God, AIDS, Africa & HOPE

Reflections / Gedanken

12/28/2009 • 11:18 pm Comments Off on 28.12.2009 Execution looming….

28.12.2009 Execution looming….

“It’s entirely inappropriate that he be put to death, we’ve made 27 representations over the last two years… and even at this late stage I hope they will see that in a modern world it is not appropriate to put a man with mental illness to death.”, says Foreign Office minister Ivan Lewis according to BBC on the case of Akmal Shaik, who is due to be executed tomorrow morning in China.

For me it is entirely inappropriate to put anyone to death – not only the mentally ill ones. The death penalty shows such a disrespect towards human life and the creation of God that it is completely incompatible with Christian values or believe system. Who takes a life – takes a human being in the likeness of God. It is indeed that simple. And the wrongdoing of one person does not excuse the wrongdoing as a reciprocal action. Vengeance is non of the names of God and those supporting these kind of actions have not understood what unconditional love means. I am aware that unconditional love is difficult for most people, but it remains true: every execution means a freely chosen insult towards God.

All criticism towards church can never deny, that this is one of the strength of this very church: to make aware that the sanctity of life is not something, that can be taken away by any court or any person’s decision. So the intentional state sponsored murder of persons to satisfy the feeling for revenge from relatives of a murder victim is like supporting a devils circle – no revenge can make good what has been lost and the meaning of penalty is not revenge but changing a person. At least in the civilised world.

Filed under: General, Reflection, Uncategorized, , , , , , , ,

12/26/2009 • 11:56 am Comments Off on 26.12.2009 Construction work and St. Stephens Day

26.12.2009 Construction work and St. Stephens Day

Sometimes one feels that the tolerance of South Africans go into the wrong direction. I woke this morning up to the noise of heavy hammers – the neighbour, reconstructing his house since months (and years) now seems to have the urgent need to get ready – even working over “The Day of Goodwill”. That was too much for my goodwill – and after some noisy arguments they stopped working for the day. At least I want to have the two Christmas Days in peace and quietness. The guy who ordered the construction was not available – seemingly did not want to be disturbed during the Christmas period … Now there is peace also in our neighbourhood again.
What a start into St. Stephen’s Day – the day of the patron of my name. He was the first martyr – and sometimes it seems to me, that even within the church some people see it as a good tradition to throw stones at others. Specially those sitting themselves in a glass house. Well, humans remain humans, even if they are Christians. This is always good to remember.
For me the St. Stephen’s Day is a reminder that we have to stick to our principles, even if the world around us turns around and sees it differently. There are convictions which should never be overturned – they remain the pillar of one’s life construction – and they turn to be the cause of life destruction if one let them slip and go. The crib and the martyr – more clear nobody can show how close joy and tragedy are lying together in everybody’s life. And when we tomorrow celebrate the feast of the Holy Family – it is the same pattern – the joy of the birth of the baby boy and the tragedy of the mother standing under a cross – two extremes are meeting in one families life. A realistic view – as we all experience the same in our lives. God’s solidarity with human mankind is complete.

Filed under: General, Reflection, Uncategorized, , ,

12/24/2009 • 4:45 pm Comments Off on 24.12.2009 Christmas Eve

24.12.2009 Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve 2009: The noise of the construction side next to my cottage has ceased – since month the first day without noise – what a relief. The sun is shining and my cellphone is giving its characteristic “sms beep” again and again – all the good Christmas wishes are coming in – even the email box is full of well wishers. The coming services are prepared – and it feels like time and hectic is calming down for a moment.

