Coming Soon to this Blog

The book I authored, Does God Still Sleep in Rwanda?, (available in paperback or Kindle by clicking on the title) is available now from Amazon.com.

Soon, I will be attempting to make a video explaining why I wrote this book and the process that went into this.

This will take me a few days, but be on the look out!

My Book is Published

A book I've been working on for 2 years has been published. It's titled, "Does God Still Sleep in Rwanda?"  The book is a historical and theological look at Post-Genocidal Rwanda with a theology of peacemaking.

You can purchase a copy here: https://www.createspace.com/4911331?ref=1147694&utm_id=6026

In the coming days it will also be available through Amazon.

Kagame's Online Trolls

Once upon a time, a troll was a character in a children's story. A troll was the character who wouldn't let the "Three Billy Goats Gruff" cross the bridge. A troll was a stinky, slimy, green, ugly, monster-like character. 

In the modern cyber-age, "troll" has a new meaning. A troll is someone who stalks online sites with the sole purpose of harassing and bullying others. A troll pretends to be a "real person," while in reality this troll is playing a role. 

Several months ago, users of Twitter and followers of discussions concerning Rwanda and the DRC found out that @RichardGoldston was a troll. There was no person by the name of Richard Goldston. Richard Goldston was made up. This was only caught when the person pretending to be Richard Goldston slipped up while also controlling President Paul Kagame's Twitter account. 

"Richard Goldston" was vile. "He" was vulgar. "He" was threatening. "He" made sexist and misogynistic claims about women. "He" was racist. 

Of course, the Rwandan government claimed that they knew nothing about this account and the person who was the "troll" would be punished. That is quite interesting and undoubtedly false given the amount of trolls coming from the Pro-Kagame camp. 

There are two types of Pro-Kagame defenders. There are those who are politically aligned with Kagame. They stand to benefit financially or politically from his war crimes being swept under the rug. They are real people who are in real positions who do not want to acknowledge the truth that Kagame is directly responsible for at least 6 million deaths. They perpetuate the lie that Kagame only used his Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF - once called RPA) army to attack the genocidaires and never attacked innocent citizens despite quotes from Kagame himself to the contrary. They only recognize that Hutus killed Tutsis (a fact no one disputes), but they refuse to recognize that Tutsis also killed Hutus. (This is not termed "genocide" for political reasons because the Tutsis were a rebel army and the deaths they caused were "war deaths" and "collateral damage"). 

The other type of Pro-Kagame defenders are the trolls. They are paid by the Rwandan Government to harass and bully. They are paid to threaten. Let me be very clear. As a person who has been harassed by these trolls, I will give examples: I have had my life threatened for questioning the Kagame narrative. I have been called an instrument of Satan because MegaChurch Pastor Rick Warren sides with Kagame (an entirely different discussion in itself). I have been called a "nothing." I have been accused of having various sexually transmitted diseases (how that applies to anything, I have no idea). The list goes on. 

Again, these trolls are paid by a government to carry out this work! I have to ask, if the narrative the government is telling is true, then why the need for the trolls? Why the need for the threats? Why the need to harass? 

If your side is correct, why do you have to work in secret to intimidate others?

Obscene Picture at the Border

This week, I was confronted by a picture that I found to be obscene. It were taken  the US-Mexico Border.

This photo was not sexual, nor was it provocative in any manner. In fact, when we say, "obscene" the fact that our minds gravitate towards sexual images speaks volumes of the culture of this world. These pictures were inhumane, and they were violent.

The picture at the US-Mexico Border was taken by a journalist for humanitarian reasons. This journalist was exposing the obscene in order to elicit a response. In this photo were teenagers and children from Mexico and Central America who had been detained by United States Border Patrol Agents. They were being held in Dog Kennels - locked behind wire fences with only blankets. Maybe they had some food and water, but it was not in the image. I would hope that my own Government were not THAT sadistic. The youth were sleeping on the concrete, others were playing with make-shift toys of rocks or sticks or dirt. Some had toys that they had brought with them.

Proponents of this handling of these children will point out the fact that they are "illegal immigrants" to the US. They entered the United States without a valid passport or Visa, and they did not enter through a legitimate check point. I will not contest those issues. Such is the truth. However, WHY did these young people enter our country?

