Thursday, February 25, 2016

Kanye West: Church Kids and Others Are Watching

© 2016 The Wired Word
www.thewiredword.com

Editor's note: According to some pastors we know, their churches' young people are talking a lot these days about hip-hop artist Kanye West. Adults, not so much, and many have little or no interest in West's achievements and antics. But if we're to connect with our church young people, there's likely some value in knowing what they're interested in and talking about. The remarkable interest in this story by young people far and wide and its implications for our faith walk prompted TWW to look into this story this week.
Hip-hop recording artist, songwriter, record producer, fashion designer and entrepreneur Kanye West is among the most acclaimed musicians of the 21st century, attracting both praise and controversy for his work and his public persona alike. West was a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the early 2000s, producing hit singles for artists such as Jay-Z and Alicia Keys. He released his own debut album, The College Dropout, in 2004 to widespread commercial and critical success, and has received similar accolades for his subsequent record releases including his sixth album, Yeezus, in 2013. Following a series of recording delays and work on non-musical projects, West's seventh album, The Life of Pablo, was released just last week during a combined fashion show/record release event at Madison Square Garden.
West's outspoken views and ventures outside of music have received significant mainstream attention. He has been a frequent source of controversy and public scrutiny for his conduct at award shows, on social media and in other public settings. His more publicized comments include his declaration that President George W. Bush "doesn't care about black people" during a live 2005 television broadcast for Hurricane Katrina relief, and his interruption of singer Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.
West is one of the best-selling artists of all time, having sold more than 32 million albums and 100 million digital downloads worldwide. He has won a total of 21 Grammy Awards, making him one of the most awarded artists of all time and the most Grammy-awarded artist of his age. He has also been included in a number of Forbes annual lists and TIME magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2005 and 2015. Kanye West has been widely revered as one of the most gifted talents in the world by many of his fans and by people "in the know" in the music industry.
As his following has grown, he has become more and more outspoken. Though he identifies himself as a Christian, he now calls himself Yeezus, in a thinly veiled reference to being a savior. He has claimed that he is the "greatest living artist" and "greatest artist of all time." Even with all of the social media outbursts and grandiose self-proclamations over the years, many of West's fans remained stalwart in their belief that these things were warranted by his talent.
Recently, however, West's rants have escalated, including a series of "tweets" about his being $53 million dollars in debt, and that he should be paid millions by Mark Zuckerberg (and others) for his ideas. Ignored by Zuckerberg, he continued saying, "I am Warhol. I am the number one most impactful artist of our generation. I am Shakespeare in the flesh. Walt Disney. Nike. Google. Now who's gonna be the Medici family and stand up and let me create more!" His fans began a GoFundMe page which, at the time of this writing, has collected almost $8,000 for Kanye West from people who appear to have considerably less liquid capital than West and his wife Kim Kardashian have.
Just before the Grammy Awards last week, West was apparently upset that the magazinePitchfork rated his latest album 9.0 out of 10 instead of, as Kanye suggested, "30 out of 10." West tweeted, "To Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, New York Times, and any other white publication. Please do not comment on black music anymore." West followed that by ranting with profanity to his team backstage when his set was altered for a Saturday Night Live appearance without his permission.
Then the hotheaded rapper went on to proclaim that he is "50 percent more influential" than legendary filmmaker Stanley Kubrick, Pablo Picasso, the apostle Paul -- who was handpicked by Jesus to deliver the gospel -- and even the notorious drug runner Pablo Escobar. All of these recent escapades have caused a veritable barrage of media memes and blogs and prompted every major (and minor) news source to devote airtime and print space to Kanye West.
In the end, West may realize he has gone too far. On Wednesday, he tweeted, "My number one enemy has been my ego ... there is only one throne and that's God's."
More on this story can be found at these links (the language used by Kanye West and quoted in some of the articles written about him may be offensive to some readers):
The Big Questions
1. When a celebrity or politician behaves foolishly or even criminally, what should our Christian reaction be? Is it okay for Christians to take part in humorous public celebrity-bashing when it seems to be well deserved? If not, what should our reaction be?
2. Should people who claim to be godly use their talents for secular purposes or should God-given gifts be reserved strictly for his glory?
3. Are Christians allowed to receive accolades and acclaim when using their talents? Is there a line; an extent to which we can bow and say thank you or cross over that line and acknowledge God's role in our giftedness?
4. Is it possible that taking glory for ourselves for gifts and talents given to us by God may be the cause of the downfall of this and many other celebrities from the past?
5. Mental health issues are often played out by celebrities in the media through their own self-exposure or paparazzi-style reporting. What is a Christian's responsibility to call attention to or to ignore such issues? How might we use the example of those in the spotlight to help those closest to us?
Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope
Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:
Numbers 20:7-8, 10-12
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ... command the rock before their eyes to yield its water. Thus ... you shall provide drink for the congregation and their livestock. ... Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, "Listen, you rebels, shall we bring water for you out of this rock?" Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff; water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their livestock drank. But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust in me, to show my holiness before the eyes of the Israelites, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them."(For context, read 20:1-13.)
God gave specific instructions to Moses about how he was to use his gift. Many scholars say that Moses made a "grandstand" move by striking the rock instead of commanding it and taking God's glory for himself ("shall we bring water" vs. "God will bring water").
Questions: Do your gifts and talents waver when you take God's glory for yourself? Does it affect your psyche and your spirit when you thwart God's glory? Why or why not?
Revelation 21:23-27
And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. Its gates will never be shut by day -- and there will be no night there. People will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life. (For context, read 21:9-27.)
