony, taking down lies that maybe we've built up over the years because we like him so so much. Because see, denial is never about the victim - it's about protecting ourselves and our own little kingdoms. The wife who finds out her hubby is a rapist - it's far far easier to blame the woman he's raped, than to face the reality that her husband is a rapist and she never knew it or she ignored it. She could have stopped it, but that's the much harder path, isn't it? And by making rape about sex, rather than power and control (which it really is), we can minimize its impact; blame the victim for being too sexy, or being a gold-digger. It's sick. But it's also a deeply embedded cultural sin that dates back to the beginning of civilization. It's misogyny.' "

Denial is never about the victim - it's about protecting ourselves and our own little kingdoms.

Yes the story broke down here about 10 days ago. Alas another well known entertainer who now stands accused of having a dark side. This follows on the heels of the Rolf Harris scandal (found guilty and now in a British jail).

While Bill Crosby remains innocent till proven guilty, the wise words of Raz are very valid in relation to the sad reality that sometimes those that we trust because of their position, have used that position for evil.
Alas many of us have found this out from personal experience and it is better the truth come out, than the covers remain on so that others fall victim.