First and foremost, these people are entering the United States in order to gain a better life - to have money, food, and stability. "It's not our fault that their nations are in the shape they are," some contest.  That statement is extremely flawed. When the United States, Canada, and Mexico entered into the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), something that was promised to provide jobs, and better opportunities for all three nations, what in fact happened was highly different. United States jobs moved to Mexico. At first thought, one would think that jobs moving to Mexico would create a better life for Mexicans, however the reality is false.

Of course what I am making is an overarching generalization. Some US companies most likely did make better lives for Mexican Citizens. The overwhelming majority, however, did not. The are concerned with bottom line profits. This is the exact reason they pulled out of the US to move to Mexico. Mexico has no "minimum wage" law. A worker in a US owned company in Mexico can work for whatever the Company Executive feels like paying - most often cents on the hour. This obviously leads to abject poverty. The cost of living does not follow the wages.

So, as Large Corporation Executives make Billions of Dollars, their Mexican workers can barely feed themselves let alone their families. What happens when people can't eat? They have to get the food somehow. Drug Cartels took over many areas of Mexico. We are not talking about corner drug dealers - These are multi-million dollar organizations. These are murderous organizations.

Because of NAFTA, Mexican farmers could not sell their produce at reasonable prices to make enough profit. Farms were destroyed.

Because of NAFTA, the fence between the US and Mexico was built to the standard it is now. Because of NAFTA, people just trying to survive come across the border to make any kind of living they can.

What is happening at the border has been called a "humanitarian crisis." Even Sarah Palin agrees! Something MUST be done. It is OBSCENE to lock children in rooms and dog kennels. It is obscene to create a situation where people leave home because they have no opportunity to be self sufficient where they live. All of this is immoral!

Our God does not know what international boundaries are. All people are God's people. There is no "us" and "them." "We" do not need to work to keep "them" out. Instead, we all need to work together to create a situation where people do not have the need to flee their homes to survive. The United States can work with the Mexican Government to create solutions to this crisis rather than blaming the victims - the people.

The cause is much larger than the individuals crossing the border. The cause is Legion - Babylon - Evil! The solution is not out of our reach. The solution, however, must be desired by the Children of the Living God. The solution is for all of God's Children to stand in solidarity and not allow such obscenity in the world that God gave us!

Iraq - War or Peace?

As reports come in about ISAS, the "Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant," the radical group that is attempting to take over Iraq, we hear renewed calls for war and renewed calls blaming the Bush administration, namely Dick Cheney for this situation. 

There are those who are quick to say that the US needs to go to war with this group to liberate Iraq and what was done in the Iraq war, and there are those who say we have no business in such a war.  

One side will place the blame on President Barak Obama. They say this happened under his watch and blame his foreign policy. Others place the blame on the Bush administration saying that we had no business in Iraq and that the war was based on a lie.

I am deeply disturbed by the rhetoric this nation is taking towards this situation, and all situations that involve wars in recent times. The "finger pointing" and "blaming" is the first step of this process that leads down a road, and unfortunately, once down this road, it is difficult to come back.

My political affiliations are open - I hold no party affiliations. As a Christian, I feel that I cannot hold loyalty to one party over another. Blind loyalty would only allow me to support both good and bad decisions. Therefore, when a politician makes a decision I feel is appropriate, I will give him or her credit. In the same way, if that same politician makes a decision I feel is inappropriate, I feel it is my job to do my part to call him or her out on it. True, my voice isn't always heard, but still, in a free nation, I refuse to be drawn into political partisanship. 

As cities in Iraq fall to the ISIS militia, I continually hear these calls for war or for ignoring the situation. Both calls are equally disturbing to me for a few reasons. First, we cannot just ignore the situation because there are innocent Iraqi lives at stake. There are Iraqis who have absolutely nothing to do with war, violence, or any such matter. They go about their days, trying to do the best they can, make the best lives for their families, and then such a tragedy happens.  Second, while no one can assume to know "what if" questions, I still assume that the lies that led to the Iraqi invasion by the US and allies ultimately led to this insurgency. It's no secret that Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction. Yes, Saddam Hussein was tyrannical. Yes, he was dictatorial. Yes, he was oppressive. But there were diplomatic ways to deal with him. He was contained. There was no threat of a "mushroom cloud." 