Matthew 7:21
Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. (For context, read 7:21-23.)
Romans 7:19 
For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. (For context, read 7:14-25.)
Sporting a WWJD bracelet in a 2013 interview, Kanye West said, "I'm a Christian, and I just wanted to always let people know that's what's on my mind. It's important to me that I grow, walk and raise my family with Christian values."
Due to the content of his lyrics, the release of his album Yeezus, and his reckless behavior, this is a surprising and confusing declaration for many.
Yet, from our own experience, what is not confusing or surprising is that Christians always struggle with their own behavior that doesn't conform to what they -- or God -- would desire. It's worth remembering that we at times do the wrong we do not desire, and need to ask God for forgiveness.
Questions: Do we ever waffle between being a Christian and worldly behavior? Is there a line we might cross in which we would not be welcomed into the arms of Jesus even when we have claimed him? When we finally catch ourselves outside of his will, can we return as easily as saying something like, "… there is only one throne and that's God's."
Proverbs 16:18 
Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. (No context necessary.)
TWW team member David Hall comments, "So many of us, at varying levels, get 'puffed up' only to be burst by reality. Scriptures caution us about this." The verse above is one such text.
Questions: Can you relate to this idea of getting puffed up or burst by reality? How were you brought back into line with the teachings of scripture?
Colossians 4:5-6
Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone. (For context, read 4:2-6.)
Questions: Does this passage and others telling us how we are to treat people apply only to those with whom we are in personal contact? Are those in the public eye open to a different kind of scrutiny? To what extent can the mistakes of others, including those in the public eye, serve as a corrective for our own behavior? Do we ever mimic some of the grandiosity of celebrities in our church fellowships?
For Further Discussion
1. Respond to this from TWW team member Rev. Frank Ramirez: "This news brings to mind a poem a man used to recite at a congregation I previously served. It was during the 90s. Two or three times a year he'd recite this poem:
I dreamt death came the other night
And Heaven's gate swung wide.
An angel with a halo bright
Ushered me inside.
And there! To my astonishment
Stood folks I'd judged and labeled
As "quite unfit", "of little worth",
And "spiritually disabled."
Indignant words rose to my lips
But never were set free,
For every face showed stunned surprise --
Not one expected me!
Ramirez added, "I suspect it is okay for West to self-identify as a Christian, no matter how dubious the claim."
2. Several TWW team members noted how difficult it is to think of Kanye and God at the same time because of the way the West/Kardashian clan seems to flaunt wealth and beauty and how juxtaposed their every move seems to be to our Christian way of thinking. Discuss how easy or difficult it is for you to perceive the world outside of your Christian circles and how well or poorly you manage being in the world but not of it.
3. To what extent if any might fame and public attention exacerbate a person's existing unhealthy tendencies?
4. Whose job is it to tell celebrities when they've gone too far?
Responding to the News
This might be a good time to consider how you behave on social media. Are your posts reflective of your Christian values? Do you jump on the bandwagon to bash those you believe are outside of your Christian way of thinking and living or do you suggest prayer and sympathy? Of course, there is right and wrong in the world, but perhaps this is a good time to reflect on how judgmental we are, how we show that to others and what we might possibly be doing instead from God's perspective.
Closing Prayer
Father God, we want to set an example to the world with our words and actions even when our human reaction is disdain for the one being derided in the public eye. Make us better followers by showing the love and compassion you would show; not blind or naïve to the negative situation, but moved instead by compassion to lift those who are behaving badly to you instead of to others for further ridicule. Show us how to use the gifts and talents you have given to us for your glory and to be humble even as we will surely excel when we do. Amen.
Other News This Week
Posted by at No comments:

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Supreme Court Justice Scalia Leaves Legacy of Contrarian Co-existence

© 2016 The Wired Word
www.thewiredword.com

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia died last Saturday, February 13, of an apparent heart attack at the age of 79. He is survived by his wife Maureen, nine children and 28 grandchildren.
News of Scalia's death produced a range of reactions, from fond remembrances to reflections from opponents, some of whom remembered him as a friend.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, fellow Supreme Court judge who was at the other end of the spectrum philosophically, went to the opera with him; they and their families spent holidays and vacations together. An opera Scalia/Ginsburg: A (Gentle) Parody of Operatic Proportionsdebuted in 2015; it featured a duet with a tenor representing Scalia and a soprano representing Ginsburg singing "We are different; we are one."
Ginsburg respected Scalia's wit and trusted him to point out the flaws in her arguments. "I disagreed with most of what he said," she said last year, "but I loved the way he said it."
Former students of his recall his use of the Socratic method in class; he would often introduce a proposition that appeared to be set in stone, not to end discussion but to stimulate thinking. A stalwart conservative, he hired liberal law clerks because he wanted to be challenged and relished debate.
Before Scalia was appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1986, lawyers normally accepted the idea of "contemporary ratification" as foundational to the practice of constitutional law. That judicial philosophy held that each generation should interpret the Constitution according to its current perspective, culture and needs.
Scalia argued for "original meaning," seeking to understand how reasonable persons would have understood the document at the time it was written. His position appeals to some who believe that a document that merely reflects the whims, views and fads of each passing era can not be a stable foundation upon which to build an enduring society.
At times Scalia's conservatism and original meaning came into conflict. In such cases, after a struggle to reconcile the two, the justice ordinarily chose original meaning over his political leaning, according to Harvard Professor of Law and Leadership, Lawrence Lessig, who was one of the liberal law clerks in Scalia's employ in the 1990s.
