It keeps happening again and again and again

In a couple of weeks, Christians worldwide will be observing the events surrounding the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They are the most important events of the Christian faith.

Though a vast number will be taking part in these observances, that amount was reduced by about 500 following the slaughter of Christians in Nigeria recently. Three Christian villages close to the city of Jos were attacked by the mainly Muslim Fulani ethnic group, according to the Associated Press.

According to published reports, people were attacked with axes, machetes, daggers and other weapons during three terrifying hours. Nobody was spared. Among the dead were children, the elderly, and pregnant women.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged "all parties to exercise restraint" and called on the Nigerian government to "make sure the perpetrators are brought to justice."

In her position, I know it is important for Clinton to carefully choose her words, but does not an event like this call for a little more outrage? Like her, I hope the perpetrators are brought to justice, but I had hoped a few words like 'evil' and 'shameless' might have found their way into her statement.

I guess it sounds like I am picking on Clinton, and I guess I am. Politicians who carefully script their statements even in the face of an atrocity like this get under my skin. Why can't politicians just plainly state that this type of event is nauseating and that the people who did this should be run out of town on a rail?

This is not the first time there has been violence like this in that area. Some feel that the recent attacks were revenge for violence that took place in January in which mostly Muslims died. Unfortunately, religious violence of this sort never seems to change in some parts of the world.

It is handed down from day to day and from year to year. Then, it passes to the next generation and the bad blood continues for so long that it is difficult to remember why it began in the first place.

An important aspect of this recent attack is that the killers did not use sophisticated weapons while doing their work. When we think of violence of this magnitude, we think of high-tech weaponry.

However, this attack was about as basic as it gets. I guess this shows just how depraved mankind can be. If a person can't get a gun, then they will use sharp instruments to get the job done. If the axes and machetes get taken away, then he will move on to another type of weapon.

In the coming months, it will be interesting to see if the situation in Nigeria will remain inflamed or will things return to normal. I do not know how to define 'normal' in a situation like this. If 'normal' is defined as living somewhere where a person can be hacked to death without warning, then I guess things have already returned to normal there.

This situation is just a reflection of what is going on worldwide. While we get to enjoy and take for granted the religious freedoms we have here in America, people elsewhere literally take their lives into their own hands just to publicly worship.

This is a fact that we should ponder as we approach Easter. With the freedom we enjoy, it is easy for us to go on auto-pilot. 'Complacent' is a common adjective that can be used to describe America.

We better understand how precious the freedom we have is. If not, we may be the ones getting hacked to death with no protection.