Jesus in the Contemporary Culture: I was or I AM

Jesus: Changing without notice

With the Westgate Siege still fresh in the minds of many Kenyans, most would love to believe that this was, in common diction, “an inside job”.

Man is a social being, finding pleasure in association with others. However, just how long does it take for one to claim knowledge of the other? “I thought I knew you… What came over you… Oh! So you did that!?” express shock when a confidant does something so unexpected. This is normally by revealing some “new” aspect of their character.

That time spent together may not necessarily translate into knowing the other party is a truth so conspicuous for all and sundry to see. In fact, the famed Kiswahili proverb “Kikulacho ki nguoni mwako” alludes to this fact. That your best of friends could be your “worst” enemy is a thing we vehemently wish away.

The Judas reality

It is interesting that Judas betrayed Jesus. This he did not just do but rather cemented it with a kiss. Apparently, he led a great multitude composed of even the chief priests, scribes and elders, people who had all this time interacted with Jesus.

“Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is He…” were Judas’ words.

Did he have to give them a token as outlined? Are not these the same people that Jesus was talking to in the temple in Mark 11:27-12? How comes that they had a full day engagement with Jesus but now needed Judas to help them identify Him?

Irrespective of the interaction that these people had with Jesus, they still did not know Him and thus the need for assistance. Many a Christians today have been in communion with God since their Sunday/Church School days. Some have even climbed the ladder of religiosity by being baptized, partaking in the Holy Communion among other Christian practices. The big question however is how many of these actually know Jesus!!!

A glance at the church today will show a clear shift from the Jesus of the Bible. Whereas He advocates for holiness, total surrender, righteousness, and treading in His path, many a Christians have today forsaken most if not all these.

This is not just limited to the shift from praise to performance, fasting to feasting, fellowshipping to church going but goes even deeper. Where are the martyrs of the day, a people ready to put their lives to the line when none else is on God’s side? Where is the Joseph of our generation who will flee at the heat of sin and see this as an opportunity to preach to the Mrs. Potiphar of the day? Where is the Daniel of our day who will ignore the king’s delicacies for water and vegetables?

Seek and ye shall find

Scriptures tell us to seek Him and we shall find Him. But in Ps119:2, God advocates for more than a mere search. He proposes a search with ones whole heart. How many are diligent in searching the rock of our salvation; the creator of the universe; the King of kings and Lord of lords; the Great I AM in the contemporary society?

Knowing God is not a walk in the park. It calls for effort and the willingness to religiously stick to His standards. It is taking up ones cross daily and following Him. It is the willingness to even be persecuted for the sake of the Son of God. It is the willingness to take His word as His revealed will and run with it against every barrier.

How many of us today fall into the bracket of the religious leaders of Jesus’ time who needed Judas as the bridge to identifying Him? Can you tell the real Jesus upon sight? Can you pick Him from a crowd?

Shifting the beacons

Peter is an amazing character in the bible. He is the only one who dared Jesus to call him to walk on water; dared to define Jesus; rebuked His own master after receiving a pat on his back; could not allow Jesus to wash His feet.

Towards the end of Mark14, he again introduces another drama. When those present at the Chief Priest’s palace declare him one of Jesus’ disciples he vehemently denies it. This is not to forget the debate of whether or not he could leave Jesus.

It is sad that whereas Judas’ kiss was needed to identify Jesus, Peter was picked from the crowd by at least three people. He, Peter, was so determined to appear neutral, ignoring his promise to glue himself to his master though everyone else leaves Him.

His speech sells him out, reason he now switches to cursing and swearing so as to manipulate their view. Though the bible is silent about the curses, Peter was cunningly trying to become like the rest. He was trying to fit in to the patterns of those he was not like.

Unlike Jesus who we find choosing silence over defense when accused before Pilate, Peter is ready to even spell out curses. Defense is manipulative, reason Jesus gives Himself over silently like a sheep before its shearers.

