I was fortunate enough to have parents that were wonderful Christians in both name and deeds. Perhaps that is why I am an enthusiastic Christian today. Yet, I too have come across people in my church (I am a Seventh-day Adventist) that hold offices of high position and respect who have lied to us, stolen from us, and tried their best to cover it up. I have three siblings. All three of my siblings have told me that they would never be a part of this church because of the way some leaders have treated us. But I see the obvious error here. I do not want to be a follower of any man or woman, no matter what their position. I am a part of a greater group of Christians than I find in my church. Only Jesus is good enough to be my example. In following Him I have found freedom from grudges, freedom from sinful habits, freedom from anger, freedom from people who spread evil gossip about me, and security that nothing and nobody can do anything bad to me without the permission of my Jesus. I compare my life to that of my three siblings and see that I certainly made the right choice! I am the one with the smile on my face! I wish all could see the problem of following other “Christians.” I wish all could live as If there were only One Christian example: Jesus. Have you really found anything undesirable about Him?

Bill

blessings to you… as it were i stumbled onto your article, well written and i appreciated your point of view. i spend a fair amount of my life in support of ngo’s throughout the world, specifically east africa and as of late…kenya and even more of a micro view…in the northern territories of Torbi, Loyangalani, Ko and so on…insupport of the global food crisis and as of late, a project to offset issues surrounding women’s health concerns as it relates to the constant search for wood for fuel etc ec..and dealing with the drought.

this latest project, The Paradigm Project, i spent a month in the areas surrounding the Chalbi Desert and went there in a different way..and that is to portray the diginity and the strength of kenyan women…isntead of photographing images of either very poor children in need or a the “bright blue wearing school girl with big smiles”…its always this way

SO I spent time with women only this project out. Photographed women who gather wood from Meru to Marsabit and up in the big loop towards Ethiopia and back down again along Lake Turkana…all of which, the women understood what the project was about and willingly helped me, in allowing me to document their pride in life….so i used m professional advertising skills of 30 years….and a decades worth of cultural sensitivity to create images of women…who are neither hungry or well fed, poor or wealthy…just dignified women on this earth…

SO in reading your article I though you may enjoy viewing serious images created ina different manner….all for good…and i do believe that he West does need to see itself in some way…or rather wants to “build a continued world” in it’s own image..maybe thats not its purpose however it does seem to always come around to this eventually

Anyway…no need to respond, just wanted you to be aware that others read your article which have personal and professional experience of Kenya to appreciate your thoughts, weigh them and have dialogue with you for good. I think at times, just because “journalists” and I am not one, I am an advertising photographer who donates his skills to raise awareness…but that people come to see the “big show in town” and make their way to the field to bring “change” even if change isnt wanted…

who are we to tell others how to live life……

best regards to you edwin….take care

http://www.twohoursfromlondon.blopspot.com

rodney

When I moved to the city I attended a small SDA school where I received most of my religious and spiritual training. I realized then the spiritual darkness that I was born in and lived in my childhood. But I also held the believe that SDA’s were a lot better, i admired their life and their faith.

Growing up in a world where certain unknown men except through thought legends and icons, in the SDA church I also put examples, and looked up to many people. I was excited about my faith and knowledge that gave me. I felt very close to God and I looked for his Second coming with earnest prayer. Yet soon a cloud of disappointment and discouragement made captive my dreams, excitement and my faith. When I thought I was in heaven I found my self in a tormenting hell.

My disappointment in men whom I took for examples drove me away from faith in God altogether. ” Everyone has fallen short of his glory” came like a blow to my mind. There is no one perfect. The pastor, this and that. I still however cherished the idea that America would be the perfect place to get orientation to heaven . After two years of living in the US I no longer cherish this feeling.

Somewhere in between, I earnestly sought God, and from then I never looked up to a man as a example but Jesus alone is worthy of that picture.

What I am trying I guess to say, is that I have had a similar journey like yours and I am sure there many others who turn away and get disappointed. It reminds me of the story that Jesus said, the seed fell in the rocks and they grew but soon died when the thorns of the earth chocked them.

I don’t know your name or even if you will read this, but I wanted to tell you that I understand your pain, and what you have gone through. America is too dirty to even represent heaven. Come to think of it there is no such place on earth that can give you a glimpse of that heavenly picture. You have looked at people and took them as an example and they instead of showing a good example showed you the opposite. But this is why “God remembers that we are dust” that everyone has fallen short of his glory, everyone-even the disciples after living with Jesus himself for three years.

I encourage therefore with brotherly love as I did to remove every picture of someone you put in a frame and put on Jesus, He is your only example. Don’t you know that we trample on the Son of God when we take a human example for us.

You left the SDA church because you were looking at people, in you the words of Christ would come to their meaning “you look at the small thing in your brothers eyes and you forgot the big thing in yours.” Jesus had twelve disciples one of them betrayed him and sold him for a cheap price yet Jesus kept him in the company perhaps ate with him, washed his feet. Just because someone clams to be an SDA doesn’t make him the church. while it is undebatable the church is the body of Christ, I think we often forget that people may as the church of empsus in revelation may forget their first love and go and commit spiritual adultery dose not make the beliefs system trampled to the ground, by no means.

I am not saying go this way or that way, what I am saying if you have left the SDA church because you have met some people who misrepresented Christ. I encourage you to study the Bible and unlike them go out and represent Christ. “And be of good cheer for I am with you till the end” and that if we have fallen “we have an advocate in heaven to reconcile to the father.”

My prayers are with you .