When we hear calls of war or complete ignoring of the facts on the ground, we are entered into a false dichotomy. War and Pacifism are two ways. War says we must fight with violence. Pacifism says we cannot be violent - and one very strong brand of pacifism says that the world will be more violent because we are pacifists - but that is what God wants from us - to expose the forces of evil.  There is, however a third way.  I believe it is fully in line with the teachings of Jesus - especially the Sermon on the Mount. 

We are called to be Peacemakers. We are not just called to be peace livers or peaceful. We are Peacemakers. Notice that this is an active stance.  But what does it mean? It's not clearly defined in the Sermon on the Mount. However, in the entire ministry of Jesus, Peacemaking is demonstrated. 

For each of us, how to be a peacemaker is different. We all have different talents and gifts. We can't all go to Iraq and negotiate or make contacts. In fact, for some of us, that may be detrimental to peace. There are people with whom I can make peace and people with whom I clash. That is part of being human. If I clash, that means it is for someone else to go in my place to make peace. We all have some peacemaking gift. We can write, we can paint, we can reach out to our neighbors, we can discuss, we can open our homes and our lives to new people and experiences, we can sing, we can advocate. These are just some ideas. In other words - I can't list every peacemaking opportunity. When you act, ask yourself, does it bring peace? 

None of us will have THE answer. But all of us will have part of the answer. The problems are caused by humans, and through human to human contact, we can begin to solve them. Yes, even in areas of war! Our governments have made ordinary citizens feel insignificant and useless. They are lying to us. They would not be in power if it weren't for us. Governments are not our protectors. We are their protectors. If we stopped paying taxes, government would cease to exist. So do not believe their lies. Please note I am NOT advocating a revolution. That is against peacemaking. I am advocating the fact that we have the power we have been told we don't have.

True, we most likely cannot negotiate with ISIS. But we can pressure our government to do so. We can tell our government that we want peace. We can elect peacemaking officials. We can run as peacemaking officials. 

Peace is not a sign of weakness. It is the ultimate sign of strength! To coexist with another is to show God's love. To destroy another is to destroy God's creation. Peace takes time. But Peace is not passive. It doesn't just happen. We have to make peace - not just expect it to happen. We all have a calling in this. Some of us are called locally, some of us are called globally, but all of us are called! 

Out of My Hands

There are sometimes when things are out of our hands. Tonight is one of those times for me. I've been working on a major writing project. It began as a thesis for an independent study at Duke Divinity School. It turned into a project I hoped for publication.

Tonight I turned it into a group to look it over and give me their thoughts. It deals with the Rwandan Regime and their atrocities. It is the culmination of the work I've done so far and the work others have inspired me to do.

To be honest, I am not looking for any serious personal "gain" in this work. The only "gain" I would like is to be credited for writing this and have it distributed. I hope that it would do some good, though I realize it takes more people than just a few of us to do God's Work. The only reason I want credit is because in our day and age, any future writing projects depend upon the author's credibility and past record.

I am not called to be an author - I am a pastor, but I am a pastor who writes. This is my outlet where I can say things I have difficulty putting into speech. Writing is not a career for me - it is a hobby and even a necessity. I have no desire to become famous, though I would like to be authoritative enough to be taken seriously - not for myself, but for the issues and people I write. Sadly, it is often determined by the person who writes - not the issue at hand. Maybe this is my step into the "published" world - no matter how small.

Whatever happens, I trust God has a plan and hopefully the people of Rwanda and the Congo will be helped no matter how small it may be. It is time to pull our resources together and work together.

"Dirt" - Reflections of Current Events

The pictures above are from my visit in May 2014 to Zimbabwe. They were taken near the city of Nyanga, just on the outskirts. The carvings are handmade soapstone carvings. The artists pictured above go to the fields and find the soapstone. Using files and chisels, they tediously make these amazing pieces of art.

Stone is nothing more and nothing less than "dirt." It is dirt that has gone through a geological process that I am not qualified to explain, but if you break down stone to its very raw material - you find dirt. The same can be said about the humans who made these amazing carvings. If the human body is broken down into its chemical components, much of the body is made of carbon - the foundation of dirt.