In the NAYNET Conference 2013, it was disheartening to explore the state of the so called gospel music. Sad enough is that secular music is now being “Christianized”! Since when did Jesus and Beelzebub share a house? Since when did Baal and God share an altar? Has God suddenly and without warning lowered His standards? Can replacing the names Mohammed and Allah in the Quran with Jesus and God respectively make it the Holy Bible or vice versa?

It was even sadder hearing DJ Moz defending his likes, their ungodly mannerisms and pointing a finger at those who felt offended.

“We need content that we can identify with, not one that just connects us with God,” he said.

For him, relevance precedes Godliness. God is less concerned with content and context as long as His name is thrown in one or two lines to appease the “religious” and win the hearts of the clergy.

Jesus has all of a sudden become a homeboy, less concerned with our character and godliness. He is so worn out by sin that He is luring many into following Him.  He is so unlike the Jesus in Luke 14 who needs one to hate his very own, renounce all he has, and carry his cross daily to be called a disciple.

Where did the Jesus of scripture go to, leaving us with that of the musicians? Is there one out there who can help many a Christians identify the real Jesus? How many can confidently act as links to Jesus?

How many, unlike Peter, remain true to their identity in Jesus? How many are ready to stick to Him through thick and thin? While everyone else is busy watering down the truth, who is ready to hold crane their neck and like the martyrs of old bear the pain of the truth they know?

A people who like Stephen will earn a standing ovation from Jesus Himself! A people who like Paul will choose a revolution in their identity and pursue Jesus as the only treasure on this side of eternity!

Kabarak University hosts world’s largest Friends conference

16^th April 2012

BY: Alex Chepkoit & Bonface Njogu

Over one thousand Friends from parts of Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Latin America and North America are gathering at Kabarak University-main campus for the Largest Worldwide Conference of Friends.

The conference which will run from April 17 to 25^th will provide opportunities for discussions, worship sharing and prayer for the participants.

 The conference is set to explore the theme Being Salt and Light. It will be explored through worship, small group discussions, by speakers from across the globe and in working groups, looking at areas such as peace work, poverty and the environment

According to Nancy Irving, the Friends World Conference Secretary General, the conference shall seek to unite the spiritual foundation of their faith with their understanding of the basis of the work in the world.

In deciding the theme, the International Planning Committee (IPC) drew inspiration from several Bible passages, including Matthew 5:13 (“You are the salt of the earth...”), Matthew 5:14-16 (“You are the light of the world...”), Matthew 6:33 (“Seek ye first the Kingdom of God...”), Matthew 6:9-13 (the Lord’s Prayer), Micah 4:4 (“They shall sit under their own vines and fig trees and no one shall make them afraid.”), and Micah 6:8 (“... And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”).

The theme is supplemented by a passage from Luke, 17:20-21. “The Kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed … the Kingdom of God is among you.”

The second supporting quote for the theme is from the eighteenth century American Friend John Woolman: “We have the prospect of one common interest from which our own is inseparable, to turn all we possess into the channel of universal love becomes the business of our lives.”

“This theme unites the spiritual foundation of our faith with our understanding of the basis of our work in the world in all its diversity,” said Irving.

For the seven days of the conference, worship will underpin the participants’ time together and each day there will be opportunities for stillness, prayer, singing and experiencing the diversity of Friends' worship.

Participants will be assigned a home group - small groups which will meet daily with more time for discussion, worship sharing and to get to know other Friends on a deep level. 

During the first three days of the conference, working groups look at how Friends can respond to aspects of the theme. They will be offered on around 40 different topics, or threads, and the insights which emerge will be woven together later in the conference.

Freedom of the Press
Is the Kenyan media free, devoid of any interference from personal, situational, economic and well emotional attachment? Is it as objective as it is supposed to be, delivering news and other media products in a completely objective way? Are media practitioners subject to external, as well as internal forces causing them to take sides and not sit on the fence as they should?

Kivutha Kibwana(1990) notes that frustration is a culmination of the government trying to censor broadcast. If for any reason the citizens feel as if they are not free to air their views, especially on government related issues, they will definitely be inclined to only air what those in power want to hear. The media in Kenya may at times air content that “defames” the people in power. This is a risk though which could cost one even his job. Is the media therefore really free from government control? Actually, he (Kivutha) further notes that ideas which are locked in the minds of citizens are not likely to be of value to development endeavors.

