The world is getting better. It will take A LOT to convince me otherwise. In spite of this fact, humanity is still fighting the scourge of religious extremism causing atrocities like the attack on Garissa University in Kenya yesterday. 147, mostly students, dead. The day before "Good Friday". It is simply wicked.

I think humanity's greatest fights right now are that of religious extremism and climate change. And these WILL be fights humanity wins!

This Good Friday, we remember that Jesus went to literally infinite lengths (from the heights of Heaven to the depths of darkness) to reposition mankind to where and how he was originally positioned at his creation: In the image of God Himself at the top of a sustainable ecosystem which he was designed to manage.

This Good Friday, mankind's infinite value and greatness was validated. Within humanity is greatness we cannot even begin to fathom. Those that are filled with hate are simply the products of a recovering system which was deeply broken. They are simply believing lies about themselves and their fellow humans. They themselves carry greatness within their DNA. Despite their actions.
I see it throughout history. Acts of terror, war and hate are decreasing (and have decreased) at a percentage we can barely comprehend. Mankind is better today than it ever has been. And it is only getting better.

It is only a matter of time before al-Shabab, ISIS, Boko Haram and the few others are defeated. Mark my words. It may take time. And it will take sacrifice for which I and my fellow humans are forever indebted.

Humanity is too great to allow these lies of hate to perpetuate themselves. People are waking up. We are children of God. We are better than that. We are children of Light and Love.

Thank You Jesus for Your inconceivably immense sacrifice that rescued us from our self-inflicted houses of hate.

Dear friends,

I am taking this Blog Post down. For now, anyway.

Firstly, I call all of you friends. Including Brendi Richards. For we are all fellow humans living on the same planet.

I realise my Blog Post has caused quite a bit of hurt for many of you affected by crime in South Africa, especially Brendi Richards. My name-calling was unnecessary and thoughtless in my exuberance. And for it I sincerely, sincerely apologise.

I realise Brendi and many others have been violently abused at the hands of heartless criminals in South Africa, and this is nothing to make light of. Something I should have been more considerate of in my outburst. I do not make light at all of what Brendi and others have faced at the hands of South African criminals, and I deeply sympathise with all of you.

I too have been affected by crime in South Africa, having been mugged once at gunpoint, once at knifepoint, and once beaten for my cellphone (three times). My father has been held up in a bank heist, and tied up in his home along with his secretary while the house was looted. He has also been held at gunpoint in his car while thieves took his cellphone. My mother and sister were attacked in their driveway by would-be hijackers, but supernaturally my mother, calling on the name of Jesus, literally chased them away with her prayers. I have had my car stolen at Pavilion, and my wife's parents have had their home broken into while at work.

So it is not like I have not been affected by crime. Please understand this. I am not coming from a naive or ignorant perspective. I am just an extremely positive guy and choose to see the best in everything. I am very aware South Africa has a crime epidemic and something must be done.

Again, please forgive me for any hurt I have caused. I can't take that hurt back. I am so sorry. All I ask is that you find it in your heart to forgive me.

I sincerely mean it when I say I love all of you. Even those who say they have no respect for me, or call me a "little s**t" etc. I am sorry you would feel that way about me but you are entitled to your opinion and I do hope you can see past this situation and know I am not out to hurt anyone. If you would be so kind as to delete your comments I would be extremely grateful, but if not, that's understandable.

I will be responding to your comments in due time. But it will require a fair amount of emotional energy which I do not have at this moment in time. So the best thing to do right is to take the Blog Post down. But I do look forward to engaging in healthy debate about this topic some time in the near future. Until then, let's move on from this unfortunate situation.

Again I apologise for any offence. And once again plea your forgiveness.

All my love,

James Preston