When God made the first human, God took the "adamah" (earth - dust - dirt), breathed life into it, and made "adam" (Adam, human, man, mankind). We are all at our physical cores; dirt. We are special dirt! We are dirt with life.  Maybe, the next time someone thinks they are insulting me by calling me a "piece of dirt," I should say, "Thank you! God made me like that!"

I've been reading a book edited by Robert Ellsberg that is a collection of Dorothy Day's writings entitled, Dorothy Day: Selected Writings. Generally, I am quite a fast reader, and these writings are short, but each is packed with so much that I am taking well over a month now, and I haven't even made it through the first 100 pages. There is so much to digest. It is not difficult reading, but it is like devotional reading.

Dorothy Day, along with Peter Maurin, was the founder of the Catholic Worker Movement. During the Great Depression and the years following, Day worked for social justice through the lens of Christian faith. She lived and worked as Jesus literally taught. She lived with the needy, she worked with the poor, she gave up everything and followed Christ. The Catholic Worker Movement is probably a "Marketing Disaster," but a "Religious Miracle." There is very little organization, but yet this movement has impacted and aided countless people. Day believed in "living a life that wouldn't make sense if God didn't exist." That is evident in the Catholic Worker Movement, even to this day. If God didn't exist, this movement would have toppled long ago! There is no formal hierarchy nor formal budget. Each group exists independently yet is connectional. The Movement prints a newspaper yet maintains no computerized mailing list. There is no fundraising scheme except to ask for donations on occasion.

Dorothy Day just may be the model of the type of witness we need in the world today. She wasn't afraid to get dirty. At the same time, she worked to make the world clean while still seeing the beauty of the dirt. She didn't pass the obligation of bettering the world to someone else or to a large organization, but she took the burden onto herself. Yes, she got frustrated - she writes about it often! But she knew that she shared Christ's pain - and she was also a cause of Christ's suffering as we all are.

In Zimbabwe, I met some of the most friendly people I have ever met in my life! I hesitate to say, "friendly" because I felt more like family! I would dare say that they would say the same thing about me. I went as a stranger and left as family. Zimbabwe has been in my heart for many years - ever since the day my wife and I met a couple who went to our church in the US who had moved from Zimbabwe. I began researching and learning about the country that very day. Zimbabwe will always be in my heart, and I know that one day - and most likely several times - I will return!

I don't want to overemphasize any suffering in Zimbabwe because I don't want to project a negative image of a beautiful country! Zimbabwe is modern, safe (safer than the USA!), and beautiful. However global politics play into the everyday lives of the people. Whatever the world and the Zimbabwean government think of each other, the innocent people are the ones who are hurt when rich global politicians make their decisions. "The dirt suffers when land developers decide to pollute."

People in Zimbabwe are very resilient and strong. God has blessed their faithfulness. I didn't see anyone going without basic needs - though obviously, I did not see all people. I'm sure that there are many who are suffering just as there are many suffering in every nation. People were self-reliant and could rely on family and neighbor.

Global politics hand them a disgusting hand when it comes to what people should have. Most hospitals lack basic supplies. Schools cannot get enough books or paper. Money (the actual paper currency) is in shortage.  Why? Because the "clean" of this world is afraid of the "dirt." Income inequality is real! This is not income inequality of 1 person driving a limo and another driving a 2nd hand car. This is income inequality of limo vs. bare feet.

Why does the discussion of "income inequality" make so many so nervous? Because those who control what we watch on TV, listen to on the radio, read in magazines, see on the internet, and so forth - Those people hold the vast majority of the wealth. There is nothing wrong with working hard and being rich. This, however is not working hard. This is legal thievery and legal slavery. The governments of this world (in the vast majority of cases) are run by people so disconnected from the dust of the earth that they would deny water to the garden so they can fill their Olympic sized swimming pool. The only word for this is "greed."

Of course, this isn't limited to Zimbabwe. We see this in the USA - Why are inner city children dying of shootings and dropping out of school, at such a high rate? One or two success stories does not make this reality null and void. People can break free from this evil, but to do so is extremely difficult.