Economic, social and cultural dormancy is the repercussion. When ideas are not in a continuous generation and dissemination in a society, dormancy as a plaque is inevitable. A free press ensures flow of ideas to all and sundry who have access to the means. The Kenyan media can not however be taken to be the best example of free press. In regard to the 2007-2008 post election violence, is it really post election violence or election violence? Where did the term “Post Election Violence” come from? It could be argued that those in positions of power coined up the term to hide the source as well as the gravity of the issue! The violence could have been pre-, post- or even in the course of the elections.

When the newsmakers ideology is taken as the true gospel, who will perform the vital surveillance function that the media ought to? When they label a happening as P.E.V and the media duplicates the same without a critical analysis, who will tell the masses the truth? Gathering and disseminating information is not enough, in that every bit should be critiqued before, looking at the angles with a keen eye.

Freedom of expression has the freedom to receive ideas and information without interference as a tenet. Interference basically refers to the act or an instance of hindering, obstructing, or impeding. How easy is it for one to access the leaders in government? Are they always accessible or is it their Personal Assistants and secretaries who insinuate their role? If civil servants can go on strike yet the concerned minister is without reach, can we talk of freedom as a reality in Kenya?

The right to receive and read any lawful materials for purposes of developing ones ideas is vital. It is the function of the law-makers to determine what is legal and what is illegal. Under Section52 of the Penal Code, the government is empowered to prohibit the importation or ban any publication it deems objectionable-compromises public order, health morals, security or jeopardizes the administration of justice, defence and is reasonably justifiable in such a democratic society.

How does a minister come to the conclusion that a publication is worth banning? A publication could be banned after exposing something that those in power want concealed. Kivutha (1990) gives examples of banned publications but does not give the reasons for the same. Njogu (2011) claims that the publication Beyond, a religious magazine, was banned for exposing how Mr. Moi rigged an election. The magazine portrayed clearly how the election was rigged leading to Mr. Moi’s, leading to its extinction. If this claim is true, is the media really devoid of government control in terms of content?

Another component of the Freedom of Expression is the freedom to communicate ideas and information without interference. Censorship should be lifted for one to communicate any idea, news and information, whether to the public or to any individual or class of persons. The previous elections saw the government issue a directive banning any live broadcast. News could consequently not be aired as this takes place live. What the government forgot to consider is the presence of international journalists Kenya who continued airing news (Nabea 2011). Anyone with a satellite dish (the financially able) continued watching the news. The bigger masses were denied access to news, enjoying nonstop entertainment and having more time to further engage in acts of violence.

This study is founded on the Free Press Theory which holds that the press exists to inform the public and protect the people’s rights and liberties.

In the 17th Century, authoritarianism reigned supreme. The press of the day existed chiefly to support the policies of the government in power. Freedom was foreign, with the press put in place to serve the state (Siebert et al: 1963). Truth was the product of a few wise men I position to guide and direct their followers, not of the masses of people. The ruler had absolute power and control over ownership, content ad use of the mass media.

With the overthrow of the monarchical authoritarians, libertarianism was birthed. It was a political and press system that came with the concept of press freedom. Truth was no longer at as the property of power but rather as one of the inalienable natural rights of man. In the search for truth, partnering with the press is unavoidable. This s the case because the press is  a device for presenting evidence and arguments for the masses to check on the government and make up their minds as a policy.

The idea of the freedom of the press first evolved as a component of the libertarian social philosophy, originating in England after the revolution of 1688. Free Press Theory was therefore adopted in England in 1688 and in the USA in the First Amendment of then Constitution. It is globally and ideally guaranteed by Article 19 of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The theory has three tenets. The first is the assumption of multiplicity of voices on public issues all the time. This basically suggests that competition in terms of ideas should exist. Competition here refers to debates and arguments aiming at enabling the masses to air their views.

Secondly is the absence of state control in the operations of the news media in line with the laissez faire enterprise doctrine of capitalism. It is worth noting that the state was thought of as a major source of interference on the rights of an individual and his property. State ownership of the press is also forbidden as the right to publish is fundamental for a democracy. Permitting state control would mean allowing rulers to censor the media.

