Just started reading a new chapter in Ron Sider’s ‘Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger’ and this parable it begins with is such a brilliant example of the need for Christ followers to be involved in structural change that i wanted to jump on and share it before i read any further:
[From Chapter 9: Structural Change]
‘The present social order is the most abject failure the world has ever seen… Governments have never learned yet how to legislate as to distribute the fruits of the industry of their people. The countries of the earth produce enough to support all, and if the earnings of each was fairly distributed it would make all men toil some, but no man toil too much. This great civilisation of ours has not learned so to distribute the product of human toil so that it shall be equitably held. Therefore, the government breaks down, [C.I. Scofield, author of the Scofield Bible Notes, 1903]]
A group of devout Christians once lived in a small village at the foot of a mountain. A winding, slippery road with hairpin curves and steep precipices without guard rails wound its way up one side of the mountain and down the other. There were frequent fatal accidents. Deeply saddened by the injured people who were pulled from wrecked cars, the Christians in the village’s three churches decided to act. They pooled their resources and purchased and ambulance so that they could rush the injured to the hospital in the next town. Week after week church volunteers gave faithfully, even sacrificially, of their time to operate the ambulance twenty-four hours a day. They saved many lives although some victims remained crippled for life.
Then one day a visitor came to town. Puzzled, he asked why they did not close the road over the mountain and build a tunnel instead. Startled at first, the ambulance volunteers quickly pointed out that this approach (although technically quite possible) was not realistic or advisable. After all, the narrow mountain road had been there for a long time. Besides, the mayor would bitterly oppose the idea. (He owned a large restaurant and service station halfway up the mountain.)
The visitor was shocked that the mayor’s economic interests mattered more to these Christians than the many human casualties. Somewhat hesitatingly, he suggested that perhaps the churches ought to speak to the mayor. After all, he was an elder in the oldest church in town. Perhaps they could even elect a different mayor if he proved stubborn and unconcerned. Now the Christians were shocked. With rising indignation and righteous conviction they informed the young radical that the church dare not become involved in politics. The church is called to preach the gospel and give a cup of cold water. Its mission is not to dabble in worldly things like changing social and political structures.
Perplexed and bitter , the visitor left. As he wandered out of the village, one question churned round and round in his muddled mind. Is it really more spiritual, he wondered, to operate the ambulances which pick up the bloody victims of destructive social structures than to try to change the structures themselves?
= = = = = = = = = =
How did that story resonate with you? Are there any present situations that exist in the world today where you think a more purposeful intervention is necessary? What do you think the pastor of your local church would think about this story?
[For another extract from this challenging and necessary book, this time looking at Starving Affluence, click here]
Irresistibly Fish 
What is your view on 50 percent tax? Only way to achieve equality now. I would say if you white, more tax. But to first get rid of current administration.
I would prefer to find a way that helps bring down the balance between rich and poor over black and white. For the majority that will probably still mean black and white but I think the big problems in this country are largely exacerbated by that gap.
Only was is laws to stop white capital now. We need a privilege tax from whites. If you white you must pay as this is fair to address past injustice. White man pay 60 percent. Black no tax. White woman to pay 40 percent . Ok that’s my suggestion agreed? How else?
I’m not sure how that will help.
Eiyyyy man think. This tax is to immediately stop white privilege. It will go to poor black people. Ladies with kids as well as education and hospitals healthcare. It’s important and yo make amends. Money is needed. It will stop luxury cars but people will get food shelter basic needs. You see now. Also education. So it’s a good idea.
I don’t think it’s as easy as that. How will the tax go to poor black people? Our systems in place need a lot of work. As I said before I would like to see the gap between rich and poor brought down and that’s going to take creativity.
You must give us ideas. I like this vegetarian posts here. I did not know other black people are vegetarian. I am this. For 12 years now I am no longer resonating with cruel attacks on innocent animals. God creation is safe. Did you know I think we only allowed meat after the flood as it was temporary. Today there is no need. Maybe this is a way. We all grow food together. No killings of creatures. Hiw about this idea? You try one year? Can you do it? For me my uncle worked at the abbator and he takes me to work one day to see. I was sick. It is very evil. Very bad. I stopped immediately there. 12 years ago. Today I use my money to grow only crops in small pots. A balcony can supplement your good. Even herbs or tomato’s. So please let’s try this one year or go like this until you die. It’s not a sacrifice at all. You will be healthy and clear thinking. Did you know I learnt English after that experience. I speak 7 languages of Africa. But now also English. And an language of animals. You can hear them better when you not killing them when they not afraid of you they speak to you. It’s God telling us things. Do maybe try this.
It’s time to give the arguments a rest,
There’s really nothing more to be said,
The truth has been consciously suppressed,
The evidence has been globally spread.
It’s elementary chemistry I’m afraid,
Chemical element graffiti on the wall,
The laws of nature viciously betrayed,
The pillars of Earth have begun to fall.
Yet leaders talk, and they talk, and they talk,
They bargain and negotiate for years,
The problem is that they’ve all been bought,
As they sell fears that people buy with cheers.
Denial – the symptom of insanity,
Ignorance buried under blinding sand,
Arrogant is the face of humanity,
As the ship sinks we listen to the band.
