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May 29, 2005
Christian Missionaries in Africa as a Matter of National Security?
There's a lot to be concerned about regarding the meeting between Condoleezza Rice, "senior" White House officials and members of the black clergy on developing U.S policy in Africa. One somewhat restrained, but correct, concern was voiced by the Rev. William J. Shaw who attended the meeting,
The discussion left at least one minister at the Rice meeting with mixed feelings. Shaw, head of the National Baptist Convention and pastor of a church in Philadelphia, said he refused to sign the letter {supporting religious groups to practice religious discrimination in hiring}, calling it a "political move." He also said he was pleased to hear about Bush's Africa agenda but was worried that the administration's outreach was more about politics than substance."I don't think [the Africa effort] ought to become simply another exercise of political operations," said Shaw, whose National Baptist Convention is the largest and oldest African American church denomination, with more than 7.5 million members. "I am not closed to it…. I need to see what fruitful comes from it and how nonpolitical it is." [Los Angeles Times, material in {} added]
I guess I think that involving American black leaders in the discussion of U.S. African policy is a good thing. Many black leaders, secular as well and religious, have expressed concerns about U.S. African policy for sometime. But, if reported correctly, this meeting seemed to focus on something quite different than genocidal wars, a raging AIDS epidemic and pervasive poverty. It seemed to focus more tightly on care for orphans of the AIDS epidemic. Of course, these children do indeed need help. Their numbers are growing and local governments lack the resources and, in some cases, the will to help them.
My problem is that attacking this worthy goal is, nonetheless, a smoke screen to divert attention from the larger problems in Africa and to broaden the Republican base in the black community by setting the stage for a government sponsored Christian missionary program in Africa. And the following from the same LA Times article strengths my concern.
Some of the pastors said it was a matter of national security — that those orphans were susceptible to recruitment by Islamic extremists unless they could be exposed to churches such as theirs.
Christian evangelism is about to become a matter of national security! Well, I believe it may already be one, but not in the way these pastors think.
The complete LA Times article deserves a careful read.
Posted by Duane Smith at May 29, 2005 11:05 AM | Read more on Current Events |
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I've been cruising the Black Republican websites and I see very few of them are talking about the meeting between Condoleezza Rice, [Read More]
Tracked on May 29, 2005 10:28 PM