DRC - While the World Doesn't Pay Attention

It's a normal day in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  Hundreds of thousands (if not over a million) of civilians are homeless.  Why? Because war rages in villages and cities especially in the eastern part of the Congo. People are starving, a generation has never experienced peace, people die of highly preventable diseases such as cholera and other communicable diseases.  What does the world community do? Is the world community outraged? Is the world community speaking out? Not at all!

Sure, you may hear a voice here, and a voice there, but there is no unified condemnation that these innocent people have the right to live in peace.  The belligerents in the war claim they are fighting FOR these civilians. I have to ask, if you are fighting for someone, why are you taking the battle to them?

Then comes the sexual violence. And let me be clear - all sides of this conflict has guilt.  The "warriors" fighting "for the people" are now "raping" for the people? I don't get it either. It's sick. It's wrong. It's inexcusable. Of course, the world community would condemn this, right? Again, just lone voices speak out. The world still carries on.

So, who are these "warriors?" First of all, in Eastern Tradition, a warrior is a noble person who fights for self defense only. The purpose of fighting is not to destroy the enemy. The purpose is to neutralize attacks from the enemy. There are no warriors in the conflict in the DRC. There are only thugs. There are only greedy, bloodthirsty, murderous, thugs.

These thugs are hard to name. They change daily. Of course, there is the Army of the DRC (the FARDC). This is a highly undisciplined army. They are largely unpaid or highly underpaid for their service. Often soldiers from the army will defect to one of the militia groups.  There is also the FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda - in English). The FDLR is made up of those who fled Rwanda, the neighbor of the DRC, after the 1994 Rwandan Genocide. The FDLR contains those who were genocidaires (those who committed genocide) as well as those they have since recruited for

their cause.  Currently, they are allied with the Congolese Army (FARDC). Will this union be permanent? Who can say? If patterns are a sign of the future, nothing in
the DRC is permanent. Also allied with the FARDC is MONUSCO (the United Nations Fighting Force in the Congo). Oh, so we have the UN on the side of the people of the Congo. Things must be getting better, right? Wrong! MONUSCO (a French Acronym) began as a peace keeping force and failed miserably, but now they are a fighting force. This same group is also guilty of having members who have committed sexual violence to innocent civilians.

Who are these thugs fighting? Well, today they are fighting the M23 militia.  So, they must be the "good guys," right? Wrong! They are just like the same groups above. While they claim to have a "noble cause" in their insistence in competent governance in the DRC (something that is completely lacking under the leadership of President Joseph Kabila), M23 still terrorizes the innocent civilians.  Members of M23 also rape innocent civilians.  Members of M23 today may also be members of the Congolese army tomorrow, and vice versa.

What is also disturbing is that the DRC's neighbor, Rwanda, under the leadership of President Paul Kagame, provides support to M23. What support? Arms, ammunition, intelligence, training, etc. The world community knows this. This fact has been reported not once but twice to the United Nations. And again, the world has ignored those reports. Why? Because the world community puts the value of money over the value of humans. The world puts the value of power over the value of life.

That is the same reason Kagame can get away with all of his crimes and walk away politically unscathed. One of Kagame's advisors is Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. If Tony Blair says it's ok, then it must be so...right? Well, he convinced enough people to follow George W. Bush into war in Iraq based on faulty evidence and lies. Why shouldn't he lie now? The West cannot be wrong, can they...or should I say, "we," since I'm an American? We do have more money than the other nations. And money makes you right in this world. The West says Kagame is right, therefore he is. But he's not!

Is Kagame right when he threatens President Kikwete of Tanzania by saying he's going to wait for him and "hit" him? Is Kagame right when a small group of elderly Catholic protestors are arrested for inciting a riot when no riot (nor signs of a riot) occurred? Is Kagame right for keeping someone like his political rival Victore Ingabire imprisoned for "thought crimes?" What is a "though crime?" Is he a mind reader? I'd hate if he were my president and could read my mind! Is Kagame right when he says that all Hutus should apologize to all Tutsis for the 1994 Genocide (which evidence points to the very real possibility that Kagame, a Tutsi, started the Genocide which killed mostly his own tribe so he could come in as "hero")?  To further question, is Kagame right to demand that apology when he, himself, said there are no longer Hutus nor Tutsis, but only Rwandans? How can one non-existent group apologize to another non-existent group? Yeah, I don't get the logic either.

Why does the world ignore all of this? Because the DRC has what we want. The DRC has minerals that make up much of our technology. With war going on in the DRC, we can get our cell phones and computers cheaper than if the people there lived in peace and made a livable wage. To the world, money is more important than life. To people like Kagame, power is more important than people. This is idolatry. Plain and simple, this is idolatry. The value of "things" is more important than the value of people.