Thirdly is the emphasis on financial freedom. This aims at guaranteeing freedom of the press and individuals. Any form of inducements, payment or promise for the sake of publishing is unexpected. As a matter of fact, any paid for media product should be viewed as a an advertisement. News and other such-like stories should be published on merit and not for any form of monetary gain.

By: Githuku Njogu (2011)

PATENT OR PERISH

On 16^th February 2012, the National Council for Science and Technology (NCST) held a sensitization workshop at Kabarak University with the theme “Opportunities under Science, Technology and Innovation” (ST&I). Present were members from the NCST led by their C.E.O. Prof. Shaukat Abdulrazak, KABU led by the V.C Prof. Dankit Nassiuma, KARI officials, KEMRI, Mount Kenya University, Egerton University, Kenya Methodist University among others. Prof. Shaukat Abdulrazak was the main speaker, zeroing in on innovations and the role of NCST in this.

He began by emphasizing that Science, Technology and Innovation (ST&I) is the bedrock upon which vision 2030 lies, an addition to what the D.V.C, Prof. Peter Kibas, had termed as the key to everything. The social, political and economic pillars are founded on this very foundation, failure to which no progress may be made. It is research that has seen countries like South Africa ranked 50^th on the global scale while Kenya still averages at position 102. In comparing the two countries, it was noted that Kenya had 6.6% and South Africa 46.4% of the subcontinent’s publications in 2008.

“Transformative research is vital,” he continued. Bearing in mind the population explosion facing the world today, even higher figures are yet to be. However, it is only the population that seems to ever increase; as the environment stagnates where it were ages ago. He encouraged research that aims at meeting demand, an idea shared by his colleague Dr. Kitaka, considering the impacts of research to the society.

“Research should shape policy, create wealth, knowledge and development, and address societal issues,” he continued. He insisted that it is not in order for innovators to live poor yet they own ideas that cause change. The knowledge generated from research should be used in shaping policies that affect the community at large.

In terms of grants, a hundred and sixty eight (168) research projects have been funded since the year 2008. In the South Rift region more than eighty three (83) million has been granted, of which KABU has received close to three million. Respondents between ages 41-50 are on the lead, thus challenging the younger generation. So far, 35 of the 62 universities and colleges in Kenya have received funding from NCST.

He finished by quoting Nelson Mandela who once said that “It always seems impossible…until it is done.” As such, all ought to embrace innovation. As Albert Einstein said, a new kind of thinking is needed when solving problems, different from the one in existent when creating it. 

by Njogu Bonface

MOBILE PHONES

NO LONGER A POCKET DEVICE

Ten years ago cell phones were devices for the chosen few. However, this is no longer the case. Majority now own and operate a cell phone with ease. The mobile industry is growing speedily, with the players therein grappling with the contending forces that shape its structure and competitive behavior. According to John Kieti, more than sixty seven people out of a hundred own (a) handset(s)! This therefore suggests that the mobile industry is indeed a booming business worth considering.

On 17^th February 21, 2012, Kabarak Universtiy hosted Mobile innovations Day. In attendance were Mlab East Africa, ESRI, as well as students from Kabarak and Egerton. Discussions on mobile innovations emanated with the insistence that cell phones are more than pocket devices. We use them to pay our bills, transfer cash, check market prices, connect with friends and relatives, browse the internet, book bus tickets among other tasks. How comes that this device, though small in size, has the ability to perform all these?

It takes collective efforts for these applications to be realized. Innovative minds are thus critical in this case. Courtesy of institutions like Mlab and ESRI, a handset is slowly becoming the darling of many, able to perform tasks that formerly took days to accomplish, yet at the comfort of ones home. By simply keying in some stipulated cords, one can even get the market prices of commodities.

In the workshop, students were called upon to position themselves in this emerging market. As they say, technology is in your hands. As such, coming up with new applications is more than creative: it is a highway to making money. Treating mobile phones with contempt is not a characteristic of today’s generation.