A few weeks ago the organization Invisible Children released their 11th film, Kony 2012. It was created to fuel an awareness campaign focusing on the evils committed and led by Joseph Kony and his Lord's Resistance Army which has occupied several countries in northern Africa. After the video went viral it received a lot of criticisms, as is to be expected by the American media, but, more importantly, it opened a lot of eyes to a serious problem of injustice in this world.
Seeking justice in a broken world is a Christian virtue which must be embraced. The Bible is riddled with social justice issues such as helping the poor, seeking the welfare of others, fighting the case of orphans and widows, seeking peace, etc. Reconciliation is a part of the Christian life. Joseph Kony needs to be reconciled to God and to his fellow man whom he has sinned against. The displaced families, abducted children turned soldier, orphan, sex slave, etc. need to be restored. Communities need peace and prosperity. The Church at large should be in all of this activity.
Many people have issues with Invisible Children, especially after the recent video and certain unfortunate circumstance that have involved the health of it's leadership. However, IC has recently released a follow up film to Kony 2012. Hopefully it answers the questions of many critics and encourages those who are able to jump into action. This video essentially says "The bottom line in all this is. . . " and I firmly believe that Christians can and should get behind this as much as they are able. We may not all agree on everything in the plan IC has put forth but we can back the heart behind it and we can do our part in a way that is in stride with the will of God and the convictions he has placed in our hearts and minds. We can put aside the little issues and focus on the big issues. We can be critics and cynics or we can be advocates and ambassadors of rescuing love.
In our pursuit of justice on this earth we must push forward with weapons of the kingdom of God (the Word of God and prayer). One of the greatest tools we can employ is the cry Jesus left us with, "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.Your kingdom come, your will be done,on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. Andlead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."
Below is the Kony 2012: Part II - Beyond Famous film. It is just under 20 minutes in runtime but it's worth the watch.
There is a problem. There is a plan. If possible, be a part of it. Seek justice. Seek peace. Seek reconciliation. Use only love. Pray your heart dry. Give till your soul collapses and your body is destroyed. This matters. Nothing is too small. Nothing is too big. This is where we can be the body of Christ globally right now.
Persuasion or force, would appear to be the options. Kony won't be persuaded; and large armies don't work against determined guerillas in their own territory. A disturbing video and an horrific situation. Good to see young people being enthusiastic about ending that particular suffering. It is always the young who are the backbone of efforts to end suffering. One problem is that the regimes themselves are suspect and the international community hesitates to arm such regimes more than they are. The UN has always bee hesitant to organize "blue beret" forces and even if they could, who is going to offer military forces to such an enterprise in the present financial climate? A terrible situation of course, but one amongst a multitude of terrible situations in the world. The UN is predominantly a talking shop and requires a heavy situation to activate any move. The Americans are the driving force at the moment behind dealing with this particular situation and they are suspect by most of the international community. In reality, I don't think that a small rebel force in the relative wilderness, however horrific, is a priority for the world. A pity, but the Kony campaign has a long uphill struggle ahead of it.
YouTube powered Christianity is an indicator of severe intellectual and spiritual malaise.
If we think Jesus wasn't political, we haven't spent much time in the Bible. Rather than lay blame on others for their misfortune, like so many fundamentalists prefer to do, we should seek social justice for those who are in dire need. Those who ignore the millions of single parents living on minimum wage, for example, and yet are deemed unworthy of any help from us. There is a basic Christian assumption that all have the capability to find a really good man to pay the bills, and then that will take care of our social problems.
I appreciate your soft heart, which enables you to truly see others! your post inspired my daughter and I to watch the original...thanks!
@Pollypinks@xanga - I imagine your right...that there are millions of single parents trying to support their families on minimum wage...and I know of many more who are highly educated and trained immigrants working two or more minimum wage jobs to support their families in expensive urban centers (I'm familiar with the challenge in the Boston area and imagine its the same in other urban centers).
And the answer I'm discovering is simply more of what we already enjoy for ourselves...and that is friendship community. When I needed help I wasn't looking for a handout...merely a job...and a friend was there to help me. For many of us our current social network has significant influence and economic means...if we choose to merely connect our friends then we make the world a better place. And if we choose to expand who our friends are...across socio-economic boundaries...then our communities (and our own lives) are waaay better, but that's not an easy thing to do. Seems to me this Kony 2012 initiative provides vision for building a community...even a global community. Its so inspiring...and perhaps a model to satisfy other needs in the world...such as you describe!
By T.G. Blankenship at The Gethsemane Blog
True
Comments (4)
Persuasion or force, would appear to be the options.
Kony won't be persuaded; and large armies don't work against determined guerillas in their own territory.
A disturbing video and an horrific situation.
Good to see young people being enthusiastic about ending that particular suffering. It is always the young who are the backbone of efforts to end suffering.
One problem is that the regimes themselves are suspect and the international community hesitates to arm such regimes more than they are.
The UN has always bee hesitant to organize "blue beret" forces and even if they could, who is going to offer military forces to such an enterprise in the present financial climate?
A terrible situation of course, but one amongst a multitude of terrible situations in the world. The UN is predominantly a talking shop and requires a heavy situation to activate any move. The Americans are the driving force at the moment behind dealing with this particular situation and they are suspect by most of the international community.
In reality, I don't think that a small rebel force in the relative wilderness, however horrific, is a priority for the world. A pity, but the Kony campaign has a long uphill struggle ahead of it.
YouTube powered Christianity is an indicator of severe intellectual and spiritual malaise.
If we think Jesus wasn't political, we haven't spent much time in the Bible. Rather than lay blame on others for their misfortune, like so many fundamentalists prefer to do, we should seek social justice for those who are in dire need. Those who ignore the millions of single parents living on minimum wage, for example, and yet are deemed unworthy of any help from us. There is a basic Christian assumption that all have the capability to find a really good man to pay the bills, and then that will take care of our social problems.
I appreciate your soft heart, which enables you to truly see others! your post inspired my daughter and I to watch the original...thanks!
@Pollypinks@xanga - I imagine your right...that there are millions of single parents trying to support their families on minimum wage...and I know of many more who are highly educated and trained immigrants working two or more minimum wage jobs to support their families in expensive urban centers (I'm familiar with the challenge in the Boston area and imagine its the same in other urban centers).
And the answer I'm discovering is simply more of what we already enjoy for ourselves...and that is friendship community. When I needed help I wasn't looking for a handout...merely a job...and a friend was there to help me. For many of us our current social network has significant influence and economic means...if we choose to merely connect our friends then we make the world a better place. And if we choose to expand who our friends are...across socio-economic boundaries...then our communities (and our own lives) are waaay better, but that's not an easy thing to do. Seems to me this Kony 2012 initiative provides vision for building a community...even a global community. Its so inspiring...and perhaps a model to satisfy other needs in the world...such as you describe!