So, what should be done? First of all, the news media should report this! To even know this, I've had to "dig deep." The news outlets that do report on this are few and far between. Second of all, if these groups really do care about the people, they will either take their grievances and negotiate as long as it takes - lock themselves in a room and don't come out until an agreement is reached. They would let the people go to their homes and live. They would put their weapons down and talk no matter how much hatred is in their hearts. But, I don't think caring about civilians is their real care. Their care is power and money. Third, the world community needs to hold all of these groups and Kagame accountable. Their assets should be frozen. Kagame should not receive military aid from the world community. He should be named in the condemnation of his activities. Fourth, the United Nations should be a REAL peace keeping force with real rules of engagement. I do not advocate violence. I advocate protection of civilians. In November when M23 took over the Congolese city of Goma, MONUSCO stood by and watched. They gave lame excuses about the safety of the people, but in the end, they didn't do their job.  There are pictures of M23 walking within feet of MONUSCO tanks and armed soldiers.

Finally, what will happen with this article? Well, there are is a possibility of several responses. It may be completely ignored and I will receive no comments. Someone in Paul Kagame's "fan club" will say that I have no business being in their affairs. A Rwandan diplomat will find one tiny point that is either not clear or I may have inaccurate, and in his mind discredits the entire piece and will act like a broken record on that one point. A Rwandan Military Commander will "order" me to stay out of Rwandan issues. I may be called racist. I may be accused of genocide ideology or genocide denial (something I don't understand because I do NOT advocate violence of any kind, nor do I deny the Rwandan genocide). I may be told to take care of American issues, but again, these people don't know what I do outside of my blog posts, nor is it their business. Someone may call me naive (if they are kind). I may be told that I don't know what I'm talking about.

Fear not - I'm used to this. I don't write for my own fame. I do this to bring attention to those who are suffering. Attack my character if you must. But, there is nothing in here that is untrue.

Rachel Weeps: Trayvon, Racism, and Moving Forward

 

Rachel Weeps for her children because they are no more...

On July 13, 2013, my wife and I celebrated our 11^th Anniversary a week late. Grandma came to visit our children and to watch them so that we could have a “date night.” We haven’t had one of those in quite a while! We had a great night. We went out to dinner, went shopping, and hung out at a bookstore. All in all, we had a very enjoyable evening.

George Zimmerman

My enjoyment came to a quick and abrupt halt at about 11PM when we got home. I turned on the TV to see if there were any headlines about the Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman Jury Deliberations – I had assumed they would have been on break, but I wanted to make sure. Suddenly I heard the words “Zimmerman found ‘not guilty.’”

Trayvon Martin

It’s hard for me to explain my feelings at that point. Was I angry? Was I sad? Was I surprised? Was I in shock? I don’t know. I literally couldn’t process my own feelings. I began to pray. It was a sorry excuse for prayer. But the following Scripture came to me as clear as day. And God spoke to me that the sermon that I had written and prepared was not the one to preach the next day. I was to preach on this text, and oh yeah, I was to do it “off the cuff.” No preparation – Just relying on the Holy Spirit to lead me.

Jeremiah 31:15-17

New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

15 

Thus says the Lord: A voice is heard in Ramah, 
 lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.

16 

Thus says the Lord: Keep your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; for there is a reward for your work, says the Lord: they shall come back from the land of the enemy;

17 

There is hope for your future, says the Lord: your children shall come back to their own country.

Some Notes Before Beginning:

·      I am a white male. I cannot and will not apologize for that. As a human I was created in the image of God just like every other human of every other skin color and every other gender.

·      Some will say that as a white male, I have nothing to say on this subject. I believe all voices should be heard if there is to be justice. If you disagree, that is your choice. But again, I refer to my first point – we were all created in God’s image – All of us!

·      Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman put faces to a larger societal issue. While I may address them by name, we cannot forget the systematic pitfalls of our justice system, social system, government, and other systems that keep certain victims of all races and genders nameless and faceless every day. This particular case speaks for the whole of American society’s issues when it deals with race.

·      I acknowledge that there are other cases where white people (and people of other races) have been victims of biased or unfair legal practices. I attended a heart-wrenching interview where a white male was on death row for 17 years for a murder he did not commit. He was finally proven innocent. But, with all writing, it is impossible to address every issue in one article. The injustice upon that man was horrible and sinful and based upon a lie by police. That however is not the purpose of this article.