Lessig recalled one occasion when Scalia asked him to find out how long a person who had been arrested without a warrant could be held before being presented to a judge at the time of the framing of the constitution. Lessig's research revealed that the individual was to be presented to a judge as quickly as possible, even if it meant getting a judge out of bed. Scalia accepted the answer, even if it wasn't what he hoped to hear, with the comment "I don't believe in an originalism of convenience."
While Lessig wasn't sure that Scalia always succeeded in perfectly prioritizing original meaning, he admired his commitment to principle over politics or personal preference. "But whether perfectly or not," Lessig wrote, "what was most striking to me was to watch someone of great power constrain his power, not for favors or public approval, but because he thought it right."
William N. Eskridge Jr., Professor of Jurisprudence at Yale Law School, called Scalia "the Supreme Court's Rule of Law Conscience" whose motto might have been: "The text, the whole text and nothing but the text, so help me God!"
Scalia did not see the Constitution as "evolving" or "living" but as static. "I just say, 'Go back to the good, old dead Constitution,'" he told NPR in 2008.
Randy E. Barnett, Legal Theory Professor at Georgetown University Law Center and director of the Georgetown Center for the Constitution wrote of Scalia in USA Today, "despite our disagreements, I always respected him as a jurist who strived, however imperfectly, to put the rule of law ahead of his own political preferences. He was never the right-wing bogeyman his critics made him out to be. I will miss him, but American constitutional law will never forget him."
When Joseph Klock Jr. came before the Supreme Court in 2000, representing Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris during Bush v. Gore, he mangled the names of two of the jurists. "Mr. Klock, I'm Scalia," the conservative said. "Yes, sir. I remember that. It will be hard to forget," the attorney answered.
Whether you are an admirer of Scalia or not, it will be hard to forget this complicated jurist who significantly impacted the highest court in the land and the way judges interpret constitutional and state law.
More on this story can be found at these links:
The Big Questions
1. When have you cultivated a friendship with someone with whom you had radical differences of opinion? How did that friendship shape you?
2. Would you call yourself more of a "contrarian" or a "co-exister"? What can each type of role contribute to a society? to a church? Do the two types need each other and if so, why?
3. In general, do you prefer a clear-cut, "one-size-fits-all" approach to most situations, or are you more comfortable with a more nuanced approach that accepts some ambiguity?
4. What criteria do we use to judge the appropriateness of an interpretation of a biblical text? How is that similar to or different from the way we might interpret the Constitution?
5. What individual or group have you written off because of significant differences of opinion? What action might God want you to take to open a path to dialogue and improve the relationship?
Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope
Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:
Proverbs 17:9-10
One who forgives an affront fosters friendship,
but one who dwells on disputes will alienate a friend.
A rebuke strikes deeper into a discerning person
than a hundred blows into a fool. (No context needed.)
Proverbs 27:5-6
Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Well meant are the wounds a friend inflicts, but profuse are the kisses of an enemy. (No context needed.)
In these wise sayings, a father seeks to guide his son regarding the nature of friendship.
Questions: How easy is it for you to put aside differences you have with an opponent so as to "foster friendship"? Is it more important to you to maintain personal relationships, or to win an argument with another person? How do you usually react when someone criticizes or rebukes you?
Proverbs 27:17
Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens the wits of another. (No context needed.)
"From our years together at the D.C. Circuit, we were best buddies," Justice Ginsburg said of Scalia. "We disagreed now and then, but when I wrote for the Court and received a Scalia dissent, the opinion ultimately released was notably better than my initial circulation. Justice Scalia nailed all the weak spots -- the 'applesauce' and 'argle bargle'" she continued, "and gave me just what I needed to strengthen the majority opinion."
Questions: Who in your life has been the iron that has sharpened your wits? Why is it important for you to have people in your life who don't just tell you what you want to hear, always agreeing with your point of view? In a world in which technology increasingly tailors our playlist, news articles, friend suggestions and marketing to our personal tastes, how hard is it to gain access to views that challenge your own preconceived notions? What do you intentionally do to open yourself to new ideas and experiences?
Esther 8:7-8, 10-11
Then King Ahasuerus said … to the Jew Mordecai, "You may write as you please with regard to the Jews, in the name of the king, and seal it with the king's ring; for an edict written in the name of the king and sealed with the king's ring cannot be revoked." … [Mordecai] wrote letters in the name of King Ahasuerus, sealed them with the king’s ring, … By these letters the king allowed the Jews who were in every city to assemble and defend their lives. (For context, read 3:8-13 and 8:5-11.)
The book of Esther recounts how Esther, a Jewish orphan, becomes queen in Persia at a time of great upheaval. The prime minister, Haman, objects when Esther's guardian, Mordecai, doesn't pay him sufficient homage, and he seeks revenge not only against his nemesis, but against his entire race, not realizing that Mordecai is related to the queen. In the name of national security and economic enrichment, Haman persuades King Ahasuerus to grant him authority to exterminate the Jews, whom he depicts as enemies of the crown.
When Esther learns of the plot, she risks her life to save her people, revealing her ethnicity to the king and accusing Haman of treachery. The king hangs Haman on the gallows he had built for Mordecai, and gives Mordecai the authority to act as prime minister instead.
But there's a problem. The law Haman had created to annihilate the Jews was a law of the Persians and the Medes which was set in stone and could not be altered or revoked (Esther 1:19 and 3:12). So a new law had to be written that would provide a solution for the Jews while still maintaining the integrity of the law. The right to defend themselves gave them victory over their enemies.
