This comic from ASBO Jesus has been bouncing around my mind for the past few days.
Most people do care about social justice; however, so often our indignation turns into paralysis due to the magnitude of the world’s problems. Personally, I’ve found it much easier to be incensed about how bad off the world is rather than do something about it. With that said, when I found The Hub today I admit I was a bit skeptical.
I cannot give a wholesale recommendation of The Hub, most of the content is quite graphic, both visually and aurally. Consider yourself warned.
The Hub is put out by Peter Gabriel’s (yes, the singer/songwriter) group The Witness. After watching a few of the videos on the site I’m wishing they were fictitious. Spending ten minutes viewing videos about the US government’s treatment of prisoners is more than enough to convince me we have some serious problems.
I’ve often wondered about the effectiveness of campaigns like The Hub. For me, I now know more about torture, but will I do anything about it? Hopefully, but what?
Do you think sites like The Hub have the ability to change the way people think, or do they just “preach to the choir?” Or more specifically, how have you been challenged by things you’ve seen or read on the internet? Should Christians even be viewing sites like this? After all it’s quite graphic. Or do we stick with what Godtube labels social justice?
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November 26, 2007 at 21:46
great post. great comic.
November 27, 2007 at 09:52
Christians should know what’s happening around them. They should not restrict themselves to this and that, at the same time, they should not involve in any thing that may tempt them or lead them in wrong path.
November 27, 2007 at 12:35
When you think of justice, do you think about justice for all or just for those you personally know. Why do we as a people do those things to others. It seems that you only have one side of the story here and didn’t attempt to bring out the other side. The torture and be-headings of people because they are not of the same faith or belief. The ones who want to control all aspects of what you do. It appears that you never mentioned those who hate us because we believe in Christ. Who say we are infidels and are evil. When you bring a story to print bring it with all the facts and not just one side of the story. You do yourself and others a disservice and bring only more hate and misunderstanding to light. The truth is there are alot of people out there who want only what they believe to be right done in the name of their God. I want to do what God wants and that is to see both sides and then try to understand how we as a people can change what has happened to something positive, loving and caring for all. Please the next time you bring up something you saw, get both sides of the story or don’t print it at all. In God’s Grace John
November 27, 2007 at 15:16
While I have to agree with John that there is more than one side to the story, horrible acts remain horrible no matter what the other side does. Jesus told us to turn the other cheek, not to slap the other guy’s cheek in a manner just as painful as we were slapped.
November 28, 2007 at 00:04
We must be discerning about we take for granted as truth in films and pictures. I watched three videos at the Hub.
The first video was a street scene from the Burma riots. That was clearly real and I found no reason to question it.
The second video was from Iraq, and claimed to be of US soldiers shooting unarmed people. The soldiers were obviously pumped on adrenalin, and their apparent ‘enjoyment’ was a little disturbing. But I would enjoy cutting the head off of a poisonous snake that tried to bite me, so I’ll give them some latitude on their mood. That film did not establish the innocence of the Iraqis under fire by any measure. On the contrary, one of the soldiers mentions sniper fire, so I doubt that the Iraqis were innocent.
The third video was an Amnesty International reenactment of torture. Acting out something is fine, but it doesn’t prove that crimes have been committed.
I’ve seen the beheading videos from the murders of Daniel Pearl, Nick Berg, and others. I’ve seen Saddam’s men torturing people on video. The ‘Gitmo’ reenactment stuff looks like a sorority hazing compared to what our enemies have done.
The LORD said “a strong man armed keeps his house” (Luke 11:21). He was talking about being stronger than Satan in order to cast out deamons, but the principal stands by itself. Turning cheeks is for believing individuals to practice. Government was given so that the spilling of blood would be avenged (Genesis 9:4-6).
I’m much more concerned about the culture of death (gross materialism, puerile & lurid media, drugs, pornography, and abortion) that we import and export. These things reveal a heart and mind sickness that is unchristian.
November 28, 2007 at 16:27
Difficult things won’t just disappear if we don’t think about them or look at them. They’re still there. As far as social justice is concerned, there is a time for all things under Heaven…a time to see the graphic videos and a time to just hear about them through others.
What we have to do is figure out what our small (or sometimes big) part is in the matter. Maybe it’s showing the videos to a friend, taking a trip to another country, writing a letter to Congress or simply making the time to pray for them.
There’s no easy answer to those kind of questions. But that doesn’t mean we halt all efforts to until we find one.
Great post!!! I really enjoy reading this blog.