A group of men seek to establish a religious state, with a barbaric sweep of ethnic cleansing. In the name of (their interpretation of) Islam, Christians are forced to flee, convert or be murdered. Not so very far away, another religious group engages in a near genocidal assault on men women and children of another faith, albeit provoked by an infinitely less effective continuing firing of homemade rockets.

The saddest aspect of all of this tragic slaughter is that all these groups believe in the same God of our forefather, Abraham. When the day comes that each of those engaged in the slaughter of their neighbours is set before God to be judged, do they think the Almighty will be impressed by their explanation for their actions?

Sadly man’s ability to create a bespoke religious interpretation that justifies his own actions continues undiminished.