Main Points: “Principalities and Powers”

The Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman murder trial was deeply flawed from the night the incident occurred until the jury made its final decision. Rather than relying on the rule of law, there were too many incidents of racial profiling, racial stereotyping, and the victimization of a minor who was essentially convicted with his own murder. 

Theologically speaking, there was no attempt to “love your neighbor as yourself.” Faith was put in the “power of the gun” and the “idolatry of power” over the Power of God. Assumptions were made because people from the night of the incident until the night of the jury verdict forgot that all people are created in the image of God.

I will make no attempt to analyze this legally according to the American legal system. The system has spoken. We must remember that this system and all systems of the world are beholden not to God but that they belong to the “principalities…powers,…the rulers of the darkness of this world…spiritual wickedness in high places (Ephesians 6:12 KJV).”

In the words of Jesus Christ in the Gospel of John, Jesus describes in a very familiar passage to most Christians the road to salvation: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him (John 3:16-17).” Many readers of this Scripture stop at this point, but if you continue reading, while this does encompass individual belief, it is not only about individual belief.

This passage follows John’s themes of “light” and “darkness” (good and evil).  We see this in the following verses: And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. “For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God (John 3:20-21).”

What this means is that Jesus is the savior not only of individual believers, but also of sinful institutions, or using the Ephesians language – the Principalities and Powers.

In order to hope for reform of our Justice system (or any other system), we cannot leave Jesus out. We must be careful which Jesus we allow to reform our systems. “Which Jesus?” As any Christian can tell you, Christ is preached differently in many places. We need to return to the Biblical Jesus as known to the Church in tradition for the past 2000+ years. We need to return to the Jesus who preached the “Sermon on the Mount” and meant every word that he spoke. We need to return to the Jesus who lived, taught, was crucified, died, was buried, defeated the ultimate enemy – death, and ascended into heaven.

Only then can we hope for true reform.

Racism – Profiling – And Loving Your Neighbor

The Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman case exposed a pervasive problem that is ongoing in the United States, and I assume that it exists in other nations as well, though maybe delineated by different racial or class barriers.  As much as some want to say that there is no racism, or that it exists only in small pockets in the US, that statement in itself is a racist statement. That statement takes the real feelings and real grievances of a people – our neighbors (our neighbors, no matter what race they are) – and discredits their self-understanding, history, and present realities as figments of their own imagination.  To discredit their belief that they are victims of racism, people will often give the victims an outlier non-racist example or a reverse-racist example. 

Few will disagree that there are people in all race categories who are not racist. Few will disagree that reverse-racism exists (I define reverse-racism as when the minority races, or historically victim of racism races use the same tactics to victimize a non-oppressive victim of another majority race or of a race that is associated with being racist. The victim, however, is by and large innocent of oppression).

The problem with these examples are that a). They are not helpful to the overall dialogue in ending racism, b). They are most often used to defend a position that further dialogue is not needed by implying that while racism may exist in isolated cases, it is not a pervasive problem (a false claim), and c). They are outliers – they are exceptions to the rule – Yes, they exist, but they are not the norm. In cases where they may be the norm, they are often used in ways that fail to take data and statistics and other scientific and psychological standards into account.

For example: Let me elaborate on point c). When a Black person is accused of a crime, before his/her trial, some in the public often cite statistical facts that urban Blacks are more likely to commit crimes than urban Whites.  This fails to take into consideration several factors: First – the demographics of urban areas, Second – the lack of meaningful job opportunities for Blacks in urban contexts, and Third – the systematic housing system that puts people of poverty in “out of the way” and sub-standard housing, thus creating a generational disease of poverty not only in money but also in mind and spirit and hope.

Interpreting the Scripture from Jeremiah 31 cited above, racism in the United States (and for the remainder of this article, I will focus solely on the United States) is the root cause that causes mothers (and fathers) to weep because their “children are no more.”  Racism kills. Racism denies. Racism stops certain people created in the image of God from reaching their fullest potential.

While Trayvon Martin was killed literally by the gun of George Zimmerman, it was racism that was the initial cause of his death. Racism causes people to profile. Profiling is assuming that because someone looks different, he/she is more likely to commit a crime. Profiling is sinful because to our Creator we all have the same image – the Creators image. Christians are called to love our neighbor as ourselves (I will repeat these two Biblical statements frequently because they are fundamental to this issue). Simply put, while we do all look different, that is to be seen as part of the diversity of Creation, not as a curse – it is a blessing.  In Genesis 1, after each day of Creation, God said either “It is good,” or “It is very good.”