We see the evils of power. Just yesterday (June 9, 2014), there was a report that 302 Rwandan Forces entered Kinshasa, DRC "secretly" under the invitation of DRC President Joseph Kabila. Why? That is a good question, but power seems to be a possible answer. He wants to have a 3rd illegal term as the Rwandan/US/UK Puppet President. Is Rwandan President Paul Kagame involved? If this is true, most likely he is pulling the strings. How is the US involved? Right now, the US is publicly saying that Kabila should not have a 3rd term. Privately, the US is most likely continuing to rape and pillage the minerals of the DRC with Kabila's tacit support through corporations or 3rd parties.

I could point out the evils of this world all day, but anyone with eyes already sees them. But we CAN do something about them. What we can do involves getting dirty. But we cannot be afraid - we are already dirt! God has called each of us in the Gospel to follow Christ. This is not complicated. Love God and Love Others. That is what we can do.

The answer is Love. Love is active - not passive. Love requires action and doing. How each of us love is different. Dorothy day loved by forming the Catholic Worker Movement that fed and housed countless (and continues today after her death). Love requires us to give ourselves - not as a sacrifice that destroys us, but because we can't imagine doing otherwise. Love requires us to give and to receive.

On giving and receiving - In closing - While I was in Zimbabwe, I met 2 orphan girls who were sisters. 1 was 13, the other was 8. They are being taken care of by a church, but they still need help. I'm trying to find a way to give to them - distance and communication is an issue. But while I was there, we spent time together, talked, and I gave them some money. They also gave back to me. They were on their lunch break, and had to go back to school. The 13 year old had to be back sooner, and she gave me a hug and left. The 8 year old did the same. I thought the 8 year old was gone, but 5 minutes later she was back. She had a few more minutes to be back to school. She didn't want to be rude or to beg, but I knew what she wanted. I had some candy and she wanted more. I took a handful and gave it to her. Her eyes shined. She gave me the biggest hug! I think I received more that day than she did.

Was the world changed? I think it was.

Blog Update (June 4, 2014)

Dear Readers,

It's been quite a while since I've posted.

First of all, let me express my thanks for so many followers and readers! I receive a high number of site-hits per day, and for that, I thank you all!

I have several works in process right now, and they should be available in the coming days and weeks.

The first will be concerning a recent trip I made to Zimbabwe. Words cannot adequately express the honor I had to visit these wonderful people and this wonderful nation! You can enter Zimbabwe as a visitor, but you leave as family. I have so much to discuss, and I'm currently organizing this by themes.

I'm also working on a work that I hope will be published for print. I'm in the last stages of editing, and it should be ready within a month. This work is a history and theology concerning the Kagame regime of Rwanda. I'm in contact with human rights groups who may possibly be able to use this in their work. The time is now for everyone to band together as citizens of the world and Children of God! We must put our own self-interests aside and work for the greater good.

Updates may be slow for a few weeks as there are some pressing issues in my "day job" as well. All is well, but after some time, things will be settled again and I will be resuming regular updates and writing. Such is the life of a pastor.

Thank you for your patience and your support!

God Bless You!
Tom

Myth of Mental Strength and Weakness

Just the other day, a post came onto my Facebook newsfeed. It was from an organization that partners with the church to help foster strong and positive leadership.  I won’t mention the name of the organization, nor will I give the exact details of the message they were promoting, but what I saw caused me to have some concern…and some anxiety!

Now, let me be the first to say that this organization is extremely beneficial! This organization did not post this article to cause anyone anxiety – in fact – their point was to promote ways to avoid feelings of mental weakness. I believe that is very good thing to do – to help others to overcome what holds them back. But, I have some concerns about the way these points were presented.

First of all, I have issues with the terms “strength” or “weakness” being used with someone’s mental state. I have more trouble when that is promoted from within church culture. I will assume that this article is NOT discussing mental illness – a very serious and very real problem that can only be handled through medical and/or professional counselor intervention. What makes a person mentally “strong,” or mentally “weak?”  As humans, are we all at one point on the graph-o-meter of “weakness to strength?” No, we are constantly in flux. Our day changes, second by second. It’s impossible to have the same “strength” for an extended period of time.