Question: How do you see the Constitution: as a "dead" document that can not be changed except by a ponderous amendment process, whose meaning was set at the time of its inception, or as a "living" organic, fluid document open to various and changing interpretations to suit each generation and cultural shift, or as something in between?
Matthew 5:17, 21-22 
Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. … You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, "You shall not murder"; and "whoever murders shall be liable to judgment." But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, "You fool," you will be liable to the hell of fire. (For context, read 5:17-44.)
"Judging from the history of scripture, from the writings of the rabbis, and the church fathers, and the scriptures themselves, which carry on a conversation within the pages of our canon (Ezra and Nehemiah want to get rid of the foreign wives, the story of Ruth reminds us that a foreign wife is the direct ancestor of King David and King Solomon)," writes TWW contributor Frank Ramirez, "a willingness to engage in dialog and interpretation is the ancient norm. The rabbis, recording their discussion in the Talmud and Mishnah, were part of a fluid conversation about scripture."
In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus repeats the phrase several times: "You have heard it said … but I say to you."
Questions: What does Jesus' repetition of this phrase suggest to you about how God speaks to us throughout history? How do you see the Bible: as a document with a singular, literal meaning that cannot be changed, or as a living document whose meaning must be rediscovered and redefined in every generation, or as something else? How much weight should be given to the interpretation of biblical texts given by previous generations, and how much weight should be given to input from the contemporary gathered community trying to apply biblical principles to their own time and culture?
What is the value of trying to see biblical text as the original readers must have seen it? Are the teachings of the Bible timeless commands applying to all cultures and all situations? How does Jesus' statement in verse 17 fit with his repeated declaration, "but I say to you"?
Acts 15:14-18
Simeon has related how God first looked favorably on the Gentiles, to take from among them a people for his name. This agrees with the words of the prophets, as it is written, "After this I will return, and I will rebuild the dwelling of David, which has fallen; from its ruins I will rebuild it, and I will set it up, so that all other peoples may seek the Lord -- even all the Gentiles over whom my name has been called. Thus says the Lord, who has been making these things known from long ago." (For context, read 15:1-18.)
In Antioch, some taught that Gentiles had to be circumcised in order to gain salvation. Paul and Barnabas "had no small dissension and debate with them" (15:2), before the church appointed them and some others to take the question to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for a decision. They presented their case that Gentiles should be accepted as full-fledged members of the church based on salvation through the work of Christ and nothing more. Peter also spoke in favor of this interpretation of the Gospel.
After listening to oral arguments, James acknowledged contemporary witness testimony that God had already accepted the Gentiles, adding that the prophets also had foretold the Gentiles' coming to faith. The way forward was for the church to accept current practice which agreed with the ancient text delineating the will of God as the prophets presented it in days of old.
Questions: How did the Council at Jerusalem process the question of the inclusion of the Gentiles in the church? What weight was given to the experience of the Antioch Christians? How much weight was given to the words of the prophets? Did the church leaders view the scriptures as a living or a dead document? Explain.
For Further Discussion
1. Respond to this from James Gruetzner, TWW consultant: "Scalia … moved the Federal courts slightly in the direction of defending basic civil rights that are guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution but opposed the establishment of pseudo-constitutional rights -- rights on which the U.S. constitution is silent. This is reflected in many cases: his dissent in Kello, where he sided with people being evicted by the government at the request of a large drug company, in Heller, where he sided with a poor man forced to be defenseless by an uncaring government (see the comments on Queen Esther), his concurrence in Citizens United, where he held that individuals don't lose their freedoms of speech and of the press when they join together in a cooperative organization. He preserved the ideal that, when society changed, the constitution could be amended by a process set in place, and should not be changed willy-nilly by the courts."
2. Comment on this from TWW guest team member Mary Harriet Talbut: "Just because we disagree with each other doesn't mean we shouldn't still treat each other with respect. Think of the loss of true friendship if we reduce each individual to one dimension."
3. Discuss this: Louis A. Ruprecht Jr., William M. Suttles Chair of Religious Studies at Georgia State University, blogged in his Huffington Post article, "The Legacy of Justice Antonin Scalia (1936-2016)": "Many of the cultural attitudes enshrined in the Bill of Rights that was ratified in 1791 are not our attitudes today: Women could not vote; children had no rights to speak of; and most persons of African descent were enslaved, counting as three-fifths of one person for the purposes of assigning congressional representatives to the mainly Southern states. Justice Scalia was well aware of these problems and for this very reason, he referred to his conception of originalism as 'the lesser evil,' not a positive interpretive good. … Justice Scalia freely admitted to the fact of shifting cultural attitudes, many of which were signs of social and cultural advancement. While public flogging was an acceptable punishment in 1791, he admitted, he would not be willing to support such punitive measures today. … He was a lifelong Catholic who reasoned like a Bible-based Protestant. He possessed a lofty sense of tradition, but limited patience for historical and cultural change."
Responding to the News
This might be a good time to consider how open you are to hear a startling message from God when you open the Bible to read. And how willing are you to learn from the body of Christ, to change your point of view, lifestyle and actions from what you have traditionally thought to be true, if that is what God is calling you to do?
Also consider, this comment from TWW team member Charles Alkula: "I always tell teens moving on to college that they should take at least one class a year (or better yet, each semester) from someone who is going to push their buttons."