We do, however live in a fallen world. We cannot deny that. Sin surrounds us. Even the most devout Christian is a sinner. That however does not negate that God’s Creation is still good. What we have done to God’s Creation is NOT good, but Creation itself is good. Humans are sinners, but the Created Human (the material Human) is good.

When we profile and assume the worst in someone before we see them do anything wrong, we are sinning. When we judge someone based on their race, their clothing, their hair, their looks, and such, we are profiling. It is completely impossible to know the content of one’s character without knowing the person!

That means that we must accept people of different races and people with other differences as equals.  How many times did Jesus (a Jew) go into the land of Samaria (enemies of the Jews in Judea, but yet worshippers of the same God – Yes, this is a very simplistic explanation of a Samaritan). Of course, Jesus was profiled, but he did not profile. In fact, Jesus made a Samaritan the hero of his “Parable of the Good Samaritan.” The very parable of being a neighbor uses the enemy of the person asking, “Who is my neighbor?” to be the neighbor.  That is radical acceptance!

The Martin/Zimmerman Trial put faces to a pervasive problem of NOT being neighbors. Though Martin and Zimmerman are not unique examples, they were thrust into the public eye and demonstrated it for us. This behavior happens every day. People are profiled because of race, social class, appearance, and so forth. Negative assumptions are made because of these factors before a person is even known. Christians must call this what it is – Sin.

Rachel’s Children

Returning to the Jeremiah Scripture with which I began, Rachel is weeping because her children are no more. They are gone. They are dead. Ironically, this passage comes in the midst of a chapter of celebration as Israel’s exiles in Babylon celebrate that they will return home after 70 years of being hostages.

Rachel is the “Mother of the Jews” and by virtue, the “Grandmother of Christians” (if we metaphorically understand Mary, the mother of Jesus to be the “Mother of Christians”).  Rachel weeps because of what has happened to her children. Mothers and Grandmothers and Fathers and Grandfathers and all Family weep because death takes away their children. Death takes many forms. Death can be actual death – heart stopping, lung stopping death. Death can also be found on either end of hatred. One cannot be fully alive if one hates or is the victim of oppressive hatred.  Sin is death. If one sins, one cannot fully live. Rachel is weeping and she refuses to be comforted. There is no comfort when injustice, death, and sin prevail and remain strong.

God, through Jeremiah says that the enemy does not have the last word! There is hope! With God there is always hope! Maybe I should rephrase that and say there is promise of redemption! With God there is promise! There is reward for our work – the work is tough, but there is a reward, and our children will come back! God has promised!

So, do not stand idly by and say that racism and profiling are too tough to combat! When naysayers attack, it is but a bump in the road. When people say that the job is too hard and can’t be won, remember we do not fight alone! We are merely the instruments – God is the one who does the work!  The road to peace and love across the racial divide will be difficult, but there are bridges being made. There have been bridges built already. Those bridges will turn into roads, and those roads will turn into permanent land.

I can speak from personal experience. I have personal friends across the racial divide. We have had much different experiences and continue to have them, but when we are together, it is not white and black together, it is friends (who happen to be white and black). Friendship defines us.

We can all make small steps, and those small steps are important, but we must all work to make the large steps in making our communities and nation abhor racism. We must all work together, not out of fear or guilt, but out of love of neighbor, to make us all one.  We are all one in God’s eyes – Let it be so in our own eyes!

The Rwandan Patriotic Front - Raising the Dead!

Apparently, aside from being the savior of Rwanda, Africa's greatest leader, the only world leader who gets a day in his nation's honor held in a foreign nation each year, Rwanda's President Paul Kagame is also a miracle worker.  He and his Rwandan Patriotic Front have conquered the powers of death itself to resurrect Richard G. Johnson, a former Eastern European Specialist within the United States Foreign Service to author a 55 page report entitled The Travesty of Human Rights Watch on Rwanda. This "report" was written two years AFTER Richard G. Johnson's death.

For the full story see this link: http://www.theproxylake.com/2013/06/rwanda-attack-on-human-right-watch-dirty-tactics/

I firmly believe that we can take this "resurrection" as foul play on the part of the RPF. There was no miracle. This is more of the same from Dictator and Regional Bully Paul Kagame; the same leader who openly threatened the President of Tanzania President Kikwete that he [Kagame] would wait for him [Kikwete] and at the right place, hit him. What was President Kikwete's crime? He was suggesting the very thing that Kagame was suggesting.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Kagame is suggesting that the DRC Government negotiate with Rwandan Government backed illegal militia M23. This militia has been condemned by the United Nations. President Kikwete suggested that Kagame negotiate with another rebel militia operating mainly within the DRC, the FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda), a militia made up of some of the former genocidaires (those who took part in committing genocide in Rwanda in 1994) and those they have recruited in the past 20 years. Kikwete was suggesting that negotiation happen so that true reconciliation and peace in the Great Lakes Region can happen. Instead of doing what he himself is dictating to others, Kagame openly threatened Kikwete.