Christmas Eve – traditionally in Germany the most important family event and as parents preparing the last necessities for their kids, I will now close down my office and enjoy a Christmas Eve with friends. I must admit that I am not a real Christmas person – too much sentiments are not my cup of tea on this day. I cherish my memories of a winterly Christmas time in Germany but I must say that I enjoy a sunny Christmas the same way if not even more. Sun, laughter, kids at the poolside, braai: doesn’t that sound like a real birthday bash? 🙂

We celebrate the coming of God into the world – and we proclaim us brothers and sisters in Christ, sons and daughters of God. But looking around, watching the news, experiencing it in my own environment: Do we have drawn any consequences out of this event? Is mankind better in dealing with each other? Do we see our sisters, our brother in the person next to us? According to statistics the most poor people in this world living in Africa have become more poor in the last two decades. All the progress, all the donations have done virtually nothing to change the world as a whole. Millions dying of hunger in the developing countries while others live and digest more than it is healthy. The funny conference in Copenhagen – has it shown that those having benefited since years from climate change, are now really looking towards the lives of their brothers and sisters when they propose targets to stop this change in nature. Or do they, like always, just offer money – the rich ones can always bail themselves out,it seems.

Christmas – we celebrating the coming of God into our world – and we proclaim us brothers and sisters in Christ, sons and daughters of God. On this day we also should look and acknowledge all those, who take these titles serious and try to act on that – sometimes against the will of a state or a church. People, who are really take it on – day by day – to fulfill the promise of Christmas. I just read about Erwin Kraeutler, bishop in the Amazons, who is not able to walk a mile without security because of death treats he received. Those are the people balancing the bitter balance of human mankind’s dealing with each other in a way, which indeed shows the likeness of God.

Merry Christmas to all of you – and may the blessings be felt by each and every one of you!

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12/23/2009 • 7:42 pm Comments Off on 23.12.2009 Last shopping

23.12.2009 Last shopping

Like in any other household, also a priest’s one is not immune against the practical consequences of the festive season – so the last shopping spree secured enough stock to survive the coming days of Nativity. And one can sense that “business” is dying down – less emails except for all the good Christmas wishes – less phone calls – it seems that a day before the “Heiligabend” everybody is indeed concentrating on his or her own business to finalize whatever is outstanding…

My sermons are prepared – for Christmas Day as well as the Feast of the Holy Family – and also most other urgent office stuff is attended to… so tomorrow it will be a more quiet day in preparation of the big feast.  What is more to say? Just that I wish all readers a Merry Christmas – may the blessings of this feast be felt for you all still in the new year – and may you enjoy hours of joy, peace and harmony with whomever you chose to celebrate these days. And may the world take a deep breath and stop all violence and wars during this festive season.
May the death toll on our streets in SA decline and may most people only start drinking after the midnight service..  🙂

Filed under: General, Reflection, Uncategorized, ,

12/19/2009 • 7:29 am Comments Off on 19.12.2009 Civil rights lost and the meaning of a state community

19.12.2009 Civil rights lost and the meaning of a state community

Discussion yesterday evening while meeting up with friends. The failure of Copenhagen is imminent, and I do argue that the biggest problem is, that the rich industrial states are not genuine in their desire to cut CO2 and provide other measures in a way which would make the world community really an equal bunch of states. There is always the impression, even for somebody watching from outside, that the aim of the game is to keep all economical advantages and injustice the world is experiencing since decades.

And there is more: Politicians in most countries have given away their power to establish rules and regulations to economic powers, which are meanwhile the major global players. Free capitalism seemed to be the key for prosperity and success (for those who anyhow have already more than enough) – and suddenly the recession has shown, that it is not working out this way. The institution of a country are meant to create and enforce a framework which also keeps a certain ethics up and protects those, who are falling through the roaster of society. It seems that it will be a long way until politicians take on their original duties.

On the other hand, Europe is losing out when it comes to civil rights – we are developing more and more into a surveillance society where the right of an individual is completely ignored. It is time that all people of good will are standing up to defend the hard-won civil liberties – also in Germany. The institutions of a state are to serve the well-being of a group of people pursuing the same goals. One has the impression, that meanwhile those institutions are there to be served by the people – and that politicians are above the rest of society. Democracy in its original form is surely on the losing side contemplating the state of affair in European politics. It is time that civil society, but also churches are taking note of the eroding of civil rights and of a capitalism, which does not care about people or moral values.  That this has also consequences for a topic like HIV and AIDS goes without say.

Filed under: General, Politics and Society, Reflection, Society and living environment, Uncategorized, , , , , , ,

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