A D-Day veteran has used his interview on BBC Breakfast to point people to Jesus and implore them to love one another.
Harry Billinge, 94, was interviewed following his efforts to raise money for a war memorial in Normandy, where he fought in 1944.
He said that many youngsters had given him money towards the memorial, but says he hopes they will “learn to love one another” as he said there is “a lot of hate in the world”.
Day of prayer
Mr Billinge spoke highly of King George VI as a God-fearing king, who called for a national day of prayer during the Second World War.
He said: “He used to have a day of prayer. It’s a pity really we don’t have a month of prayer, because we’ve got so much to thank God for.
“They’ve got no time for God, and I don’t think we shall ever come round. ‘Turn back, O Man, forswear thy foolish ways’.”
“we’ve got so much to thank God for”
Love one another
He added: “We could blow one another up, but you don’t love one another. That’s the strongest thing on earth. Love is stronger than death.
“And he’s coming back. Our Lord Jesus said he’d be back. And he will. It says in The Revelations ‘I saw a new heaven and a new earth’, and that’s what I believe too.”
When the BBC presenters said they were out of time, he joked: “Good job, isn’t it! I might get arrested. My wife says to me ‘You want to be careful’.”