"Monster Under My Bed" - A Modern Parable

Whoever has ears, let them hear. – Matthew 11:15

When I was a child, I was terrified of the monster that lived under my bed. Had I seen the monster? No. Was the monster real? Of course it was! How did I know? Everyone knows that monsters live under the beds of children – it takes up the majority of conversations on playgrounds between children. Whatever the bravest child says HAS to be true!

I never saw this monster, but I knew it was there, and it wanted to eat me! My 7-year-old life was about to be over because of this monster under my bed.

The monster would play psychological games with me just to let me know it was there. I’d be close to falling asleep, and I’d see a shadow that I couldn’t explain. I’d be lying in bed and I’d hear a creak and I’d just know it was the monster. What else could it be? It was just plotting. It was plotting to eat me. I was powerless and completely at its mercy.

My only defense was to keep my entire body covered. No matter what the temperature was, everyone knows that the only defense against a monster under your bed is to stay fully covered. I would sweat some nights so bad that I barely slept…but at least I survived. I wasn’t eaten!

What did this monster want anyway? Of course, it wanted to eat me. Why? I suppose it wanted my place in the bed. It wanted my covers. It wanted my pillows.

As I got older, I wanted to bargain with the monster, but of course no one bargains with monsters. You can only deal with a monster by obliterating it. How would I destroy the monster under my bed? Should I have a full on assault? Should I perform a covert attack? Should I just live in the relative fearful peace that we’ve lived in for years?

The cardinal rule is that there can be no peace with a monster! I had to destroy it, and I had to do it immediately. But how??? What about the collateral damage? What about my innocent toys that may have fallen and found their way under the bed? I guess they would just have to be casualties for the greater good.

So, I got my mom’s vacuum, and faced my fears. After a lot of mental preparation and anguish, I plugged in the vacuum, got on my hands and knees, and I began to sweep under the bed. I swept up dust bunnies – they look like innocent pieces of dust clumps, but one never knows. I destroyed a few innocent toys - collateral damage. I never saw the monster. But, I knew I must have swept it up. I destroyed it. I looked long and hard, and it was no longer under the bed. It was now in the bag of the sweeper. Vindication was mine!

My years of terror were over! No more fear for me! That night, I confidently went to bed, turned off the lights, crawled into bed, and I didn’t even cover my entire body. 

And then, I saw the same shadows and heard the same noises…

1 John 4:18 - There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Journalistic Trash

Unfortunately, I came upon this piece of Journalistic Trash.  I hesitate to even comment on it.

I do not want to gain a readership or numbers count for this piece of trash (to call this a tabloid would be an insult to the tabloid industry).

 In America there is a wise saying that one should never get into a pissing contest with a skunk.  If this website calls itself "journalism," it does not know the definition of the term.

The Exposer is a Rwandan run propaganda website.  At a cursory glance, even the casual reader will see that this is no where near "journalism."

For the record and before accusations come at me:  I run a blog - I am not a journalist.  I do not claim to be a journalist.  I have no journalistic training.  My posts are not "academic quality," though most are researched and backed up with facts that are cited.  Again, this is a blog - my posts run the gamut of topics.  I post on a variety of issues.

The Exposer "will expose those who claim to hold the truth, instead twisting it for their own interests." (See here for Citation of this quote)

What is Wrong with The Exposer?
Honestly, I would have an easier time answering what isn't wrong with The Exposer.

FIRST:  This is not journalism - this is propaganda.  Go to Google and look up "Nazi Propaganda" or "Soviet Propaganda" or whatever propaganda you would like.  Then compare it to the cartoons that are on The Exposer.   Yes, The Exposer is mainly cartoons - not photographs.  (Exceptions, yes; but as a rule, cartoons are the majority).

SECOND:  The cartoons are inflammatory.  They depict Human Rights workers who dedicate their lives to the well being of others as sex-workers, concubines, prostitutes, AIDS victims, AIDS spreaders, and apply other lies and inflammatory statements to these people.

THIRD:  They take document facts and call them lies.  Fact: Rwanda has armed M23 Militia in the Democratic Republic of Congo.  I'm sorry - there are documented facts.  Deny if you wish, but that doesn't make it true.  Paul Kagame jails opposition leaders to silence them on trumped up charges - go ahead and vilify them if you wish, but people such as Victore Ingibire is only "guilty" of saying that Hutus died in the '94 Genocide as well.  Truth is not a crime.  They make a dictator into a hero.  Call him what you will, but Paul Kagame is responsible for the deaths of over 6 Million people and the fact that many Rwandans live in fear today.  Yes, Rwanda has modernized, but at what expense.  Oppose this if you wish, but facts are facts.

FOURTH:  They say they speak facts when in fact they speak opinions.  If they were an "opinion site," fine.  I may not agree, but an opinion is an opinion.  I cannot say that the Yankees are the best baseball team and make it so.  They are to me (in my opinion), but in reality, only a win/loss record can determine that.  The same goes for political opinions.  Just because they disagree with those who oppose Paul Kagame does not make the opposition liars.  It makes them of a different opinion than those who run The Explainer.

FIFTH:  They are downright vulgar.  News is not vulgar unless it is reporting on an issue that necessitates graphic details (and then, journalists will usually warn readers that what will follow is of sensitive nature).  The Explainer does nothing of the sort. They make accusations that are vulgar and lies.

Why Do I, a Pastor and Promoter of Peace Address This?
The issues facing the DRC and Rwanda do not need exacerbated by propaganda.  War Crimes are being committed on a regular basis.  The world sits back and does little to nothing.

The Explainer makes a mockery of those who do take a stand.  Activists expect opposition.  It comes with the territory.  Trust me, I could share stories!  This is beyond opposition - this is mockery of not only activists but of victims.  By harassing the activists, they are hurting those who suffer.  They are hurting refugees, those who have been injured and maimed, those who have lost loved ones, those who are starving, those who have been raped and are victims of other forms of sexual violence, children who have been kidnapped and forced to kill, and the list goes on - All in the name of attention for their egos.

What can you do?
If you have not seen this website, I'm sure you are curious and will visit it - I cannot stop you.  Maybe you need to see the horror.  But don't let that view be the end.  Speak out against it.  Write against it.  Go on record with your opposition to what they see as a game.

The suffering of humanity is not a game.  God has made all of us "our brother's [and sister's] keeper." The people of the DRC need those of us who can help now.  One day we may need them.  We cannot fail them.  We each have a different mission in life.  We all have different talents and callings.  Put them together, and we CAN make a difference!

We may not shut this junk down.  We may make them double their efforts.  But we can expose them for what they are - EVIL.  Also, remember - We do this in love.  We are not against the people of The Explainer. We are against the demonic forces that cause them to think what they are doing is right.  These people are also created in the image of God.  It appears they forgot that.  Let's remind them.