05/15/2004: "We have winners!"

You can stop wracking your brains. We have two winners (two since I don't know which came first, having been asleep when they arrived). Greg S and the person writing from OpusTrek@aol.com correctly identified the previous piece of neo-Maoist rhetoric as originating from the World Council of Churches. Specifically, it is the communique from the Urban Rural Mission Conference in Accra, Ghana, which is in turn served as preparation for the 2005 ~~Comintern~~ Conference on World Mission and Evangelism in Athens. A bit more of the manifesto:

As we renew our hope for communities that are blessed with "life in abundance," our mission begins with speaking our prophetic voice to expose and condemn the capitalist-led, globalized context and its new geo-political realities that intentionally destroy human community. We specifically examined the effects of violence and its impact on those who are violated; commodification as the catalyst for globalisation; injustice and the need for restorative justice, and the mission of URM as the spirituality of resistance to this injustice and oppression. We affirm the call "another world is possible."

Another world is possible, for sure, but I suspect it will be God who brings it in, rather than the spiritual revolutionaries of the URM. By the way, do you suppose it has ever occurred to these folks that their Marxist bromides have never provided peace and prosperity for anyone, whereas virtually anywhere there is wide-spread prosperity and freedom, capitalism is present?

Uh, no.

Replies: 1 Comment

on Saturday, May 15th, Little Fly said

I am not clear on how these comments constitute a "Marxist bromide." I think even defenders of capitalism can see that its current application/manifestation in many countries is not authentic, is not leading to greater prosperity or comfort, and is not being pursued in a manner that is respectful to the greater wishes and greater good of the locals. Also, I do not understand how these quotations can reasonably lead to the conclusion that the authors do not understand the historical failures and successes of Marxism and capitalism, both where they have failed and succeeded. Simply put, I do not see how these quotations merit the suggestion that the authors have never considered the failures and successes of either political/economic organization. I hope sincerely that you are not implying that these authors could be this ignorant. I would hate to think that you are bearing false witness against them. I have the highest hopes that capitalism will succeed in improving the lives of everyone, but I think as Christians we should keep always present before us how its abuses and misapplications can actually make peoples' lives worse. I cannot believe that it is ignorant or irresponsible to do this, especially when we see so many disappointing examples. To my mind, it is un-Christian to fail to address these problems for the sake of excoriating those whose description of the problem comes across as shrill.