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Thursday, May 20, 2010

Why Christ Would Vote Yes

With tears in my eyes, I want to state here that the Christian leaders who have taken a hard line stance against the new constitution are no better than Islamic fundamentalists in the mold of Osama bin Laden; men and women who will never compromise unless one hundred percent of their demands are met. I don't understand where such men and women get their marching orders from. The Bible? It can't be; the Bible is a sober, reasoned book that calls on each of us to exercise tolerance. Indeed, in one of my favourite verses it says, "How wonderful it is when brothers live in harmony." Ever read that verse? If you have, tell me how harmony can be achieved when the dictatorial whims of the pastors must be shoved down our throats for the nation to move forward.

The danger with fundamentalism is that it always degenerates into demagoguery. I have been to various forums where my dear brothers and sisters who wish to see the constitution defeated have behaved in very unique ways. They behave as if listening to the reasoned arguments of those in the YES camp amount to listening to the devil himself. Why are they afraid of reason? Does not the Bible say, "Come let us reason together?" Why then are our church leaders insistent that reason can only take shape on their terms? And while they choose such intolerance, what makes them think the other side won't match intolerance with intolerance?

Of course the NO team will say that the YES team is just an intolerant, and they maybe right. There was absolutely no excuse for the supporters of the constitution to boo the Vice President on Saturday. The VP has been a man that is difficult to understand because of his brand of politics. By now, however, Kenyans should have leanrt to live with his double-speak. At Uhuru Park, we should have let him play the only game he understands best...taking no binding decision. To have booed him only made him subject this nation to whining of the kind we can't afford to entertain at a time we have pressing matters on our mind.

So, what would Jesus do were He a voter?

I know for certain that He would vote. It was Him who said, "Render unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God." Because of this profound statement, I know that Jesus would recognize the fact that Kenya is a diverse nation where a spirit of give and take is absolutely essential. How could Christians want a constitution that accommodates the sensitivities of a Judeo-Christian tradition while denying the Muslims a chance to carry out justice in Kadhis Courts? Where is justice in that? And how could Christians elect to shoot down this document on the basis that it permits abortion? After reading the way that abortion clause is structured, what an open-minded christian must ask is this...would Christ support this?

The answer is YES!

Christ would support this constitution because He would recognize the fact that what we are about to vote on is Caesar's, not Gods. It is my guess that after He would have voted for the document, He would then go to the synagogues and cathedrals and churches across Kenya to urge His followers, who we all are, to live within the confines of the Ten Commandments. If we did, He would say, issues like abortion, land grabbing,sectarian disunity and other divisive elements would either be minimized or not arise at all.

As we approach voting day, fellow Kenyans, let us be tolerant of the worldview of our fellow countrymen whose views we don't share. they are just as patriotic as we all are; just that they have a different vision. Indeed, there may come a time in future when they may persuade some of us to support their vision. I just hope that the vision they have does not come anywhere close to a Theocracy because that would be a recipe for permanent disunity...endless religious war-mongering.

That's not Kenya.

Let's campaign peacefully and urge love, justice and peace wherever we are.

God bless Kenya!

18 comments:

  1. Sam,

    Karibu sane. Couldnt keep away, could you? Well, its your country and its your constitution. Have you registered as a voter, or you still remain a voteless diasporan? I did not see you at Uhuru Park last week.

    Nice to see you came back in the right frame of mind and waving the green colour. Even Chris and Jeff are waving the gree colour, Ke-N-ya believe it???

    That is good.We have always told the likes of Jeff that 2005 and 2007 failed because of fraud and deception by those he ardently supports. This time, CoE ensured there were no short-cuts.

    Of course, and I agree with you totally,Christ will ashame the so called church leaders when this draft overwhelmingly passes the referendum test. Although the draft requires a simple majority to pass, I have predicted a 75% pass mark which is what is called super-majority in political lingo.

    And that is just the beginning........

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  2. Christ never compromised no matter the cost He had to pay. Remember him turning vendors tables upside down in the temple in anger?
    He would not have compromised when it comes to abortion.
    He would not have compromised when the political class is stealing from the poor.
    He would not have compromised when taxes are wasted by politicians pretending to be supporting the draft.......................................and we can go on and on...

