by Nicole Symmonds, Urban Faith Contributing Writer | Nov 11, 2013 | Entertainment, Feature, Headline News |
“Don’t be culturally competitive while remaining spiritually bankrupt.”
This is a quote that popped up in my Twitter feed as I watched the series premiere of “Thicker than Water” a reality show that documents the prosperous yet problem-filled lives of the Tankards. The quote was attributed to Rev. William Curtis, pastor of Mt. Ararat Baptist Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania but I don’t think the tweet came as a response to the show although it came at just the right time.
“Thicker than Water,” the Tankard family from left to right: Britney, Cyrene, Jewel, Ben, Brooklyn, Benji, Shinara (Photo Credit: Bravo TV)
If the name Tankard sounds familiar it is because you probably own some of Ben Tankard’s music. He’s been called “the Quincy Jones of gospel music” specializing primarily in instrumental arrangements as well as producing other gospel artists. On “Thicker than Water” he is the father to a blended family of five children he likens to “The Black Brady Bunch,” a husband to a wife who is in love with money as much as he is, the pastor of the Destiny Center Church located in Murfeesboro, Tennessee, and an overall braggart about his wealth. Tankard is a true rags to riches story and isn’t afraid to tell it. Having experienced poverty at a young age and also homelessness when an injury threatened his promising NBA career, Tankard seems determined never to taste the bitter gall of poverty. As he says, “I’ve been poor, now I’m rich. Trust me, rich is better.” But it seems that riches have become the god of him and his wife–Jewel–and this is shown most clearly within the first five minutes of the show:
“The first time that I realized that God wanted us to be rich, I was a senior in college and I saw this phenomenal man and woman of God standing up and preaching the word of God and honey, wasn’t nothing broke about them! I said, “Oh Lord, this is the Jesus that I know.” Jewel Tankard
“You are supposed to dominate in life and certainly be a millionaire.” Ben Tankard
“We serve a God who is all about the bling in heaven. There’s no ghetto section of heaven.” Ben Tankard
“If I had to take a vow of poverty I would have never gotten saved.” Jewel Tankard
Tankard is a prosperity gospel preacher in the truest sense, telling his congregation they are meant to dominate and be millionaires. He also teaches this millionaire philosophy to his children and seems to be more interested in making them materially rich rather than spiritually rich. But all that glitters isn’t gold for the Tankards and the first show reveals some hints of the spiritual bankruptcy that is looming over the large family.
Brooklyn, Ben’s daughter from a previous marriage, holds no punches as an embittered daughter watching her father spoil and dote on her little sister Cyrene. For example, instead of supporting Brooklyn in her first marathon run, Ben and Jewel stayed home to document Cyrene getting ready for prom. Brooklyn watches Cyrene get rights and privileges that she never had growing up and she unabashedly shows her bitterness toward the loving father-daughter relationship she sees between Ben and Cyrene.
Cyrene is a classic baby of the family. She knows what to do to get what she wants and Ben and Jewel spoil her because of this. Of course this is all unfolding before Brooklyn’s eyes—because she lives at home with the Tankards along with her 10-year-old daughter Diamond. Brooklyn attributes her teen pregnancy and legal troubles—she ran an illegal strip joint that lead to her arrest—to her absent father. The dynamic between Brooklyn and Ben seems to be a promising storyline that may show America how a daughter reconciles with her previously prodigal father.
Benji, the only boy in the Tankard clan, appears to be a college dropout. A previous success story whom received a track scholarship to go to college, Benji partied too hard and had to leave school. Now he is back at home with the family—and his wife—trying to get a fresh start. Benji has dreams of becoming a millionaire like his father yet it doesn’t seem clear that he is doing anything substantial to get there.
Britney is the only Tankard—aside from Brooklyn—who seems determined not to subscribe to her family’s millionaire philosophy and lifestyle. She holds down a job, seems rather self-sufficient, and is closest to Brooklyn. We don’t know much about her backstory but I’m sure it will be revealed as the season goes forward.
Within the show’s first hour the Tankard’s paint the picture of a rich and happy family–or at least how they perceive rich and happy families to be. Mr. and Mrs. Tankard go shopping for jet planes like the average American goes shopping for a car. The Tankard family gathers together dressed in white and khaki to play croquette in the backyard. Cyrene, the Tankard baby, has a dreamboat boyfriend who looks like a black Ken doll and brings flowers to the family BBQ as he prepares to ask her to go to prom with him. Jewel Tankard arises each morning to recite a Billionaire Confession because, in her words, “I am already a millionairess, I am trying to become a billionairess.” They do well to fit into Bravo’s mold of rich reality television-ready families but they do nothing to fit into the mold of a Godly family. There, I said it.