Closing Prayer
O God, we thank you for placing people in our lives who can sharpen us for your service, even through the friction their presence sometimes creates. Help us to learn what you want to teach us through them, and to seek to build relationships that will honor you. Amen.
Posted by at No comments:

Friday, February 12, 2016

Governments Push Back Against Religious Groups Defined as Cults

© 2016 The Wired Word
www.thewiredword.com

Last month Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta urged that churches be regulated to ensure that "thieves" do not "use religion to steal from Kenyans." Kenyan newspaper Daily Nation quoted Kenyatta as saying that bogus preachers should be removed.
Pastor Conrad Mbewe, of the Kabwata Baptist Church in Zambia, said many Africans are looking for "a conduit that enables communication between humans [and] the various layers of spiritual beings, which include angels, demons and spirits. They see these prophets as messengers from God." But Mbewe said other Zambian church leaders suspect some of these prophets of sexual abuse and swindling.
Government leaders across Africa and elsewhere have also expressed concern about self-proclaimed "prophets or men of God" who use religious services to foment civil unrest and sedition.
In July 2014, PRI's The World reported that France classified about 300 religious groups as having "cult-like tendencies" including "manipulating people who are mentally weak, separating members from their biological families" or bilking vulnerable people out of their assets. Groups on the list could be targeted, investigated, harassed and prosecuted there even if they were not considered cults elsewhere. At that time, France had 400 anti-cult court cases on the docket.
Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva, chair of South Africa's Commission for the Promotion and Protection of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CLR), told the BBC that poverty and unemployment drive vulnerable, desperate people to flamboyant leaders who promise to transform their lives. Some claim to have the power to heal the sick and raise the dead, and some promote bizarre practices such as giving followers snakes, rats and grass to eat and fuel to drink.
Other religions such as Islam and Judaism appear to have systems in place to monitor and discipline spiritual leaders, Mkhwanazi-Xaluva said, whereas Christianity seems more volatile and uncontrolled. Hence the push to regulate churches by the South African government.
But Reverend Moss Nthla of the Evangelical Alliance of South Africa said, "It is difficult to see how the government would regulate churches; we've got reports of politicians themselves being faithful members of some of these controversial churches -- some of which are a law unto themselves."
South African Penuel Mnguni, nicknamed the "snake pastor" by locals, said he was "doing God's work and didn't need to explain God's ways to people." But a Pretoria man told the BBC that area residents burned down his church and drove him out. "Some people threatened to kill him if he ever returns," he said. "People here are angry at what he did -- that's why he ran away."
"There needs to be at the very least, a bare minimum standard that we as Christians can set and adhere to and any church found to be operating outside of that needs to be stigmatised," said Reverend Nthla.
Thabo Makgoba, Anglican Archbishop of Capetown, agreed: "Now for a cleric who's supposed to be trusted, who's supposed to talk about healing, wholeness and bring hope to take advantage of the desperate and make them eat snake, it's just unimaginable. We need these clerics investigated because they can't do it in our name."
But some church leaders are protesting government efforts to register religious organizations, audit membership rolls and financial records, and certify non-native religious ministers as a threat to freedom of religion. Others believe regulation should be done within the church rather than by government officials.
President Kenyatta affirmed that the Kenyan constitution guarantees "the right to worship," and insisted that his proposal to regulate churches was not meant to curtail religious freedom. He pledged to work with the nation's Catholic and Anglican bishops and other religious leaders to determine how best to "work together to root out people who use the church to enrich themselves."
A recent Pew Research Center poll reported that of those in Africa who identify with a religion, 63 percent call themselves Christians, 30 percent Muslims, and 3 percent practitioners of traditional religions (which are often mixed with Christian or Islamic beliefs).
Frank Ramirez, who is a member of The Wired Word team and is a pastor in the Church of the Brethren, warned of the dangers inherent in branding groups as cults. "Those of us from the Anabaptist tradition have to deal with this sort of thing all the time. We, along with Friends and Mennonites, comprise the three historic peace churches. That makes us a target. Does the fact we Brethren wash feet -- as Jesus commanded -- make us a cult?"
Ramirez said that when larger denominations are empowered to define what constitutes Christianity and what doesn't, the results can be self-serving and even deadly. "When you mix Christianity and power you get people burned alive along with other tortures. I'm not convinced that's just part of the past. Brethren and Mennonites were tortured and killed in military camps during World War I."
More on this story can be found at these links:
1. Have you ever been drawn to a religious teaching that later you discounted as false? What was the initial attraction? What led to your becoming disillusioned later on? How hard was it to extricate yourself from the teachings, from the leader who taught them, and from the group that held to them?
2. Should churches and church leaders be held accountable only to God, or to some earthly religious authority, or to some secular entity? One, none, or all of the above? Defend your position.
3. What constitutes a cult, and how should Christians relate to such groups? Where have you seen cults take root in our own country? Why are they appealing? To what unmet human needs or desires do they speak?
4. How can Christians help others understand the difference between biblical faith and distorted teaching?
5. What should Christians do when people in government or the rest of society presume that they belong to a dangerous cult?
Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope
Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:
Matthew 7:15-16, 21
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. … Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. (For context, read 7:13-27.)
In this part of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warns people to be discerning about false prophets who, like wolves in sheep's clothing, may look innocent and harmless at first glance, but upon careful inspection, prove to be destructive and vicious.
If you find thorns on a bush instead of grapes, you would naturally assume that you are looking at a thorn bush rather than a grapevine. Even so, if you don't see Christlike character and behavior in a spiritual leader, you'd have to wonder whether that person truly follows Jesus.
