Perhaps it reflects the ANC anthem: Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika.
It was composed back in 1897 by Enoch Sontonga, a teacher at a Methodist mission school in Johannesburg. The words of the first stanza were originally written in Xhosa as a hymn. In 1927, seven additional Xhosa verses were later added by a poet called Samuel Mqhayi, then the Rev. Dube's Ohlange Zulu Choir popularised Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika at concerts in Johannesburg. It became a widely used church hymn and began to be sung as an anthem at political meetings as an act of defiance against the Apartheid regime that enforced its power at gunpoint.

The words are seriously scary. Here' s what they say (in translation): Lord, bless Africa; may her horn rise high up; hear our prayers and bless us.
And the chorus: Descend, O Spirit, descend, O Holy Spirit.
It continues: Bless our chiefs. May they remember their Creator. Bless the public men. Bless also the youth, that they may carry the land with patience and that You may bless them. Bless the wives and young women. Bless the ministers of all the churches of this land; imbue them with Your Spirit and bless them. Bless agriculture and stock raising. Banish all famine and diseases. Fill the land with good health. And bless it. Bless our efforts of union and self-uplift, of education and mutual understanding. Lord, bless Africa. Blot out all its wickedness and its transgressions and sins. And bless it.

Yay!

It passed 230-41. Good for South Africa. Let that idiot Stephen Harper take notice: same-sex marriage is a human right.

My reaction to seeing that post, that equal marriage is allowed in South Africa gave me the same reaction I had when I learned that Stockwell Day wasn't gay:

Really? wow! Who would've believed it!

I am very happy about South Africa. I hope it passes the provincial council or whatever it's called - sorta like th senate or something.

Even though it's something that's happened in Africa, I think that South Africa is quite anomalous with the rest of the continent. However there are still countries where it's a crime to be homosexual and where one might be sentenced to death for such a crime. Who knows though, change can sometimes become like a tidal wave.

"My reaction to seeing that post, that equal marriage is allowed in South Africa gave me the same reaction I had when I learned that Stockwell Day wasn't gay:

Really? wow! Who would've believed it!"

Hahahahahaha! Nice one :)

And congrats to South Africa. Glad to have them along.

There is no agape of God here, its a rejection of it and the Bible states that very clearly. Goldenrule, you are wrong here.

Here's an interesting timeline of same-sex legislation for anyone interested:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_same-sex_marriage

i am very happy with this news... and i'm very proud that canada was one of the first countries to legalize same-sex marriage. all my american friends think we are just an amazing country, and a few want to move here!!

I guess they don't have enough AIDS in north africa!

*psssst* don't feed the trolls. It only riles 'um up.

Awfully quiet here...

apparently jon stewarts response to this was something like how interesting it is that south africa is now more open minded than the united states!!

sighsnoozle I bet it is the ones who condone same sex marriages. The early church pulled away from pagan Rome where homosexuality was rampant. Now the church is joining hands with all those pagans. Dont forget that our forefathers in the faith suffered great persecution, because they preached against homosexuality, idolatry, and false prophets

Why did Christ our Lord say "Unless you are reborn, you cannot enter into the kingdom of Heaven.?"

i'm not gonna second guess god, sylviac... i'm just going to love you.

peace be with you, my friend.

sighsnootles from what I hear from the Americans is that we are just a speck on the horizon and they are protecting our asses. But then we have Walmart which of course is to their interest to protect.

goldenrule I dont understand your Agape God. What does he do for a living?

Sylvia: goldenrule I dont understand your Agape God.

Yes, that's obvious Sylvia.

i'm not gonna judge you, sylviac... i'm just going to love you.

peace, my friend.

goldenrule I guess your God differs a great deal from my God whom I worship and revere. My God does not change. Your God seems to change his mind by saying it is not okay to sin, to it is okay to sin. which is it?

well, see sylviac, its not that we are interpreting god to say 'alright, get out there and sin!!' we are interpreting the scriptures as not condemning same sex marriage.

its a big difference, sylviac.

your arguement is illogical.

Well I expect this comment may get me into a little trouble...but hey I'll go for it...

Silviac says...I bet it is the ones who condone same sex marriages. The early church pulled away from pagan Rome where homosexuality was rampant. Now the church is joining hands with all those pagans..."

First of all I would challenge this view that this was the primary reasons for the Church pulling away...or that even was 'pulling away' for exactly these reasons but it doesn't matter...would lead to a crazily involved conversation...

My main point is, no matter whether you believe as Slyviac does or I do about what it did or did not say regarding same sex marriage and homosexuality,....who says that the "Early Church" was totally right and pure in all it's actions? Just because the church was early does mean it was better or worse then we are now.
Just because it was "early" doesn't mean that the people back then necessarily had any better understanding of what Jesus was trying to get across then we do now. They were struggling, in the context of their own society to puts the message into action.

And if I dare say it some of the theology that grew over time was pretty messed up in my opinion. The Church and the Christian faith didn't just pop up in those early times in some sort of "pure" and "right form." The Christian faith has always been dynamic and changing and I hope as we gain a better understanding of what it means to be human, what equality for all people means, what it means to act from love and compassion as I believe Jesus preached it will continue to evolve.

Jadewoman I guess you wont believe this either then. "friends with the world is enmity with God."