Joseph Kony

He's doing the Lord's work.  Who are you to criticize?

maybe a terrible example of such things that may  happen when one uses the Lords name yet rejects his teachings and 'lead' in their own direction?

I think this may be a example of atrocities that may happen through men, yet get associated to the Christian Church and its history.

sort of like a drunk driver getting in a accident and people blaming the key?

Joseph Kony wants to turn Uganda into a Christian theocracy based on the Ten Commandments.  He claims to speak with God, just like many Christians.  We're supposed to respect people's religious beliefs and communes with God, I thought?

Here's Christopher Hitchens' piece on Joseph Kony, written 6 years ago:

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2006/01/hitchens200601

Meanwhile, Rush Limbaugh attacked Obama last October for committing US troops to "killing Christians" - Kony and his Christian Lord's Resistance Army.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/08/limbaugh-defended-joseph-kony_n_1332477.html

Good thing Kony and Limbaugh are Christians, so they have a source for their morals, while atheist Christopher Hitchens did not.

In the bible, you will find many examples of atrocities committed by God, or with God's approval.  Kony is apparently a fan of the story of Sodom and Gomorrah.  So what you've got, is a book that delivers a mixed message, at best.

So, are you saying God isn't telling Joseph Kony to terrorize, torture, kill, rape and indoctrinate Uganda's youth?  Who are you to make that assessment?  Kony is a man of God.   He doesn't even let his soldiers rape other males. How much more Christian can you get?  Wait....

Nobody has ever blamed a damn key. What the hell is wrong with you?

Regardless of Joseph Kony's Christian theology, he is one of a select group of people in the world who must be caught or killed.  The politics of Uganda and area countries like the DRC, South Sudan, Somalia, and Rwanda are complicated.  Government forces are not immune from criticism themselves, including Ugandan forces.  But people like Kony are remarkable for their brutality against children, reinforced by their belief that they have God on their side.

The efforts of Invisible Children, the charitable organization who produced the video, have come under scrutiny lately for being less than efficient, and spending more on the video and less on actually helping children than they should.  But if this video keeps the US in the hunt, perhaps it accomplishes it's objective.  I don't really know enough to predict what will happen.

They definitely achieved one of their goals, it's plastered all over my facebook newsfeed.

rhbilly, what did you want to discuss?  Kony 2012 or Joseph Kony? 

Neither, apparently.

I was considering starting a Kony thread of my own.  I have a mixed reaction to the Kony 2012 campaign, because Invisible Children does not appear to be the most transparent aid organization, and because Kony is not the threat he once was.  The time to stop Kony, would have been a few years ago - say when Christopher Hitchens was writing about him, or better yet, before that.

But Kony committed horrible crimes against humanity, and needs to be caught (or killed, I'm not picky).  So maybe this helps give other countries the support to increase their efforts to that end.

What is the best way to help?

Kony is by no means the only or even the worst killer of children in this world. Nor is he even a major figure in that number. Nor is he notable for using Christian teachings in a perverse way.

He is easily beaten by George Bush, British pms Blair and Cameron, Obama.

Kony is beaten and in retreat. the other four are still active and enjoying their status.

And the Christian churches, themselves, have some reputation for using Christian teachings in extreme and perverse ways.

I don't know. I'm getting the impression that giving to Invisible Children isn't necessarily it.

That really is a difficult question. Not even an esablished organization like the Red Cross can be trusted.  (It's record in Haiti could use a good deal of examination.) And I know of no government agency that can be trusted. Most of those exist to serve the financial interests of donors to the government party.

You might look for a religious organization of your choice that is working with such children. In fact, this would be a useful project for a congregation to undertake - finding out just which charitable agencies will do the job - and have a good record of financial responsibility.

While watching the film clips about the invisible children, I was struck by the words of one of the men helping. "if this many children were being attcked and killed in North America, there would be a public outcry immediately. This is so true. Agencies would be on, alert, the public would be appalled, etc.... Why do we let this go on in another part of the world. Children being maimed, killed, raped, etc....I ask myself this question.....is it because I'm afraiid to call attention to myself to help? Is it easier for me to just write a cheque? How are we to influence a change in a society that has had years of killings and has now become a generational learning system that knows nothing else? I suspect Kony imself also suffers from witnessing atrocities as a child. It will take more than a cheque, these kids need to know that there is another way to live but how would they even know how to achieve this if they've never seen it. This situation  makes me feel so helpless....this is where I think our elected officials and the church, really need to step up to the plate because they have the influence and the means to call attention to this situation. Where are the saints that sacrifice to save others?

you get it!! , yaaaaay,, no one blames the key, or the car or the physical beverage itself!!!!

maybe you dont get it.

hmm some controversy of the organizatin coming out, i think the foundation is making a statememt and addressing the issues, lets see what they have to say.

The controversy was out way before you posted this, hence my earilier question.

The forces that drive the western world are the ones that created the konys of Africa. We won't get these problems under control until we get ourselves under control.

what's the controversy?

This fuss is a lynch mob. The worst killers of children, b y far, are the leaders of the white countries in the western world.  I've noticed that even in cases that do get prosecuted, white folks don't get hanged.

This has nothing to do with justice, and everything to do with white dominance.

The  controversy is that Invisible Children seems to be linked to the American Military.

thanks, Jim Kenny (i can be so ignorant of pop culture)

here's a Kony 2012 spoof flash http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/593021