It is not surprising that Kagame is not facing any international consequences for sponsoring M23 or for threatening President Kikwete. He is, after all "Africa's Golden Child" of the West. Kagame was trained by the United States when he was a member of the Ugandan forces, and he is staunchly backed by former US President Bill Clinton and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. He is, in all essence, a creation of the West to do the dirty work that the West does not want to do themselves. Therefore, his threats and bullying tactics are overlooked by the international community because the international powerhouses, namely the United States and the United Kingdom will not tarnish their own names by soiling Kagame's name.

Kagame's backers openly threaten and bully those who expose the truth. Activists are constantly harassed and intimidated. Members of Kagame's Government are active on social media sites and openly harass and insult those who disagree and expose Kagames crimes. Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations from Rwanda Oliver Nduhungirehe doesn't just engage in debates on Twitter, but he bullies and harasses, and comes dangerously close to threatening others in these debates. Rwandan Minister of Defense James Kabarebe has done the same. He has "ordered" me to "stop any further discussion on Rwanda!" (direct quote from a Tweet on June 6, 2013) as if he holds any authority over me. There are also lesser known Kagame supporters who engage in the same behaviors.

All of this would be of little consequence if there weren't already at least 6 million dead because of Kagame. His actions sparked the First and Second Congo Wars. His actions still create displaced persons within the DRC. His actions still cause unnecessary death due to starvation, exposure, disease, and war.

While Kagame may be able to "resurrect the dead" to write a slanderous report to accuse the humanitarian organization Human Rights Watch of bias against him and his government the RPF, Kagame cannot bring back to life those whose deaths he has caused and is causing. All signs point to the fact that Kagame is not going to stop his reign of terror. The United Nations will do nothing. They will do nothing until the citizens of the world do something. The citizens of the world must demand that their governments stand up to this bully. The citizens of the world must demand that Kagame be contained and held accountable for his crimes. His crimes are not all in the past - He continues to carry out those crimes both within and outside of his nation's borders each and every day.

One Church

In this day of churches competing for membership, and churches trying to find the best way to reach those who don’t regularly attend church, debates often rise among clergy as to what the most effective outreach method is.  When such debates arise, an outsider would be hard pressed to realize that Bible Believing Churches worship the same God, made known through Jesus Christ who brought salvation to all who believe, and the Holy Spirit who convicts us to come to faith and remain faithful.  It seems our differences overpower our unity.

It is also said that 11 AM on Sunday morning is the most segregated hour of the week.  Racial groups are separated during the worship of the God of all of us who created all of us in the Image of God.  At one point in our American History this was due to overt racism where the blacks were not welcome to worship with whites.  Obviously, this was unbiblical, unethical, and sinful.  In modern day, because of this initial segregation, various races have developed different worship traditions.  While it would be wrong to say that racism does not exist, we have come a long way.  We still have a long way to go.  But when it comes to worshiping the same God, we stand unified more often than we are divided though our traditions of worship remain different. Add to that mix the various other traditions that have come to the United states over the years including the Latino population, and other populations including (but not limited to) Korean Christians, African Christians, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Roman Catholics and so on.  Each group worships the same God but does so in their own unique way.

Tonight, June 30, 2013, something special happened in a small town in North Carolina.  Liberty, NC is a very small town. But a miracle happened here. The Spirit of God descended upon the churches of Liberty and led us to realize that though we worship in different buildings, we serve the same God.  Though we worship in different traditions, our goals are the same. Though we are of different races and ages, God has called all of us to a deeper relationship and to serve God with our lives.

Tonight, June 30, 2013, the various churches of Liberty gathered at the Church of God of Prophecy to worship in music together and celebrate our unity in an event called “One Church Singing” sponsored by the Liberty Association of Churches.  For about 2 hours, there were no traditions. There were no races. There was just one church and Jesus, our Savior!

As a parent, I was humbled as my 6-year-old son played “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee” on his violin to praise God to open the service. As a pastor, I don’t get to use my prior training as a musician very often, but my wife (a musician as well) and I played some songs.  We then sat back and sang along as other churches shared music praising God.  The music was joyful, the music praised God, but the miracle was that everyone in that room (I would estimate there were at least 100 people if not more), realized we were ONE Church worshipping ONE God!

