On the morning of July 7, 2005, four Muslim fanatics struck the London transportation system with a surprise terrorist attack. That same morning, after the attacks had occurred, I sent out one of my monthly missionary updates to my supporters back in the U.S., but without making any mention of the attacks at the time. The reason for the omission is very simple. Even though Avril and I were living less than 20 miles away in the London suburb of Watford (https://thedaysforward.com/the-beautiful-game-2003/ ), we simply had not yet heard about the attacks at the time, and like everyone else, they caught us by surprise!
This is, of course, a prime aspect of any terrorist attack. Classmates may remember from our study of Clausewitz’ ‘Principles of War’, Surprise is a major principle and probably a terrorist’s most favorite. Even in those times when they don’t kill many people, they can still create fear and havoc. Through surprise, they can create the maximum shock value with the least amount of effort.
Although I certainly could not have predicted that the attack would happen on Thursday (7 July 2005) at roughly 8:50am, I cannot actually say that they surprised me. In April of that year, I had taught two one-day seminars to Sports Chaplains on Crisis/Trauma Response; and on both days, the discussion was never in the form of “if”, but “when”. I had even commented that I was surprised that at that time the Western world had only seen one other attack (the Madrid train bombing in 2004) since 9/11. So, it was only a matter of time before there would be another one.
In my next monthly newsletter, I commented that it occurred to me that the terrorists had not really been using their heads. Though the bombings were obviously well-planned and coordinated, they probably could have had a much greater effect if the four bombers had all been sent to four different cities, rather than one small section of London. Imagine how great the concern throughout the UK would have been if they had gone to London, Leeds, Lancaster and Llenelli! Yes, it’s a real place (pronounced Thanethlii), which actually serves to make my point. Set a bomb off in a place you’ve never heard of, and then everyone begins to wonder who’s next. Typically, it’s only those who live in and around the big cities who really have a need to be concerned.
The fact that the attacks were probably suicide bombers, and were perpetrated by British born and bred Muslims really took everybody (especially Muslims) by surprise. Though Oklahoma was the result of a born and bred American weirdo; we in the U.S. point to the fact that 9/11 was the result of foreign fanatics. Soon after the London Bombings, we fairly quickly started to see the signs of a change in the mindset of British Muslims. For a while anyway they began to talk about how home-grown terrorists were a problem for them to solve, and not just the authorities. In a newspaper editorial even Prince Charles said that this must happen – the Muslim community throughout Britain can no longer make allowance for those who would preach and promote hatred and violence. And on the morning news, I remember one of the talking heads, who was himself a Muslim, said that there seemed to be a sign of a real turning point on this issue in the UK.
One thing that surprised me was that I actually ended up with two personal connections to the bombings – those being a man who was killed on one of the subway cars and a man from my church who was on another one of the trains but wasn’t physically hurt. Most of us tend to live our lives with the belief that bad things never happen to us; they only happen to other people. I don’t say that as a condemnation, but simply as a matter of fact. And one further belief is that bad things don’t happen to people we know; they only happen to people we don’t know. So, I was surprised to hear about the two men that I knew.
Not long after the bombings I went to the funeral of James, the young man that I knew who was killed in the bombings. He was a strong Christian and a keen fan of World Rally racing with a lot of contacts in the sport. The morning of the bombings I actually had an email in my inbox arranging the time and place for lunch so we could talk more about how to introduce Sports Chaplaincy into World Rally. At the funeral the Old Testament reading was from Psalm 139, in which verse 16, says, “… in Thy book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.” More and more I am struck by how much God is in control, and by how little we are actually in control. It’s almost as if the whole of life is focused on this one thing. We come into the world with no control whatsoever; and then we spend the rest of our lives trying to gain as much control as possible. In the Western world our primary aim is to retire with total security. And all the while God’s aim is to try and teach us that there can only be one Master. So, we either come to the place where we accept that He is in control; or we fail to learn that, and we live life wrongly believing that we are our own master. For a Christian, Islamic fundamentalist terrorism should have the opposite effect from the one desired. It should drive us into the totally secure arms of Jesus.
Also, not too long after the bombings I preached at St. James Road Baptist Church, which was the church we regularly attended when we lived in Watford.
As it “happened”, I was scheduled to preach on John 21:1-25. At the end of the message, I pointed out that Jesus tells Peter (v. 20-23) it is none of his business what happens to the Apostle John. Peter’s only concern should be Jesus’ plan for him, not Jesus’ plan for John. My point was that ultimately each of us is responsible to submit to God’s sovereign control over our own personal lives. When we went to communion, I suggested that people might want to take the bread as symbolic of being thankful for God’s provision, and they might want to take the cup as being symbolic of their willingness to take whatever God sends their way as His sovereign will. Afterwards, John, the other man I knew who was on one of the trains that was bombed, came up to speak to me. The afternoon of the bombings, I had had a counseling session with him to help him work through some of the trauma that he had seen and experienced first-hand. He said that he really appreciated what I had to say in my sermon. He then said that he had chosen to take communion for the first time in eight years of attending the church. You just never know how God might use the trials of life to draw us ever closer to him. May God continue to do that for all of us as long as we have left.
Remembering Ray’s friend, James, a young man killed in the terrorist attack on the Tube in London: A church deacon from Bretton in Peterborough, Mr. Adams was a deeply Christian man. The mortgage adviser was caught in the Piccadilly Line blast while on his way to work in the Strand. He called his mother from King’s Cross to let her know he had arrived in London safely and was about to board the Tube. His parents said: “James was a deeply loved son and brother, who lived and loved life to the full.” Rest in Peace.
Enlightening article Ray. It’s interesting, to consider the overall impact of terrorism. As you so accurately point out, it usually only matters when it impacts directly, as opposed to peripherally.
Thank you for sharing Ray and for your deep faith in our Lord. All the best, Bob.
Ray,
Thanks for this inspiring article and for sharing the actions you took to encourage your flock in high stress times.