From our correspondent, "Death Chamber", in regards to some critical comments about the church and poverty from one "Bono", esq.:
First,
Bono on
Poverty:
Now, for all its failings and its perversions over the last 2,000 years—and as much as every exponent of this faith has attempted to dodge this idea—it is unarguably the central tenet of Christianity: that everybody is equal in God's eyes. So you cannot, as a Christian, walk away from Africa. America will be judged by God if, in its plenty, it crosses the road from 23 million people suffering from HIV, the leprosy of the day.
What's up on trial here is Christianity itself. You cannot walk away from this and call yourself a Christian and sit in power. Distance does not decide who is your brother and who is not. The church is going to have to become the conscience of the free market if it's to have any meaning in this world—and stop being its apologist.
Now,
DeathChamber on
Bono:
That (Bono's statement) is certainly the pot calling the kettle black.
He self-righteously ignores the many billions of dollars of aid (as well as non-money programmes such as health, education and food & water resourcing) that the Christian nations have been pouring into Africa for the last 60 years (note that he conveniently neglects to mention all the other religions that are very poor cousins in this regard, especially the ones who are waging the civil/tribal wars) and continues to live his own life of luxury and debauchery (yes, I do read New Idea and the social pages that he regularly features in, partying and hobnobbing with all the rich and famous, the 364 days a year when not on his public pedestal) - a pretty extreme case of hypocrisy, in anyone's language. Given that the only problem he mentioned was HIV, I wouldn't be surprised if the only reason he has any view at all about the African people is because that particular disease is the one that has most closed affected his hedonistic social group.
No, the problem is still real, massive and protracted, but he as a spokesman does not provide legitimacy and criticality commensurate with the extreme need of these people.
Do a Google search for "Theodore Darlrymple", a doctor/social commentator who has spent the last 30 years or so in Africa actually on the ground working to help the people, and see what he says about the effectiveness of the Bob Geldoff's and Bono's in helping the third world.
Here's just one for starters..
http://www.newcriterion.com/archive/23/jun05/therap.htm
I think I will go on doing like I have been for the last decade and a half - paying into goal-oriented overseas mission programmes and seeing the specific results while continuing to ignore the shrill and strident whining of the excessively rich loudmouths that try and make me feel guilty, totally showing their ignorance to the fact that I am already and by both choice and obedience immersed in a culture of religious and social justice that is always highlighting these problems and challenging a response.
Wow. Now that you got me thinking about all this, I have to admit that Bono really is a big fat vacuous loser.