    Sam Okello better crawl back to the woodwork he has come from.

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  3. "I have predicted a 75% pass mark which is what is called super-majority in political lingo."

    ***********

    I think this complacency is quite dangerous and may make most YES voters stay away assured of victory on Aug 4th. The YES side must not keep their guard down and sit pretty in self satisfaction. The message must be it's too close, don't believe the polls, come out and vote en masse!

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  4. excited to see sam back. win YES win!

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  5. What's up Phil,

    Excited to be back. I've followed each day of the lively discussions here. Once a Kumekuchan always a Kumekuchan. Of course I'm glad Jeff and Chris are with the Kenyans on this matter. This is our nation's best chance to move forward.

    But again, we must take P. Pesa's warining seriously. we run the risk of complacency if we believe this is a done deal.

    By the way, Phil, I took my voters card at kongoni Primary. I'm as Langata as they come. But boy, the picyures they take...it's like we are back in the pre-modernity era.

    Is our Ranalos deal still on?

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  6. Yaani even Sam Okello votes in Kibera, add Phil and other Kumekucha Jaluo's and you will see how Jaluo's are always fighting for their aging general and have all registered in Kibera. Molasses is busy looting from their coffers and enriching his family.
    The same fortunes have not followed Phil unfortunately while Okello is struggling to sell books to Kenyans who expect their politicians to read for them.

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  7. hassan omar has resigned as vice chair of knhcr. pity. i hav always found a maina kiai in him...

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  8. excellent article sam, but you miss the point. Jesus did not condone eveil, he fought it. abortion is evil, so jesus would fight it.

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  9. Sam,

    Ronalo is still great and serving that finger-lickin' dish. Word of caution, please avoid between 1 and 2pm coz of the mad rush! There's also another great place in your constituency tucked somewhere just before Deep West Resort off Mbagathi Rd. It's owned by a Ugandan lady and serves great matoke, big fish covered with plenty of onions and tomatoes and mouth watering nyama choma! Back to Katiba..Sorry folks but I love my food!

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/porkygourmand/tags/kosewes/

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  10. link to well made kosewe dishes for those kenyans out there in diaspora to do some reminiscing.

    http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=kosewe&w=34853107%40N05

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  11. Sam
    welcome back-but please let us stop postulating and pontificating on WWJD(what would jesus do)or in this case WWJND(what would Jesus not do)lest you take use of the Lord's name in vain

    some of us have even gone so far as to begin planning victory celebration meals in the event of a green win!my goodness

    Voting just like STEALING comes down to conscience everybody has one and will vote according to his or hers. that's all there is to it and there always has to be a winner or loser in life. let the losers learn to be good losers and the winners learn to be win-win winners

    "urge love, justice and peace wherever we are." amen brother Sam

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  12. Of course Jesus would Vote yes...what's funny, is how the Clergy today resemble the Pharisees in the bible. They were nothing but grumbling naysayers who couldn’t even notice a Messiah amongst them.
    Had they had their way, Mary Magdalene would have been nothing but a repentant prostitute, a notion carried over to date; and depicted in art as a weeping sinner wiping Jesus' feet with her hair.
    Jesus embraced her, saved her from stoning to death .Mary was a devoted follower of Jesus, entering into the close circle of those taught by Jesus during his Galilean ministry. She became prominent during the last days, accompanying Jesus during his travels and following him to the end. She witnessed his Crucifixion and burial. According to all four Gospels in the Christian New Testament, she was the first person to see the resurrected Christ.
    But the clergy today, scream loudest, claiming the proposed constitution is immoral.... Immoral they say?
    If I may play dirty for a minute...
    • Wasn’t it Father Dominic Wamugunda waylaid by thugs at 1.00 am with Martha Karua, MP? ‘Reading Scriptures’ together perhaps?
    • What about these Catholic priests who just couldn’t stay away from Lungula and had to rebel and start a splinter church allowing them to Lungula their faithful? (Married priests now!)
    • What about the paedophiles roaming the church?
    • What about the sodomists?
    • What about Magret Wanjiru abandoning Humility in the quest for money and power and totally dissing Kamangu...to his grave(those boys look like him it hurts)
    • What about Cardinal Njue and other Central Kenya clergy openly campaigning against Majimbo and against ODM during the last elections?
    • What about the other Clergy from the rest of the country campaigning for Majimbo and against PNU?
    • What about the profiteering way in which these clergy exploit the masses?
    • What about AIC dancing to Moi’s tune?
    • Anyone remembers reverend Jones Kaleli of Kabarak?(he’s in exile after playing dirty with Moi)
    • Finger of God?
    • Gilbert Deya and the babies?
    • Pastir Joyce Nduta and healing Aids patients at a fee of 200,000 bob?
    And many more...
    Seriously....what moral authority do the clergy have? They live in glass houses, and should repent first, before they wax philosophical about immorality. I might sound like that ‘self-proclaimed’ prophet Owuor, but he’s kinda right...our Clergy are rotten to the marrow.
    Jesus would support this constitution, for it allows sanity to prevail during pregnancy, and for the co-existence of religions. If anything, Jesus wasn’t a Christian himself, he was a Jew, born to Jews, and the Pharisees were Jews.....and Jesus had the wisdom to tell them they were wrong when they were

