Part One
Part two
That is so emotionally draining to watch that I almost felt physically empty after sitting through both of the segments. The abuse that these precious children suffer in the name of Christianity should anger EVERY church goer in this country into taking action. After all it is quite likely that it was THEIR tithing that paid for the missionary work that established many of these churches.
They undoubtedly gave willingly in the hope of bringing a religion of love and hope to these poor people and instead they have delivered a religion of ignorance and persecution.
It don't believe it is necessary to point out that this DOES NOT represent real Christianity.
However it is also important to understand that the Christian brand is being used to give credibility to this horrendous superstitious activity and that it is the responsibility of the Christian church to put a stop to it.
Christianity in and of itself does not ensure that people will act morally. It must be guided and directed by good and caring people. What is going on in Africa seems to represent the kind of Christianity that existed in Europe and America during the sixteenth century. 20th Century Christians cannot possibly be satisfied that their religion is being misused in this fashion.
However their silence is as good as their blessing. These children will continue to be abused and tortured in the name of Jesus until somebody who cares enough to represent the true teachings of Jesus Christ does something to stop them. Where are the church leaders?
Well at least they got one part of modern Christianity right, they know enough to constantly ask for money.
I think this is actually more truly "Evangelical Christian" than you're willing to give it credit for. American Evangelical Christians also believe in witches and demons. The only difference is that their society will not allow them to kill those they decide are possessed. I think that if it weren't for our laws and our police enforcement, you'd see a certain brand of American "Christians" doing this. Think about Sarah's church: They knew Muthee has persecuted witches in Africa. Were they horrified? No. They applauded, and paid for him to come back.
ReplyDeleteMidnight
You say that this does not represent Christianity. I have to point out that, looking at the history of Christianity, yes it does. Of course there are good and decent Christians. It's just that none of them seem to speak up in public about this kind of behavior, so they might as well not exist, for all the use they are in stopping this kind of thing. They are tacitly complicit whether they agree with it or not.
ReplyDeleteKilling people for their god? Oh yes. Total Christianity. Check history. Maybe it's easier for me, as a nonChristian, to see it.
Horrible! I thought the Salem witch trials put an end to all that nonesense. It showed everyone with a brain how wrong they were.
ReplyDeleteIn this day of age don't people educate themselves enough to know that Jesus never did this to people -- oh, that's right, they are re-writing the bible as we speak because it teaches peace and love to all. They shouldn't be able to call themselves Christian, because they are not. How dare they use the Lord's name in this way. I don't remember reading that Jesus forced people to burn the witches, and these are just children!
Baptism is water, not fire or acid. I think a three year old would know what Christ would do instead. Christ never burned anyone at the stake -- they did have fire back then, did Jesus use fire? No, I don't think so. OMG! Christian? NO!
Gryphen, I am sorry I just cannot make myself watch this. But ITA with you that until RESPONSIBLE Christian leaders from all denominations step up and take responsibility for innocent children that cannot speak for themselves, this horror will continue. And we call ourselves the leaders of the free world. How disgusting; and yes isn't it amazing they can't "police" everybody but they can sure take the money and run. Plague take them all.
ReplyDeleteHow can I believe in a Merciful God when he allows this to happen to these poor children? Such evil is allowed to exist - Why? I am finding it harder and harder to believe!
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's Christianity all right. I don't believe in it anymore, and so I don't believe in a "one true version" of Christianity that's "right"--they're all just different mutations of the meme.
ReplyDeleteJust because it's 2009 doesn't mean that Christianity couldn't get all mean and murderous and evil. It's turning into a hate cult.
l think Jesus said it best: "By their fruits you will know them."
What is "real" christianity? Since the right re-writing the bible, I'm sure the OT references to witches will not be removed. I for one am tired of hearing 'good' christians say 'well, they aren't real christians' If you are a christian, and you don't do something to stop this, speak out against it, boycott the missions, whatever, then you 'real' christians are just as culpable as the witch hunters. Clean up your own house before you try to tell others (non-christians) how to live.
ReplyDeleteMelissa McEwen says it so much better than I ever could here:
http://shakespearessister.blogspot.com/2009/09/on-real-christians-and-christian.html
Sorry, I can't look at the pictures--but I can imagine what is depicted and my guess is my imagination would be kind...
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me that I remember after 9/11, that many were shouting out that the muslim leaders should stand up and denounce the behavior of the terrorists.
So what is this, besides terrorism in the name of Christianity? And, where are the christian leaders--why are they not denouncing the behavior
of these terrorists?
In Richard North Patterson's "The Race," Prologue, pp 6: Joe Fitts speaks to Corey Grace: ".....Maybe there is a God, and maybe he's a terrific guy--or girl, or hermaphrodite, or whatever the fuck people want to believe. I've got no objections to that. What pisses me off is when people think believing in a certain God gives them a license to crap on other people, or even kill 'em--Christian or Muslim, it makes no difference." He turned to Corey. "Ever look at those old pictures of lynchings--upright white folks with their good day's work hanging from some tree?"
"Sure."
"Notice anything peculiar about them?"
....
"...Look again--in high school I made a study of them. What you'll notice is that a lot of those mobs were dressed in their Sunday best. They were fresh from church, you see.....I've met some true Christians, and I've also met some nasty fuckers whose God is surely created in their image. Overall, I'd say the correlation between godliness and goodness is kind of random. Sort of makes you wonder what history would look like if more folks had believed a little less."
Again, this truth can be found in Richard North Patterson's novel published by Henry Hold and Company, LLC, New York, 2007.
Maybe the most profound truths can only be expressed and revealed in fiction.
Oddly enough, this morning I recommended your post on several sites. I felt that your attention to this horror was commendable. But dropping back in this evening to read your latest post, I boogied down to see what others had to say -- and found my comment missing.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't OT. It was positive to the source material. It was properly spelled and punctuated. It linked the story to past and upcoming social problems. In other words, Gryphen, I have no idea why my contribution to your site was deleted.
Maybe you get so many posts you don't recall removing mine. But if you do recall the reason, I'd appreciate knowing what I might have written that offended. Thanks.
You say, "Christianity in and of itself does not ensure that people will act morally. It must be guided by good and caring people."
ReplyDeleteThe church being guided by people, caring or not, is the problem and has always been the problem. Pedophiles, Popes, suicidal egotists, have always led the church to do the worst acts against humanity. Wars, genocide, massacres, crimes against humanity and atrocities of all kinds have been performed at the behest of church leadership.
The problem _IS_ and always has been with the leadership. Combine that with a culture that encourages the followers to be unquestioning sheep, the church is a recipe for disaster -- has been almost since its inception.
Christians get so caught up is looking outward -- to society and the government -- to find the moral ruler against which they justify their conservative leanings. And they are constantly looking inwardly for leadership to reflect those leanings. However, Christ never had a political or social agenda. His was purely spiritual. "Give unto Ceasar..." and so on is the example.
It is the clear quiet voice that should be the guide for the Christian, not the pulpit. We should be ridding ourselves of the leadership and following the purest way in faith. Through compassion, acts and faith in God is the only way, and if we still insist on leaders to guide us we will continue to encourage the Joseph Smiths, Jim Jones and even Hitlers.