Every sailor worth his salt can see it
Every farmer who knows the Earth feels it
Each of us forced to play the hypocrite,
Denying the poisons that we emit.
Nature will now proceed to kick our ass
We see the evidence around us every day,
Prayer will not purchase us a special pass,
Humanity has gone dangerously astray.
I’ve decided that I’m not going to waste anymore time debating the question of climate change.
If people wish to deny it – fine.
Perhaps I should sit back and watch events unfold although I most likely will not. I’m a hopeless optimist even in the face of logic and facts.
203 people died in killer floods in Lancashire and Yorkshire, England yesterday. I wonder how many of them were climate change deniers.
A swath of destructive tornados that killed eleven people in Dallas followed by blizzards. I suppose that’s a coincidence. Vermont and Toronto are snowless and warm and Vancouver has snow. Interesting but I guess some will say that’s normal.
A super storm in the North Atlantic and the weather abnormalities just get more noticeable every day.
The recent climate agreement in Paris won’t be ratified until 2020 and it’s not binding so it’s pretty much not worth the paper it’s printed on.
Floods in Illinois killed five people.
Christmas day wildfire out of control north of Los Angles. Raging wildfires in Victoria, Australia.
ConEd is spending a billion dollars to prepare for extreme weather threats to their power grid. When profits are at stake, climate change is taken seriously indeed. Florida has budgeted tens of millions to address rising ocean levels but they are not allowed to mention the two words “climate” and “change”.
An out of control natural gas reservoir is spewing 62 cubic tons a day of methane into the atmosphere in California.
Glaciers are retreating. The Pacific trade winds have moved southward as any sailor can tell you.
Fukushima continues to spew radioactive poison into the Pacific.
But there are still those who deny there is a problem and even amongst those who see the problem, not much is being done about it. More meetings, more conferences. We’ll be seeing COP 22, Cop 23, blah, blah, blah, and consumers will keep consuming, human populations will continue to grow by a quarter of a million each day, the poor countries want to be rich and the rich countries want to become richer and all of this is leading to more environmental refugees, more war, more disease, more famine, more civil unrest, more authoritarianism.
So now it’s time to sit back and watch the drama of the insanity of humanity unfold. In the meantime we will do what we can to defend lives in the ocean, to protect marine eco-systems and biodiversity with the hope that perhaps, just perhaps, humanity will realize that we must act or we die!
There are solutions.
Stop industrialized fishing and subsidies to industrialized fishing, allow the Ocean time to repair itself.
Stop the destruction of the forests.
Stop the insanity of the arms race and profiteering from death and destruction.
Stop the dumping of chemical poisons, plastics and radiation into the Ocean.
Stop the slaughter of 65 billion animals a year. This annual massacre produces more greenhouse gas emissions than the entire transportation industry.
Stop fracking, digging up the planet for coal and oil and releasing reserves of methane gas.
Stopping waging mindless wars for profit.
Stop mindless consumption.
Or eat a steak, buy a hummer, get drunks, get high, mindlessly listen to ever increasing ridiculous politicians and kiss your children and grand children good-bye with a simple message of, “not my problem, it’s yours good luck, it was good for us, sucks being you.”
Time to wake up, time to act, time to change our life styles. Time to give some thought to the future of humanity and to realize that to survive we must ensure that nature survives.
Remember the three basic laws of ecology
Diversity – strength lies in diversity
Interdependence -every thing is connected to everything else.
Finite resources – there is a limit to growth and a limit to carrying capacity.
Wo Kevin. Nail on head. Or maybe nails. If only the people who mattered would listen. Or if only more of us who do matter would realise the power of unified thought and action and get busy making our own small difference and encouraging others to do the same and in so doing see the differences start to emerge on a more global nature… thanks for sharing…
Good post. We must start as we all matter. One man can do a big difference you see. Okay if you eat vegetables for one 2016 then you can save a cow or pig, a few chickens. It’s a thing that matters to them. Also the car on footprint and greenhouse gases of this farming is bad. Fish also, to give ocean a rest. How about this challenge?
Our aim is always to look at places in our own lives where we can make small or bigger changes that will be significant over time and then also to call and invite others to do the same in their lives. We are not going to cover everything bit if one of Jose is a challenge you see as valid then by all means you should go for it and encourage your friends to do the same. We have spent the last two days challenging ourselves and others in areas of living simply and race relations and things will be different because of it.
Let’s see a decisive thing man. Okay. Challenging, inviting, all this encourage yes it’s good but it’s the talk of a politician. You see its words man. Hey people we behind you and we challenge encourage you do this. Aiy.
Go do concrete thing. One year grow vegetables. One year eat vegetables. One year no meat. One year share vegetables. You can make food for 10 people with vegetables, potato, carrot and onion, pumpkin. But only 2 if you using meat.
You can share a room.
You can lift share.
Okay but it’s easy to challenge, engage talk and say aiy I’m talking and engaging thoughts. Haha yes it’s easy. Why not take a real option? Do concrete things.
Once again Thabang, you don’t know me and have no idea what I do. We do plenty of practical stuff and I know nothing of what you are doing to make a difference so before you start pointing at specks in my eye why don’t you start with the log in your own eye? What are you doing to make a difference to others raises jumping on here and pointing fingers?