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  13. :the new draft constitution is full of 101 errors n ommissions article on Labours relations has an error...Clause 41 sub section 3
    3) Every employer has the right—

    (e) to form and join an employers organisation; and

    (f) to participate in the activities and programmes of an employers

    organisation





    Clause 41 sub section 3 a) b) c) d) have been ommited

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  14. Kirgit,
    So in short Mary Magdalene was Jesus Christ's staker? LOL.

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  15. Welcome back Sam,

    If my memory serves me right, you are now doing something for the church. And so if you prominent folks in the church are also Green, then I might want to adjust my prediction of a 75% majority win to something higher. Just kidding, forget my predictions and lets all get out there and vote to make sure there are no slip ups.

    Great come-back-post, Sam.

    Phil!!! Eti even Chris is greeen.... Hehehehehe. You take things too personally Phil. So much so that you forget that you and I have so much in common. You forget that just like you, I have always championed for the rights of the common man and that is what pulled us together here in Kumekucha in the first place. The draft is the best chance the ordinary Kenyan has ever had in history. In fact this new constitution is so important for Kenya and has already cost ordinary folks so much that it is truly painful just imagining that somebody would want to do everything in their power to stop it happening. Even Moi is telling lies at meetings eti the military will be allowed to go on strike. How desperate is that old man to tell such bltant lies?

    And then Ruto keeps saying that if people vote No there will be another referendum in November where they can vote YES. Who said? Who is Ruto to decide on a referndum by November? Not even Kibaki has the power to do that on his own.

    Ooops therte I go again getting all emotional and carried away.

    -Kumekucha-

    P.S. Phil, based on posts and comments here I dare add that you and I are some of the few folks who truly understand the common mwananchi and the challenges they face. Something else we have in common.

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  16. Sam Okello,
    Welcome home/back. Thanks for debanking the religious myths that the church survives on. But just like ticks stick to a carcass, these religious zealots will eventually drop dead themselves.

    That said one thing you point out MUST be upheld by all Kenyans: CIVILIZED CAMPAIGN - We must learn to differ respectfully. It only gets hot and beyond forgiving when the church tilts its moral campass to deliberately deceive (read propaganda). True they are Kenyans with the right to NO vote but honestly clergy cheating is beyond me.

    Granted, Njue MUST remain loyal to vatican but is there anything like employing global/universal (one size fits all) solution to local problems?

    Look, Chris and Phil (and many others) maybe together in this joined at the hip by desire to .......Well, you others people's take better on matters religion: its remains private and personal. No amount of foaming at the mouth by hypocrates will change that.

    Katiba sasa (with respect).

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  17. I believe it was pope leo who said about the crusades "god wills it". I know christianity is relatively knew to africans but you need to know that wars have been fought because some humans know what god wants.

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  18. OMG Sam is back! I thought you said you have moved on and will not be contributing to this ailing blog anymore but rather concenctrating on writing?? What made you change your minds-- is Kumekucha that tempting??

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