As a group, we laughed, we clapped, we sang, we shed some tears, but most importantly, we worshipped.  Those things that divide us – denominations, race, gender, age – became unimportant.  We were truly One Church!

As the music continued, my daughter who just turned four was caught up in the joy and danced.  Maybe now she doesn’t realize what caused her to dance, but I’m convinced the Holy Spirit had a hand in her dancing! Yes, she is an active child, and she does at times dance to music, but this was unlike anything I’ve seen before.  The Holy Spirit was at work!

My prayer for any town or city is that all churches realize that we are all ONE church! We worship differently, but we serve the same God. Tonight, Liberty realized that, and I pray this is just the beginning of our growth into God’s plan.

The pastors and people in the pews may change, but God will always remain the same!

Paul Kagame - the Neo-Colonialist

When Westerners write on African issues, it is morally and ethically imperative that we remember the Colonial past that our ancestors wrought upon the African continent.  Explorers came, natural resources were discovered, and then all hell broke loose.  The power of the gun won over the power of peace.  The Colonizers claimed ownership of the African land and people.  Missionaries were sent to Africa. While some missionaries had very good intentions, they were still part of the oppressive system of enslaving the people and exploiting the land. This very brief introduction is an understatement of Colonialism and its horrors. I invite all readers to research Colonialism to see the depths of the evils it brought to the African Continent. 

In modern day, when Westerners write on African issues, we are often labeled as “Neo-Colonialists.”  That is, our detractors call us the new breed of Colonialists.  In some cases, that very well may be the case. I will not rule that out.  But in others, just because a Westerner discusses a fact on an African issue, that does not make him or her a Colonialist.  The Pro-Kagame faction of Rwanda is very good at throwing the term “Neo-Colonialist” at anyone who points out flaws within the Rwandan Governmental system and its Human Rights abuses both within and outside the Rwandan Borders.  However, if we closely examine the President Paul Kagame, we see that it is he, and not his detractors, who have sold out to Colonialism.  It is he who has made Rwanda a puppet state of the West. It is he, for the sheer pleasure of elevating his own ego that has made the façade that is Post-Genocide Rwanda.  Rather than bring reconciliation and doing the hard work, Kagame has come in as dictator and wrought fear among his citizens much as any Colonial power did curing the Colonial days of old.

Where did this once refugee get the power to lead a rebel army to overtake a nation?  Paul Kagame was a refugee in Uganda, and while forming his Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), he was somehow brought to the United States and trained at Fort Leavenworth.  This is a military base where top United States Generals are trained.  The average soldier does NOT train at Fort Leavenworth.  Had Kagame not “sold out” to the West in the 1990’s, would he have been allowed to train there?  I would posit that this is where he officially became the puppet of the United States Government.  Despite all of his rhetoric against the West and against the United States and against Whites, Kagame owes his beginnings and all he has to the training he received to the United States.  Did he not see that the US was not interested in him, but rather in what he could accomplish for the US? I will leave that question and answer up to the reader.

When Kagame began his civil war against the Rwandan Government before the Rwandan Genocide, where did he get the weapons?  There are no weapons factories in Rwanda or Uganda.  He either had to obtain them illegally or he had to again make a deal with a more powerful nation, thus again making himself their puppet.  Nations do not just “give away” weapons to anyone who wants them.  There are stipulations involved.  Kagame would have had to pledge some sort of loyalty to whomever gave him the weapons.  Again, Kagame “sold out.”

Victors have the pleasure of writing the history books.  As it turns out, Kagame was able to overtake Rwanda after the Genocide of 1994.  He place all blame on the Hutu Tribe and eventually named the Genocide the “Genocide of the Tutsis.”  This implies that the Hutus were responsible for massacring the Tutsis.  Of course this is partially true.  But, Hutus were also massacred.  Since Kagame was the victor, he re-wrote the history and made Hutus into the evildoers and Tutsis into the victims.  This is a sad state of being because in reality, ALL tribes in Rwanda suffered, and all should be recognized.  However, Kagame, in his now Quasi-Colonial Leadership Role is able to dictate history because the West has other plans for him.

Kagame and his henchmen began two of the bloodiest wars that this planet has ever seen, and some of the least reported wars.  Again, this is a result of the Western Colonialism that Kagame brought into Africa.  Yes, in the West, we saw images of the Congo Wars as Kagame’s armies slaughtered entire refugee camps in the hopes that some of the genocidaires (those who committed Genocide) were there.  But, the Western governments did nothing to stop him.  Even after an official death toll of 6 Million, the West has yet to formally censure Kagame with even just words.  Their tacit support just shows who the Colonial power is in Africa.

