Silent Servants...

Silent Servants...

... of the Used, Abused, and Utterly Screwed Up.

A Secular Franciscan looks at the world...
with a more jaundiced eye than ever...
and lots of ellipses for you to fill in the missing text...
(with thanks to Thomas S. Klise for the title)



Showing posts with label Africa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Africa. Show all posts

Saturday, August 03, 2013

A miracle?



Mystery Catholic nun: Bleeds from head, hands while prophesying: Pulls down evil shrines, trees

I'm not questioning the veracity of the claims as I know nothing of the individuals involved in this news story. I do wonder why the vast majority of instances of stigmata occur to women rather than men. I know, the first stigmatic that we know of was St. Francis, and the most famous is St. Padre Pio, but other than that, I don't know of any men. All the instances I read of are of women, often nuns. I'm just wondering, that's all...




People often don't reallize



that Africa was a country where Christianity was adopted very early.

Guardians of the Lost Ark

This is an interesting slideshow. I watched a program on television regarding this a long time ago and found it quite interesting.



Wednesday, January 04, 2012

So, if they've got the majority


they've got the power.

Nigeria: The fundamentalists’ ultimatum. The appeal of Bishop Ayau Kaigama


"The Islamic group Boko Haram has given Christians three days to leave the north of the country. A bishop: “There are secret forces that move them.”"
Even if they don't have a majority, how do you deal with a religion that solves disputes or exerts the power it does have at the end of a gun?


Monday, September 26, 2011

I guess things aren't all sunshine and light

in Africa, at the orphanage of this scary fellow...

'Machine Gun Preacher' Under Heavy Fire

"Sam Childers, subject of a new movie, is accused of neglecting children at his orphanage in South Sudan."

He's a controversial figures. What is the truth?



Monday, September 19, 2011

Two things

We need desperately to pray that hearts will be touched (both individuals and those in government) to do something to help these people, and we need to find charities that can, will and perhaps already are, helping, and give them some money with which to help these people. That's all we, as individuals, can do, it seems.

Famine hits Somalia in world less likely to intervene: Effort in 1990s to forcefully deliver humanitarian aid didn't succeed

The U.S. spends billions in anti-terror work (to protect themselves), but can't direct some of that money to supply food aid and to try to get the food aid to the right areas, past the Islamist murderers. Our world is so messed up. Just look at some photos of the starving people in Ethiopia...

I fear God's judgment, as I think it will be harsh. In today's world, these are our neighbours, and we're not feeding themw hen they're hungry...


Saturday, September 03, 2011

More of this, and in a very poor nation



Nigeria's growing 'prosperity' churches

Prosperity is an integral part of the Gospel? Jesus became poor so we wouldn't have to?

Oy,vey!




Friday, September 02, 2011

Dilemmas...





Zimbabwe: Tobacco Farming Stirs Debate in Religious Circles

What is the moral and ethical thing for them to do? I can see how it can be a difficult thing...




Wednesday, May 18, 2011

It seems that this is all they know

Nigerian Pastor’s Wife, Children among Christians Killed in Attack

These Islamist extremists only know how to act with violence and killing. It seems that they are so threatened in their faith that they have to kill everyone who doesn't believe as they do.

We have to pray for all these people.

Have mercy on the pastor and all his family, Lord.


Thursday, April 14, 2011

So,

"Those few evangelicals who do know who Gbagbo is think he’s a ruthless crook." do they? That would be except for Pat Robertson and some other Evangelicals, and the odd Mormon like Glenn Beck?

A Strongman Found Support in Prominent U.S. Conservatives

Is it that money speaks to money, or that prominent U.S. supporters on the right believe that democracy is irrelevant and that dictatorships are better for keeping the folks in their place?

You have to love those right-wing U.S. religious folks and pundits...


Monday, March 21, 2011

Another famous day

of sadness and infamy. March 21, 1960:

Sharpeville massacre

We never learn...

Requiescat in pacem.


Sunday, January 09, 2011

This is fascinating

Rastafari

The Beeb has some religion webpages, and these pages deal specifically with the Rastafari faith. It's always interested me, but I've never bothered to investigate their beliefs too closely. These pages offer a wealth of information, though do so on the basis of dated research and a lack of current published material. They acknowledge the dated nature of some of their information. It's really interesting...


Thursday, June 24, 2010

R.I.P. - Dr. Nico Smith

Reformed Christians Mourn Death of Nico Smith

A courageous man, making decisions that were difficult and risky and life-changing, for the love of God's people...

Rest in God's Peace, Dr. Smith.


Saturday, May 22, 2010

I keep waiting

to hear the voices of the Muslims, liberals and conservatives in our countries loudly screaming about the bigotry, prejudice and hypocrisy of these actions by Muslims and Islamists...

Shari’a court consents to destruction of churches in northern Nigeria

I wait in vain. But when someone wants to outlaw full face coverings in the interest of public safety in our own countries, both liberals and conservatives have loud and vigorous opinions. As does the Muslim community...


Tuesday, March 09, 2010

One of the really

lost tribes...

Lost Jewish tribe 'found in Zimbabwe'

The diaspora really sent people to far off places...



Monday, January 04, 2010

This whole story

makes me feel so badly about conditions in other countries that I either do nothing to help relieve or actually contribute to by my satisfaction with my life of comparative leisure...

Kenya slum electrician puts his life on the line

"A 'freelance' electrician risks getting jolted each time he's called out to fix problems in the area he services. His best friend died on the job."



Thursday, December 10, 2009

Mercy!

Priest and nun killed in ‘act of barbarism’ in Congo

Have mercy on them Lord, and may they rest in peace.

Will peace ever exist to stop these acts of violence and evil?






Wednesday, October 28, 2009