Using religious language, name-dropping "Jesus," performing spectacular "miracles," and winning acclaim from the public are not the yardstick by which we are to judge the legitimacy of a person's ministry. The key is whether a leader hears and acts on Jesus' words.
Questions: How can you tell whether a teacher or preacher is telling you the truth? What are the marks of a false prophet? What are the traits of a prophet who speaks God's word faithfully?
2 Corinthians 11:3-4, 13-14
But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by its cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you submit to it readily enough. … For such boasters are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. (For context, read 11:3-15.)
Not all leaders who preach "a different gospel" do so with the deliberate intention of deceiving followers; the leaders may be deceived themselves or simply be in error. But here Paul doesn't mince words in condemning those who proclaim "another Jesus" and "a different gospel" in "a different spirit."
Questions: What is the common denominator in the serpent's encounter with Eve, false apostles who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ, Satan who appears as an angel of light, and the false prophets who disguise their "wolfish" predatory nature under sheepskin in the previous passage? Why the disguise and deception? What are they hiding?
What did Eve find appealing about the lie the serpent presented to her as good news, so that she was willing to be deceived?
What "different gospels" have you heard about that were not really the good news of Jesus?
Define the gospel of Jesus Christ as the Bible presents it. How is the biblical gospel unique from other so-called gospels? How do you tell the difference between the "real" Jesus and "another Jesus"? How can we protect our minds so that our thoughts are not led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ?
Acts 13:7-8, 12
[Bar-Jesus] was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear the word of God. But the magician Elymas ... opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul away from the faith. … When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord. (For context, read 13:6-12.)
In this incident, we learn about Bar-Jesus (or "Son of Jesus or Joshua" or "Son of 'God Saves'") or Elymas, whom the author of Acts calls a Jewish false prophet. When he opposes Saul (a.k.a. Paul) and Barnabas, Paul calls him "son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy" and pronounces a judgment against him of temporary blindness … which ironically mirrors the judgment Saul had experienced when he met Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9).
Questions: What is the significance of Paul's calling Bar-Jesus by the name "son of the devil"? Why do you suppose the magician (or sorcerer) opposed Barnabas and Paul? Do you think Paul identified with Elymas? Why or why not? Why was Elymas made blind rather than receiving some other punishment? What do you think was the reason the blindness was temporary and not permanent? What can we learn from Paul's response to the false prophet that can help us when we encounter false teachers today?
1 John 4:1-3, 6
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. ... We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us, and whoever is not from God does not listen to us. From this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. (For context, read 4:1-6.)
John counsels his children in the faith not to be gullible but to evaluate the character of those who claim to speak for God in the world. John was probably addressing a notion known as docetism (from a Greek word meaning "to seem"), which claimed that Jesus wasn't really human, but was a spirit or phantom that only seemed to have a real human body. John states that this notion is a false teaching.
Questions: What biblical passages speak to the humanity of Jesus? Why is his humanity essential as one of the traits that qualify him to be our Savior?
What methods do you use to test or discern truth from untruth?
For Further Discussion
1. When are the words "heresy" and "false teaching" useful and helpful in serving the kingdom of God? When are they used in ways that do not serve God's kingdom? How do we know the difference?
2. Have you ever trusted a church leader so much that you cast superhuman expectation on him or her? What happened?
3. Respond to this from TWW team member Liz Antonson: "I doubt that humans can be protected from the Father of Lies other than by the Holy Spirit who quickens the Word of Truth to an individual and thus brings a saving knowledge of truth. If we want protection from deception, we must have a fundamental understanding of the source and power of deception. Secular prohibitions will not be enough. The only government that can address this is the kingdom of God and his righteousness. This gives new meaning to the urgency of preaching the Good News of the Kingdom."
4. Respond to this from TWW team member Frank Ramirez, who is a Church of the Brethren pastor: "The historic creeds show how inadequate larger churches are when it comes to defining Christianity. What do we learn about the life of Jesus? We learn Jesus was 'born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate …' all of which I believe, but notice what the Creed skips over: the Sermon on the Mount, the healing ministries of Jesus, the barrier-destroying ministry of Jesus, speaking to power and challenging entrenched political, economic and religious powers. What happens to groups like ours who seek to live like Jesus and thus are perceived as dangerous by Christian groups tied too closely to the government?"
     How would you define Christianity? Who does your definition exclude? How did you arrive at your definition?
5. Have you ever been asked to do something risky or even bizarre in the name of religion while trusting in God to help you? If so, did you expect a positive outcome because you believe in God' providence, and/or did you accept negative consequences as God's will?
Responding to the News
You may wish to use this statement of faith or another of your choice to express your solidarity with Jesus. TWW team member Joanna Loucky-Ramsey received this from her father, Lubomir Loucky, and always associated it with him as his creed, although it is not clear whether he wrote it or copied it from another source. The 12 statements each require more than mental or verbal affirmation of beliefs; each statement is followed by a commitment to act.
                      My Faith
I believe in God the Father Almighty: I will trust him.
I believe Jesus Christ died for me: I will live for him.
I believe the Holy Spirit has come to purify and possess me: I will receive him.
I believe in the authority of the Holy Scriptures: I will obey them.
I believe Christians are the light of the world: I will help dispel darkness.
I believe Christians are the salt of the earth: I will oppose the corruption of the world.
I believe Christians are Christ's witnesses: I will declare what great things he has done for me.
I believe Christians are stewards of what they possess: I will give freely of my material goods to the cause of the kingdom.