Why would the West stay quiet while Kagame slaughters 6 million souls (and probably more – 10 million is probably a closer estimate)?  The answer comes down to money and greed.  The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) (once called Zaire in the First Congo War) is hugely rich with mineral resources.  Kagame’s exploitation and incursions only allow the West cheaper access into these minerals which help to power computers, cell phones, and such.  Kagame, as puppet of the West, again, is acting as a Colonial power.

As the world became aware of overt military operations, and as they got more and more questionable, Kagame was forced to be more secretive.  He obviously cares nothing about suffering or loss of human life, and therefore he began to create militias to make incursions into the DRC – the latest being the M23 Militia.  The Group of Experts of the United Nations has provided a report that directly links M23 to Kagame’s government, though he denies this as an elaborate conspiracy theory.  While conspiracies do happen from time to time, I will just be blunt here and say that Rwanda is just not that large or important to international politics to have such a charge placed upon it for no reason.  Kagame will have to come up with a better “explanation.”

An anonymous source within Rwanda confirmed that active recruitment is happening for M23 within Rwandan borders from the Rwandan Government.  Some of the 16 Students who recently fled Rwanda and are seeking Asylum for fear of their lives included the fact that they were being forced to join M23. 

While the United Nations knows about M23 and Rwanda’s involvement, and more importantly Kagame’s involvement, why is nothing being done? Yes, small economic sanctions have happened here and there, but nothing of substance has happened.  I would posit that nothing of substance is happening because Kagame is a Colonial Power of the West! Yes, President Barack Obama is on record for having called President Kagame and telling him to stop supporting M23, but that is the most forceful action to date.

Western diplomats and celebrities and institutions continue to tout Kagame although there is no doubt about the horrors of his human rights record.  Tony Blair, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is an advisor to Kagame and one of Kagame’s biggest supporters.  Why would a former Prime Minister of one of the most powerful nations in the world defend the President of Rwanda (a tiny nation that on its own would have little significance)? The answer must be that the UK is supporting Rwanda to do its “dirty work” in Africa.  Rwanda is doing the work that the UK does not want to do.  In other words, Kagame has turned Rwanda into a Colonial outpost for the UK.

American Mega-Church Preacher Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life, has become intimately involved in Rwanda and with Kagame.  While I can find no fault with his missionary work and work in helping to prevent disease, I find it disturbing that he thinks so highly of Kagame.  Does he not know of Kagame’s record? I find that doubtful! Is he receiving “blood diamonds” or some other pay off? As a pastor myself, I would hope to be able to say, “no” to that question.  I will refrain from trying to know Pastor Warren’s motives when it comes to Kagame, but I would call upon him to read the evidence against him and listen to those who have suffered Kagame’s tyranny.

The Pro-Kagame lobby is vicious in their attacks against those who disagree with them.  They blindly accept the “truth” as presented by Kagame.  No matter what evidence is placed before them, they will vehemently deny it and call the presenter a liar and worse.  Their main attack lately has been to call all non-Africans, “Neo-Colonialists.”  It is my hope that I have presented a case whereby the reader will see that it is not those who point out President Kagame’s faults who are the Neo-Colonialists, but rather it is Kagame himself who has sold out to Neo-Colonialism.

I should also be clear that while Kagame touts that the world is against Rwanda, nothing is further from the truth.  The world supports the Rwandan people! The world wants to see the Rwandan people thrive! The world wants the Rwandan people to TRULY come out of the shadow of the Genocide of 1994 and become a united people and a great nation.  Speaking for myself, I do not seek a violent end to Kagame.  I only seek that he turns to peaceful ways and the rule of law.  I seek that he stops this manipulation of his own people and of the world and begins to live as a citizen of the world in harmony with his neighbors.  I seek that he hold fair and free elections.  I seek that he stops ruling by fear and rules by good governance.  

Who Do You Follow? What Will You Do?

Psalm 146

New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!

2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God all my life long.

3 Do not put your trust in princes, in mortals, in whom there is no help.

4 When their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that very day their plans perish.

5 Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God,

6 who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever;

7 who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry.

The Lord sets the prisoners free;

8 the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous.

9 The Lord watches over the strangers; he upholds the orphan and the widow, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

10 The Lord will reign forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the Lord!

*Definition:  In this sermon, I will use the term "world." By Wold, I am NOT using the Old Testament definition of God's good creation.  I Am using the New Testament definition of the sinful forces that take form in God's creation that act against the will of God.

