Poisonous Pens

There are many conflicting thoughts running around in my head today, so this blog may turn into three!

Over the past week I have, among other important happenings, received three scurrilous, long-winded messages on two WhatsApp groups, with, as always, Barack Husain Obama the huge, terrifying monster through whom our entire world is about to be destroyed.

These barbed missives always come with a plethora of Bible verses to support the author’s viewpoint, and to terrify the global Christian community into a frenzied outpouring of intercession. For what outcome? Donald Trump as the new President of the United States of America? Will this man stop abortion and homosexuality? Seriously? Because those seem to be the only two issues that this group of right-wing bigots can offer up as any sort of political fodder, unaware it would seem, that abortion has been around since conception began, as has homosexuality. Please don’t think that I condone these. I don’t. I just happen to think that more pressing social problems exist in the world like extreme poverty, children denied access to health and education, rhino poaching and the destruction of the world’s habitats are all hugely important issues in my book. But I quote those two because they are the issues that are touted so monotonously.

My bible is extraordinarily clear: we are to love all men, win them to Christ that not one be lost. Math 18:14; 1 Tim 2:4.

That includes Muslims. And blacks. And Hispanics. And Jews. And women. And gays. Everyone.

What saddens me, and yes, annoys me to distraction, is that the basis of these messages is always false, aimed at the un-initiated, who mindlessly send them on to numerous people and never think to check the veracity of what they are reading. Has every person who signed up to Obama-care received a chip, and thus received in themselves the 666 mark of the beast of Revelations? Did not the Bush administration moot the suggestion of a two-state solution to Palestine and Israel?

Not according to poisonous pens of these authors. Their statements are blatantly untrue, and easily ascertained as such. But still the mails do the rounds, and people waste time reading them, forwarding them, that could and should be spent on real issues. Even people of colour, who seem unaware of the innate racism that drives these people, are caught up in religious fervor associated with sending these messages on.

As I pondered these messages, a revelation dawned. These are not claptrap to be facilely discarded and scoffed at. These tracts have played a very real role in bringing Donald

Trump onto the world stage.

Reading Numbers 13:33 through all of chapter 14, we see graphically the result of the false report brought by 8 of the 10 spies who were sent to check out the promised land. Sadly there too, the majority were believed. When Joshua and Caleb averred, and stood for the truth they were threatened with being stoned. The result? An entire generation spent 40 years wandering in the Wilderness, until everyone one of them, with the exception of our two true men of faith, was no longer.

What all must have happened in the known world of that time as a giant and barbarous nation held sway? How many people in neighbouring countries died? What of the battles that ultimately had to be fought before the Israelites were able to claim what had been promised them half a century previously? And the sin of the Israelites that brought this about? they didn’t trust God. If we need to convince an world that one man is able to wreak so much havoc, what does that say of our faith in God?

My fear is the consequences today of a concerted effort by what at best can be described as right wing fascists, demented in the fear that anyone unlike them, especially if they happen to be black, might prove to be more worthy than they, will be a world sucked into chaos in a vortex of hate and irrational fear.

Christian, you need to examine yourself. You need to test your motives against the light of the perfect love and freedom we have through the sacrifice at Calvary. If you have taken any part in this campaign, passed on a message, not sought God’s will before acting on it, you need to get face down before your Maker in repentance. You need to seek forgiveness from Him and from those who may have been hurt by your action. Do it the same way you sent on the false hood, through email or Whatsapp, it doesn’t matter how, but you need to make it right!

Then ask your Father, who loved you enough to ensure your salvation, to fill you with that perfect love that drives out all fear.

If we are truly rooted and grounded in love, if we understand who we are in Christ, then our identity must be secure. And if we are confident of our standing, accepting of who we are, then we have no need to fear others. We can relate as equals, equal but different if you will, but as people who are able to accept others, respect their differences, and pray for all men according to the will of our Father in heaven.

There are many conflicting thoughts running around in my head today, so this blog may turn into three!

Over the past week I have, among other important happenings, received three scurrilous, long-winded messages on two WhatsApp groups, with, as always, Barack Husain Obama the huge, terrifying monster through whom our entire world is about to be destroyed.

These barbed missives always come with a plethora of Bible verses to support the author’s viewpoint, and to terrify the global Christian community into a frenzied outpouring of intercession. For what outcome? Donald Trump as the new President of the United States of America? Will this man stop abortion and homosexuality? Seriously? Because those seem to be the only two issues that this group of right-wing bigots can offer up as any sort of political fodder, unaware it would seem, that abortion has been around since conception began, as has homosexuality. Please don’t think that I condone these. I don’t. I just happen to think that more pressing social problems exist in the world like extreme poverty, children denied access to health and education, rhino poaching and the destruction of the world’s habitats are all hugely important issues in my book. But I quote those two because they are the issues that are touted so monotonously.

My bible is extraordinarily clear: we are to love all men, win them to Christ that not one be lost. Math 18:14; 1 Tim 2:4.

That includes Muslims. And blacks. And Hispanics. And Jews. And women. And gays. Everyone.

What saddens me, and yes, annoys me to distraction, is that the basis of these messages is always false, aimed at the un-initiated, who mindlessly send them on to numerous people and never think to check the veracity of what they are reading. Has every person who signed up to Obama-care received a chip, and thus received in themselves the 666 mark of the beast of Revelations? Did not the Bush administration moot the suggestion of a two-state solution to Palestine and Israel?

Not according to poisonous pens of these authors. Their statements are blatantly untrue, and easily ascertained as such. But still the mails do the rounds, and people waste time reading them, forwarding them, that could and should be spent on real issues. Even people of colour, who seem unaware of the innate racism that drives these people, are caught up in religious fervor associated with sending these messages on.

As I pondered these messages, a revelation dawned. These are not claptrap to be facilely discarded and scoffed at. These tracts have played a very real role in bringing Donald

Trump onto the world stage.

Reading Numbers 13:33 through all of chapter 14, we see graphically the result of the false report brought by 8 of the 10 spies who were sent to check out the promised land. Sadly there too, the majority were believed. When Joshua and Caleb averred, and stood for the truth they were threatened with being stoned. The result? An entire generation spent 40 years wandering in the Wilderness, until everyone one of them, with the exception of our two true men of faith, was no longer.

What all must have happened in the known world of that time as a giant and barbarous nation held sway? How many people in neighbouring countries died? What of the battles that ultimately had to be fought before the Israelites were able to claim what had been promised them half a century previously? And the sin of the Israelites that brought this about? they didn’t trust God. If we need to convince an world that one man is able to wreak so much havoc, what does that say of our faith in God?

My fear is the consequences today of a concerted effort by what at best can be described as right wing fascists, demented in the fear that anyone unlike them, especially if they happen to be black, might prove to be more worthy than they, will be a world sucked into chaos in a vortex of hate and irrational fear.

Christian, you need to examine yourself. You need to test your motives against the light of the perfect love and freedom we have through the sacrifice at Calvary. If you have taken any part in this campaign, passed on a message, not sought God’s will before acting on it, you need to get face down before your Maker in repentance. You need to seek forgiveness from Him and from those who may have been hurt by your action. Do it the same way you sent on the false hood, through email or Whatsapp, it doesn’t matter how, but you need to make it right!

Then ask your Father, who loved you enough to ensure your salvation, to fill you with that perfect love that drives out all fear.

If we are truly rooted and grounded in love, if we understand who we are in Christ, then our identity must be secure. And if we are confident of our standing, accepting of who we are, then we have no need to fear others. We can relate as equals, equal but different if you will, but as people who are able to accept others, respect their differences, and pray for all men according to the will of our Father in heaven.