Dear Friends
This past weekend was a wonderful weekend for me, full of lovely experiences. First, I spent time with a much loved aunt in Durban. We reminisced and looked at old photos. She cooked and I ate.
Then, on Saturday night, I met all the elders of Berea and Stella Presbyterian Churches at the Durban Country Club where we shared a wonderful meal together. On Sunday morning, Berea held its 125th Anniversary service and I preached. The service was recorded for SAFM (to be broadcast on Sunday 27th February at 11am). Afterward, I was presented with a beautifully inscribed and framed picture of their Ascension widow commemorating the occasion. What a wonderful time spent together.
I boarded a plane destined for Jo’burg at 2 and arrived just after three. By 5pm, just about our whole Bible Study was parking outside the U2 Concert at Soccer City in Soweto. I like Bono (the lead singer) for two very good reasons: One, he’s a Presbyterian (I don’t care who disputes it but its true!) and Two, he is a brave man who speaks out against injustice and puts his money where his mouth is when it comes to the poor and marginalised of the world. And so, even if his songs are sometimes a bit loud for my conservative old Presbyterian ears (By the way, I think I’m the very first Moderator of the General Assembly to attend a U2 Concert while in office! How’s that?), I listen because he can change hearts. I also hope for a different world. Don’t you? Bono’s themes often overlap with the Christian story. Compare the following song to some of the Psalms of Lament (e.g. Psalm 90)
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| Rev William Pool, Mrs Lizette Pool, George & Edie Christian |
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| Bono and Madiba |
Heaven on Earth
We need it now
I'm sick of all of this
Hanging around
Sick of sorrow
Sick of pain
Sick of hearing again and again
That there's gonna be
Peace on Earth
Where I grew up
There weren't many trees
Where there was we'd tear them down
And use them on our enemies
They say that what you mock
Will surely overtake you
And you become a monster
So the monster will not break you
And it's already gone too far
Who said that if you go in hard
You won't get hurt
Jesus could you take the time
To throw a drowning man a line
Peace on Earth
Tell the ones who hear no sound
Whose sons are living in the ground
Peace on Earth
No who’s or whys
No-one cries like a mother cries
For peace on Earth
She never got to say goodbye
To see the colour in his eyes
Now he's in the dirt
That's peace on Earth
They're reading names out over the radio
All the folks the rest of us won't get to know
Sean and Julia, Gareth, Anne and Breda
Their lives are bigger, than any big idea
Jesus can you take the time
To throw a drowning man a line
Peace on Earth
To tell the ones who hear no sound
Whose sons are living in the ground
Peace on Earth
Jesus this song you wrote
The words are sticking in my throat
Peace on Earth
Hear it every Christmas time
But hope and history won't rhyme
So what's it worth?
This peace on Earth
Peace on Earth
Peace on Earth
Peace on Earth
There are hard words for us to hear. But they are no harder than the words spoken by the Psalmist as he cried out to God to come and bring peace to this old war torn world of ours. Bono inspires me to speak up and speak out. He makes me want to stand up for what I (we, all us Christians) believe. He makes me want to be a prophet, an activist, a brave speaker for Jesus and I hope you find moments of wanting to be that too.
Almost two weeks ago, President Zuma said (speaking in Zulu): “When you vote for the ANC, you are also choosing to go to heaven. When you don't vote for the ANC you should know that you are choosing that man who carries a fork, who cooks people. When you are carrying an ANC membership card, you are blessed. When you get up there, there are different cards used but when you have an ANC card, you will be let through to go to heaven.”
Three Presbyteries have written, asking the UPCSA to respond. The South African Council of Churches has responded as follows:
The President of the SACC, Bishop Jo Seoka, labelled the statement made by Pres Zuma as "blasphemous". "Equating a vote for the ANC with going to heaven is problematic. Adding that in heaven people are wearing the colours of the ANC only adds to the problem", warned Bishop Jo.
Seoka further reiterates that "in previous election campaigns we have called on all our political leaders to mind their tongues. What the South African electorate requires is assurances that their lives will be improved through service delivery, provision of jobs and security. Our government and political leaders must address the genuine and legitimate needs of poor people".
"We work on a daily basis with scores of people who are hungry, unemployed and homeless. These are our brothers and sisters in Christ who look at political leaders with great expectations" said Bishop Jo. "Offering heaven to these people while their suffering continues here on earth is escapist. We (as Church and government) are expected to transform the livelihoods of all (and especially the poor) for the better", he concludes
The SACC is mindful of the subsequent statement from Mr Jackson Mthembu as spokesperson of the ANC. Calling the statement a metaphor does not take away from its essence. Calling it a way of speaking does not help either. Instead it demonstrates the concern of the SACC that "political leaders and parties use unacceptable language" during election campaigns.
Mr Eddie Makue, the SACC General Secretary, indicates that approaches have been made to secure a meeting with Pres Zuma where this and other important concerns of the SACC will be discussed.
I don’t think anger is an appropriate response to this inappropriateness on the part of the President. Perhaps disappointment (without the paternalism that often accompanies that feeling) is what we should feel. It was not so long ago (2007) that the Honourable President was ordained a “pastor” by some Independent Church. As a fellow pastor, I would have hoped that he would be more careful with his words. It has the taste of cheap political tricks that one would think unbecoming of the President. I think the President should say sorry and retract the unfortunate statement so we can see that his office stands above party politics.
For what its worth – these are my own thoughts and not those of the UPCSA.
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