[Andyman_1970]

Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh it’s finally Friday and the PD is a buzz with activity – my favorite kind of Friday.

Anyway, I was watching the news, which is somewhat odd for me as I tend to purposely stay “disconnected” from newsy things, and I saw a piece about what’s going on in Niger, with the like 2+ million children that are in danger of starving to death.

I was watching that an some thoughts occurred to me:

First, since I’ve become a father, stuff like this has an impact on me that I cannot even begin to explain, way more than before I had a child.

Second, many on the “far right” who claim to be Christians tout that the US is a Christian nation, founded on Christian ideas and morals. Ok so riddle me this, why would a Christian nation that has the resources to effectively stop this disaster in Africa not do so (as it appears we are doing very little). I mean if we are a Christian nation, the Bible is crystal clear on the responsibility of those who have to care for the needs of those who don’t have – the only instance of Jesus telling a story of a person in an actual Hell has to do with a rich dude who didn’t care for the leper that lived outside his house – he was in Hell because he didn’t take care of the leper.

I’m not bashing on Christianity or anything, an I sure don’t want to be known as a deconstructionist – but if we’re going to openly claim to be a Christian nation, then we have a responsibility to act on those things Jesus teaches us to act on.

Anyway, that’s my Friday rant as it were……………………..

 

[Silver]

I think this cartoon answers your question:

http://www.buzzflash.com/contributors/03/09/17_franken.html

 

[reflux]

How much oil is in Africa?


Andy, do you think Bush is genuine in his religious beliefs? I honestly don't know.

 

[valve bouncer]

I think this cartoon answers your question:

http://www.buzzflash.com/contributors/03/09/17_franken.html

Nice one Silver
To Andy- I don't think it really has anything to do with Christians perse, it's a human issue. Whatever the rich countries can do to alleviate this situation must be done with the greatest possible haste.
I guess in one small way things are getting better. 10 years this wouldn't have even got to our attention. Africa seems to be getting more of our attention recently. The challenge is to convert this attention to real results for people suffering horrendously.

 

[Andyman_1970]

I think this cartoon answers your question:

http://www.buzzflash.com/contributors/03/09/17_franken.html

The funny/ironic/sad thing is that is not too far off from the whole "Word of Faith" thing that many Pentacostals/Charismatics believe............

 

[Andyman_1970]

Andy, do you think Bush is genuine in his religious beliefs? I honestly don't know.

It's not my place to judge others, GWB's relationship with God is just that, between him and God I can't speak to the reality or lack of reality with regards to that relationship.

However, I will say I cannot see how either political side, but since the Rep's are currently holding the banner of "Jesus" high I'll comment on them, has advanced the cause of Jesus in their policies.

 

[N8 v2.0]

Did the UN ever decide if there was genocide in the Sudan yet???

 

[DRB]

Did the UN ever decide if there was genocide in the Sudan yet???

No it just had a cold.

 

[Andyman_1970]

To Andy- I don't think it really has anything to do with Christians perse, it's a human issue. Whatever the rich countries can do to alleviate this situation must be done with the greatest possible haste.

If we claim to be a Christian nation, then it does have something do with with Christians. Jesus teaches that we have a responsiblity to take care of others in need, He goes as far to say that if you don't take care of the poor you ignore Jesus.

The problem is I see no Christians responding, not even our country that is currently touted by the far right as "Christian". As Christians we have a responsiblity to help those in need, and if we're not, then are we really a Christian nation? The problem I think stems from being a follower of Jesus being boiled down to some stuff you agree with intellectually rather than the dominate reality of how a person lives day to day (which is what the Bible teaches).

Again, I don't want this to be a Christian bashing parade, but if the far right Christians in this country are going to continue to claim that the US is some sort of supernaturally God ordained Christian nation, then by golly lets start doing things as Jesus would do them.

 

[Andyman_1970]

Did the UN ever decide if there was genocide in the Sudan yet???

I could care less what the UN thinks or classifies something as, why can't we as a country respond to something like this, we have the capability to and rapidly I might add.