When you read John 3:16 "For God so loved the WORLD that He gave his only begotten son..." That means that God EVEN loves the unlovable. That is why God sent Christ into the world! That ANYONE who comes to faith has a place in the Kingdom of God!

“Where is Your Trust? What will You Do?”

Much of what this sermon says is not easy to hear (or read), but it is a message that needs to be heard (or read).  It is a message about faithfulness...The faithfulness of God and our response to that faithfulness.

Some Christians cry that Christianity is being persecuted in the USA. They may have a point - I've never met a holiday that uses a "Holiday Tree" except for Christmas, in that case, why wouldn't we call it a Christmas tree.  This may not be the best example because it seems trivial in comparison to severe persecutions where people are chastised and even disowned for coming to the Christian faith.  That, however is not limited to America. That happens all over the world.  

    Compared to the sufferings of other areas of this world, the persecution of Christianity in America is little more than a flesh wound.

·    Few if any people in the US are killed for being Christian, and it is not done on a systematic basis.  In other nations, that is not the case.

o  In Saudi Arabia if you convert from Muslim to Christianity, you can be killed

§  I am NOT saying there are not Good and Peaceful Muslims in the world who recognize our common Abrahamic roots.  I AM saying that in Saudi Arabia that persecution is the case.

o  In Israel, Palestinian Christians are looked down upon.  The first Christians ever were the Palestinian Christians. In the Book of Acts, the first converts were inhabiting the land now called Israel and Palestine.

*  Not all Palestinians are Muslim and yet the land and lives of ALL Palestinians are always in danger by the Israeli Government.

§  That is not to say that all Jewish people or Israeli People are anti-Christian – just in that particular case, they lump Palestinians into 1 group for security risk case, and many well meaning and peaceful individuals get hurt in the process.

Instead, in the USA, we tend to focus on how our individual rights are violated and some people attribute it to a “War Against Christianity”

·     

     It may be that individual rights are violated, but Christianity was never about Individual Rights.

·      In God’s Eyes, we don’t have “rights.” According to God, we don't have the "right" to "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." Instead, we have abundant gifts that only God Gives.

·     

   Biblically, God’s promises are to communities of believers. In the Old Testament, God's promises are made to the community of Israel.  In the New Testament, the promises are made to all believers. Only in very specific cases does God make promises to individuals who carry out a special role, such as the prophets.

Americans are good at turning Christianity into a political party – Both Democrats and Republicans do this equally well – Not one party is innocent, nor is one party completely guilty.  The truth of the matter is that  God is NOT a Republican or a Democrat, and our Faith should always come before our Party affiliation.

As the Psalm says – Don’t put your trust in Mortals/Princes/Political Figures – When their breath departs (or when their term ends), so do their ideas – BUT, God’s plan will never die!  Look at all the presidents we've had - How many have kept all of their promises.  I can think of a whopping "0." But yet, people put their faith in politicians. And if actions speak for belief, one would think that many people have more faith in their earthly leaders than in God.

Faith in God is contrary to what the world tells us:

·      * God tells us to put self interest second to communal interest (What is best for God’s Reign vs. What is best for me?).  When we make decisions, we make decisions for the common good, not just what is individually good for "me."  We have to ask ourselves, "how does this choice advance or hinder God's plan?" 

·  *We may have to endure a hardship that we can bear so that others will benefit.  Feeding the homeless is not convenient.  We leave the comfort of our own homes, but yet we are answering a call from God. Ministering to prisoners can be scary, but some are called to that ministry.  Most prisoners will be released, and if we can get them to know Christ, when they become our literal neighbor, all of us benefit.

·   *We are charged to speak the truth in love to people who are unlovable. There are A LOT of unlovable people out there! We are to love everyone - even the unlovable.  That in itself is a task because we all know someone who is difficult if not impossible to love.  But as Christians, we are called to speak the truth IN LOVE to them.

·      Most of all, we are charged to get out of our church pews and DO SOMETHING. If we don’t, we are practical atheists - people who say we believe in God but do nothing about it - and a waste to God’s Kingdom.

o  To find what you are called to do, you MUST approach God in prayer and discernment. God will answer, but you must pray and be willing to listen.  God will lead you on paths you've never expected.  God may keep your call the same, or it may change. God works differently for different people.

Little of what I said is popular, but God is not popular. God is necessary.  But, how can we expect the world to know about God if we don’t tell them? We can’t approach 2013 problems with a 1950 attitude.  Things will not go back to the way they were…ever.

·      We can help others realize God’s necessity one person or one group at a time, but that only comes through engagement. So, do you go to church to be fed? Or are you going to be nourished so you can do something for God?