I believe in the communion of saints: I will keep my place in it by fervent love.
I believe faith expresses itself in works: I will do good unto all people.
I believe prayer is the key to the storehouse of divine resources: I will make much use of it.
I believe there is an eternal inheritance for the redeemed: I will strive for it.
Closing Prayer (Suggested by Jude 24-25, Philippians 1:6 and 2 Timothy 1:12)
Almighty God who is able to keep us from falling, and to make us stand without blemish in the presence of your glory with rejoicing, we give you glory and acknowledge your majesty, power, and authority, before all time, now and forever. Bring to completion the good work you started among us, and guard what we have entrusted to you until the day of our Lord Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit at work within us. Amen.
Posted by at No comments:

Thursday, February 4, 2016

10,000 Refugee Children Missing in Europe

© 2016 The Wired Word
www.thewiredword.com

The migrant crisis in Europe has produced a number of troubling stories, perhaps none more heartbreaking than the disappearance of some 10,000 unaccompanied child refugees. The European Union's law enforcement agency, Europol, reports that these children have disappeared after arriving in Europe, and many are thought to have fallen into the hands of trafficking syndicates. Organized crime might be targeting these young people for sex work and slavery.
According to The Guardian, thousands of minors have vanished after registering with authorities. Europol's chief of staff, Brian Donald, reported that 5,000 children have disappeared in Italy and another 1,000 in Sweden. "It's not unreasonable to say that we're looking at 10,000-plus children," he said. "Not all of them will be criminally exploited; some might have been passed on to family members. We just don't know where they are, what they're doing or whom they are with."
One of the most urgent issues in the migrant crisis is the fate of unaccompanied child refugees. According to Save the Children, a staggering 26,000 unaccompanied children entered Europe last year. Europol believes that more than one-fourth of the million refugees in Europe last year were minors -- a total of 270,000 children. "Not all of those are unaccompanied, but we also have evidence that a large proportion might be,” said Donald.
A criminal infrastructure has grown up over the past 18 months, focused on exploiting migrants. Mariyana Berket of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe says that "unaccompanied minors from regions of conflict are by far the most vulnerable population; those without parental care that have either been sent by their families to get into Europe first and then get the family over, or have fled with other family members."
Europol has evidence that some unaccompanied child refugees in Europe have been sexually exploited. The agency has also discovered a link between gangs helping to smuggle refugees and gangs exploiting those same refugees for sex work and slavery. "The ones who have been active in human smuggling are now appearing in our files in relation to migrant smuggling," said Europol's Donald. He asked the public to be vigilant, since most missing child refugees are probably still in the community. "If they're being abused it's in the community," he explained. "As a population we need to be alert to this."
Closer to home, the Super Bowl will be taking place today in the San Francisco Bay Area, bringing together an event and a region that are well-known for human trafficking. According to The San Francisco Chronicle, the Bay Area has three international airports and a major shipping port, enabling victims of trafficking to be moved through quickly.
The Super Bowl draws a large number of wealthy men who are looking to indulge themselves in a variety of ways. Says Michele Ernst of the FBI, "High-profile special events which draw large crowds become lucrative opportunities for sex trafficking and criminal activity. It's market and demand." The FBI opened a Human Trafficking Operation Center at the start of Super Bowl Week. A trial run for the program resulted in six children being rescued in the Bay Area, with the youngest victim just 12 years old.
And this past week in Blacksburg, Virginia, two Virginia Tech students were arrested in connection with the murder of a 13-year-old girl. According to USA Today, the body of Nicole Madison Lovell was found along a highway in North Carolina, about 90 miles south of Virginia Tech's campus. David Eisenhauer, a freshman engineering student and member of the cross-country team, was charged with first-degree murder. Natalie Keepers, a sophomore engineering student, was arrested for helping Eisenhauer to dispose of Nicole's body. The police statement said that Eisenhauer knew his victim before her disappearance and that he "used this relationship to his advantage to abduct the 13-year-old and then kill her."
Around the world, children are vulnerable to human trafficking, sex work, slavery and physical violence. Christians are challenged to be alert to this and take appropriate action, because -- in the words of Europol's Brian Donald -- if children are "being abused it's in the community."
More on this story can be found at these links:
The Big Questions 
1. What stories have you heard about human trafficking in your community? How can you be vigilant? For what signs should you be watching? Or do you believe there is no sexual trafficking in your neighborhood? If so, what leads you to think your area is exempt?
2. Sex trafficking in the United States thrives on demand for sexual services. What can the church do to create a culture of healthy sexuality?
3. Where are children most vulnerable in our communities today? How can Christians create safe and healthy environments for them, at home and in church?
4. Online technology creates communication patterns that can lead to abuse. How can parents monitor the online activity of their children? What actions can be taken to reduce the danger of the internet?
5. How has your church been involved in refugee resettlement in the past? What could it do to alleviate the current migrant crisis? Why is the resettlement of children a particular concern to you?
Confronting the News With Scripture and HopeHere are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:
Genesis 21:17And God heard the voice of the boy; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, and said to her, "What troubles you, Hagar? Do not be afraid; for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is." (For context, read 21:8-21.)
Unable to conceive a child with Sarah, Abraham has sexual relations with an Egyptian slave-girl named Hagar. The child born to them is named Ishmael. Later, when Sarah and Abraham have a son named Isaac, Sarah wants to eliminate any competition from Ishmael, so she says to Abraham, "Cast out this slave woman with her son; for the son of this slave woman shall not inherit along with my son Isaac" (v. 10). Abraham reluctantly sends Hagar and Ishmael into the wilderness of Beersheba, where they almost die of thirst. But God intervenes to lead them to water, and the two survive their ordeal.
