Tuesday, November 13th, 2007
Today the New Zealand Parliament voted in amendments to the terrorism suppression laws, allowing the government to designate terrorist organisations and creating a new offence of commiting an act of terrorism (penalty of life sentence). The Prime Minister will have the responsibility of designating groups and individuals as terrorists. Police will have the power to lock people up without charge, under the instructions of politicians.
It’s a move that is said to arise from international response to the existence of groups such as Al Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiah. Only problem is that violent activism has been part of New Zealand’s short history since European invasion. And the raids of Tuhoe land in the Ureweras over the last month would have cut to the bone of the memories that were associated with resistance to land confiscation.
With the restriction of certain rights the Government has a responsibility to ensure that extra efforts are made to protect vulnerable bicultural relationships. Nothing can be taken for granted.
Tags: Maori, New Zealand, Reconciliation, terrorism
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Monday, November 12th, 2007
Heavenly Sanctuary, a Christian conference organisation focusing on the character of God, have stirred public opinion with a set of posters showing Jesus washing the feet of international leaders.
In the poster Jesus kneels at the feet of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, former English Prime Minister Tony Blair, former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, US president George W Bush, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and Jiang Zemin, former president of China.
The poster was designed by Lars Justinen from the Justinen Creative Group for use on posters advertising the conference. Different versions of the posters had captions such as “Follow the Leader,” “God IS Great,” and “Jesus - Still Too Radical?” Heavenly Sanctuary had the posters in several Seattle malls but had to take them down after complaints from the public about the inclusion of Osama Bin Laden in the line up.
Greg Boyd
Greg Boyd reflects on the negative reactions to the poster by suggesting that many Christians have tragically allowed their patriotism to co-opt their faith.
“They have allowed their American citizenship to take priority over their Kingdom citizenship, despite the New Testament’s instruction for disciples to consider themselves “foreigners” and “exiles” wherever they happen to live (Heb. 11:13; I Pet 1:17, 2:11) and to consider their real citizenship “in heaven” (Phil 3:20). Many American Christians seem to want a Jesus who will defend their country and hate their national enemies as much as they do. Many want the Jesus of the Middle Ages whom Crusaders called on to help them slaughter, not serve, their Islamic enemies. Many seem to want to reduce Jesus to just another version of the tribal gods that have been called on for centuries to bless tribal battles. Most wars throughout history have been fought under the banner of some god or another.”
Greg goes on to write about the real Jesus who wrapped a towel around his waist and washed the dirty, smelly feet of people he knew would deny and betray him in a couple of hours.
Kofi Annan
What I find interesting is that Jesus is actually washing Kofi Annan’s feet. The guy who’s been responsible for challenging, rebuking, negotiating, supporting and resourcing world leaders, is the first to have his shoes off and treated to a foot bath by the one many would consider to be the ultimate expression of God’s character in the flesh. The others know that they’re possibly next in line for this treatment. They’re being taught a valuable lesson in leadership and character, a radical alternative to the survival-focused model of rule or be ruled.
Tags: Art, Jesus, Leadership, Osama Bin Laden, Politics, Reconciliation, religious art, Theology
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Monday, October 22nd, 2007
The front page of the Courier Mail (Brisbane) this morning began with a classic typo. “The wormed turned on John Howard last night as Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd outshone the Prime Minister in the one and only debate of the campaign.”
I listened to the first half an hour of the debate on ABC Radio, without the benefit of a worm. I arrived home to see the rest of the debate on Channel Nine.
It was surprising to see the audience response to Howard and Rudd as they spoke. I think I agree with Tony Abbott’s assertion that most of the audience had already made up their mind and were reflecting their personal response to the two contenders rather than engaging with what they had to say.
There were exceptions. Howard’s assertion that George Bush was changing his mind on climate change sent the worm to the pit. Howard saying that George Bush was wrong and Turnbull was right on climate change sent him up again. Rudd got a solid response to his claim that Bush was not open to discussing global warming. His alternative vision of reconciliation sent the viewers’ responses soaring. Rudd talked briefly about saying sorry as a matter of respect that could make it possible to get on with the task of working together for positive solutions.
It would be interesting to see the two prospective treasurers in debate. Peter Costello clearly would have liked to have been up front last night. The wormed would be treated to a different perspective on taxes and IR reform perhaps.
Tags: Australia, Economy, John Howard, Kevin Rudd, Politics, Reconciliation
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