Compare mental strength to physical strength. Even those who are in the best physical shape have their “good days” and their “bad days.” To complicate matters, what is a “bad day” to someone may be someone else’s “best day” if we are talking about physical strength.  If we only use ourselves as our own comparison, we see that our strength changes throughout the day – it never stays the same. Try this experiment: Take 2 cans of soup or veggies. Hold them straight out away from your body (like you are making a letter “t”). You’ll see soon enough that what started out as easy will end in exhaustion if you hold them as long as you can.

The second aspect that bothered me was the absolutist language. “People who are mentally strong don’t…”  Well, that’s just plain untrue. Life is not a dichotomy of dos and don’ts.  People don’t fit neatly into categories. We are human. The “strong” person today may be the person needing help tomorrow.

Third, I was plain upset that this article allowed no room for grieving, lament, fear, or feelings of being cheated.  Why is a person considered “weak” for grieving over the anniversary of a loved one’s death, though that death may have happened years ago? Is that weakness, or is that love? Why is a person considered “when” change is coming faster than he or she can process it and he or she feels fear? We can both embrace and fear change. We don’t have to pick one feeling over the other. Why is a person “weak” who laments the things of the past? The last time I checked my Bible, there is a whole Book called Lamentations. And it’s dedicated (basically) to lamenting over a temple. I’m not trying to trivialize the Temple, but rather to say that people lament – Get over it! Quit making them feel guilty!

So, what is the solution? The article did present very good points. I can’t argue with the basic overall points of the article, except to say that it is unrealistic to expect anyone who is being honest to feel those ways all the time. It is possibly damaging to those who are struggling because this article alienates those among us who are feeling “weak.” 

I would suggest the following as a solution:  First of all, rather than using absolutist language, change it to language that suggests patterns of “strong” people. For example, “Strong people usually…” Second, I would make sure to distinguish between “weakness” and Mental Illness (including, but not limited to depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, phobias, and so forth). I would make sure to point out that Mental Illness is real and requires professional help and there is no shame in seeking that help!  Fourth, I would suggest that there be resources for “strength.”  What I got from this article is that I am a “weak” person.  That is not true! Given what I have gone through and what I am currently dealing with, I am very strong! I am having to rely on my support system more than usual. But that’s what a support system is intended for. This article should have suggested the use of a support system and how to form one – friends, family, doctors, clergy, etc. Finally, I would suggest that the article be clear that all people go through “ups and downs” in life. This is normal and to be expected! If Jesus experienced it, why should we feel immune?

Self-help is a good and beneficial tool, but it is just that – a tool. When self-help is portrayed as an “absolute,” it becomes problematic. God put us in this world to be in community. We are to rely on one another and we are to rely on God. We have feelings. Yes, negative feelings can be destructive, but we still have them. We can’t just erase them. We can learn to deal with them, and we can learn to minimize their damage to our lives.  We can’t, however, always be a “strong” or “weak” person. We will always be on the sliding scale between the two. This is why we need God’s help and the help of our community and support system to help us in life’s journey.

Poem in Memory of the Rwandan Genocide

Where was God on those days defined by maniacal violence?

            I was being slaughtered by my neighbor

The political words of humans give false meaning to the worth of the death of a human

            War Genocide Murder Eradication Conquest

Dead is Dead

            Mourning is Mourning

Blessed are those who mourn the Savior said so many years ago

            But those words ring eternal today

The Savior Lives and so do the memories forever etched in the brains of the victims

            Victims of a people gone mad with the taste of blood

            Victims of an army gone mad with the taste of power

            All victims yearning that somewhere in the sea of death would be life

Lies do not bring life

            Lies are death - Lies are Babylon

Cry Weep Wail

            A voice is heard in Ramah – Rachel still weeps for her children

            Will she ever know solace? Will she ever know justice? Will she ever know peace?

Sing Songs of Praise

            These bones will live again

            They will join together to form a new body – a new hope

Resist the evil that is among us

            Do not give it power – Do not give it authority

Tell the truth

            Or the Truth will tell itself

Our God will not be mocked said the prophets of old

            Our God will not be mocked say the prophets of today