Questions: What does this story of Ishmael and his mother (note: She was herself a child -- a "slave-girl" when she was used by her owner for sex) teach you about the value of children to God, and God's concern for them? What can Christians do to meet the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of children?
Proverbs 14:26In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence, and one's children will have a refuge. (No context needed.)
In this section containing the wise sayings of Solomon, a number of proverbs pertain to children: "A wise child loves discipline" (13:1) and "Those who spare the rod hate their children" (13:24). In this particular proverb, a connection is made between "the fear of the LORD" and a refuge for "one's children." The implication is that respect for God creates a safe and secure home for children.
Questions: How can a parent practice "the fear of the LORD" at home? What influence does this have on children? How does this respect and reverence for God help to build a more safe and secure home? 
Is a child's worth solely in the "social security" he or she can provide to aging parents? Where does a child's true value lie?
Isaiah 49:25But thus says the LORD: Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken, and the prey of the tyrant be rescued; for I will contend with those who contend with you, and I will save your children. (For context, read 49:8-26.)
God promises through the prophet Isaiah that the people of Israel will be brought home from exile in Babylon. God assures the people that they have not been forgotten, using a maternal image for the relationship between God and Israel: "Can a woman forget her nursing child, or show no compassion for the child of her womb?" (v. 15). Clearly, God loves the people of Israel deeply and will do anything to overcome the threats they face, concluding with the assurance, "I will save your children."
Questions: When have you felt that God has acted in your life and/or the lives of your children? To the extent you feel safe, name situations in your life or the lives of others where God seems to have let children down. Where do you place blame in those situations? Where do you see signs that God is working to save children today? How can you participate in this divine work?
Matthew 19:13-15Then little children were being brought to [Jesus] in order that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples spoke sternly to those who brought them; but Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs." And he laid his hands on them and went on his way. (No context needed.) 
A group of parents bring their children to Jesus so that he can lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples try to discourage them, believing that children are not worthy of their teacher's time and attention. But Jesus dismisses their concerns and welcomes the children, stating that they are worthy of the "kingdom of heaven." Children are not second-class citizens in the eyes of Jesus, but are first-class citizens in the kingdom of God.
Questions: How are children ignored and dismissed in our society today? In what ways do churches (including your own) act like the disciples and marginalize children? What happens when children are allowed to be invisible? In what ways can you honor children as Jesus did?
Mark 9:42[Jesus said,] "If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea." (For context, read 9:33-37, 42-50.)
Jesus answers the disciples' question about who was the greatest among them by putting a little child in their midst. Then he warns the disciples of the fate of "any of you" who puts "a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me": he says that it would be better to have a millstone around your neck, one heavy enough to drown you in the sea. Jesus is passionately concerned about the welfare of children, and predicts harsh punishment for anyone who causes them to "stumble."
Questions: What qualities do children have that would cause Jesus to hold them in such high regard? Why does he judge people so harshly for causing trouble for children? Where do you see people creating "stumbling blocks" for children today, and what can be done to confront them?
Luke 9:48[Jesus] said to them, "Whoever welcomes this child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me; for the least among all of you is the greatest." (For context, read 9:46-48.)
Once again, Jesus is confronted with the question of true greatness, and responds by using a little child as an illustration. He focuses here on how hospitality toward a child is really hospitality toward him, and how this chain of hospitality then extends through Jesus to God.
Questions: What are the challenges of welcoming children? How can the church do a better job of this? In what ways does hospitality toward children connect with hospitality toward Jesus and God? How do we suffer spiritually when we fail to welcome children?
For Further Discussion
1. How have you welcomed children in your own life, and what has been the result? Where have you faced challenges with children, emotionally and spiritually? If you had the chance, what would you do differently in this regard in the future?
2. Jesus says that "it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost" (Matthew 18:14). Where do you see children getting lost today in your community? What can you and your church do to lead them back to healthy relationships with family members, friends and the community of faith? Explore some or all of the following specific, but related, matters:
  • Has your church -- staff, volunteers, others -- been involved in something like the "Safe Sanctuaries" training offered by the United Methodist Church to its congregations? If you have had such training, what signs would you look for that children may be in danger? How would you structure or restructure your building and programming to keep kids safe?
  • Many teenagers use smartphones for "sexting" -- the sending and receiving of sexually explicit messages, including photographs. How should church youth workers address this? What can parents do to guide their teenageers into healthier -- and safer -- behavior?
  • What can Christians do -- internationally, nationally and locally -- to prevent children from becoming victims of human trafficking?
  • Often, church members express annoyance when children are disruptive in worship. What practical steps can churches take to create an environment of hospitality toward children? What long-term effect might this have on children's safety?
3. German Chancellor Angela Merkel recently said that most refugees from Syria and Iraq would have togo home once the conflicts in their homelands ended. What are the implications of this approach for families in Europe with missing children? How would you suggest that churches be involved in the work of family reunification?
Responding to the News
Invite a member of your local police department to visit your congregation and give a presentation on human trafficking. Become educated about the signs of trafficking, realizing that victims could be living very close to you. Work to make your congregation hospitable to children so they will benefit from the protection of a safe and secure community of faith.
Closing Prayer
Lord God, we thank you for the gift of children, who are first-class citizens in the kingdom of heaven. As disciples of Christ, may we welcome them and protect them from harm. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)