Last night the Tankards joined the ranks of Bravo reality television families who are more concerned with maintaining fortune and B-level fame than they are of doing something fruitful with their time. They looked no different than the “Real Housewives of _________,” “The Shahs of Sunset,” “Vanderpump Rules,” and “The New Atlanta.” I have no qualms with the aforementioned shows and their respective casts pimping themselves out for a dollar because they aren’t champions for any cause other than their self-glorification. Nene and them have no responsibility to “stand out” because they’ve made no declaration of being sold out for Christ. But the Tankards, as a Christian family, headed by a preacher and psalmist of sorts of the gospel have a different responsibility. Their responsibility is to be a witness to God’s goodness in this world and that has very little to do with material wealth. If God’s goodness is reduced to how much God blesses people financially, then God is only blessing a few people while the rest of us are living outside of the blessing. God’s blessings are deeper than our pockets, don’t believe the Tankards or any prosperity gospel hype.
Revisiting the Rev. William Curtis’s quote from earlier, the Tankards have now positioned themselves as cultural competitors who are on the verge of becoming spiritually bankrupt. They have seemingly traded being champions for Christ in the public eye for being champions of wealth and adoration of people. This adoration isn’t even for the work that they do for God–which is something we could argue the “Preachers of LA” do; it is adoration because of what they believe God has given them, wealth and riches. They have crossed into the territory of worshipping and glorifying the gifts instead of the giver and I fear that they don’t even know it. But this is all just from a first impression, the impression that we claim is the most important. For the Tankard’s sake, let’s hope they use the second episode and the season at large to leave a better impression.
by Wil LaVeist | Nov 8, 2013 | Feature, Headline News |
With the U.S. unemployment rate still high at 7.3 percent (13 percent for blacks), financial struggles continue for many. The Great Recession that began in 2007 may technically be over, but the federal government sequestration and the shutdown that furloughed hundreds of workers, has many people losing hope in the slow economic recovery. But it is times like these that you have to trust God even more for a better future. Getting your mind right is the key.
Like a friend who is now a very successful store owner. She shared with me that financial troubles almost caused her to give up on her business before the breakthrough came. She opened her retail store after the 9/11 tragedy, which triggered economic gloom in 2001. That downturn caused the company that she was working for at that time to eliminate her position after nearly 20 years of loyal service. Though it was shocking to be called to the human resources office, handed a manila folder, and told that she no longer had a job, it was also a relief. For years, God had been showing her in dreams that she would be running not one, but many successful thrift stores. In the dreams, she clearly saw the store’s light purple and blue walls with gold trim, she said. She saw clothing on the racks and the furniture where customers would sit in between browsing and trying on clothing. She used the severance package from her former job as seed money to plant the business she would nurture for God. Friends and family told her she was crazy to attempt to open a door during an economic downturn. Sometimes it’s good to be hard-headed.
After opening the thrift store in the city’s downtown section, foot traffic was excellent for the first few weeks. But then fewer people came into the store. This went on for months. She began to worry about paying bills and salaries. Then, one day in a moment of particular weakness, she shared her concerns with her assistant manager. The assistant manager prayed with her and then went back to work. Then while routinely checking the pockets of clothing before putting them on the racks, the assistant manager found two dimes. She took the dimes to the store owner and said, “You see, God will provide. We just have to trust him.” They both laughed, but they also knew that the statement was true. My friend is now planning to open a second store.
Troubling times can feed hopelessness, but trouble can also be ripe for opportunities, whether it’s opening your own business or starting a new career. For example, the Affordable Care Act was lauchned amid the headlines about the financial impact of Washington’s gridlock over the federal budget. The ACA, also known as Obamacare, began open enrollment on Oct. 1 at www.healthcare.gov and on websites of states that have their own health insurance marketplaces. I did a presentation at a Celebrate Healthcare event in Hampton, Va., where individuals were able to enroll with help. I talked about repositioning yourself for healthcare jobs.
Healthcare jobs are among the top fasted growing industries, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. When people think of working in healthcare, they typically see the clinical side – being a doctor or nurse and the number of years and costs of schooling required. But there are several non-clinical jobs or careers in the area of healthcare management because healthcare is ultimately a business. For example, there will be a growing need for people who have skills in communications, or data entry, or accounting. Positions in sales and management are growing. As evidenced by the massive technical problems with the enrollment website, information technology experts will become more vital. People who are unemployed or looking to make a career change can transfer skills from their current fields to fill health care industry jobs. They just have to be willing to see the opportunities and do what it takes to reposition – whether it’s additional training, or researching health insurance companies or networking with people who are already where you want to be.
Tough financial times also mean opportunities for breakthroughs. It’s all in how you choose to look at it. You can choose hope and to be “transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
by Nicole Symmonds, Urban Faith Contributing Writer | Nov 5, 2013 | Entertainment, Feature, Headline News |
After this weekend some might say it’s a good time to be a black woman in America, at least on television. They might say this after watching Kerry Washington’s debut on Saturday Night Live and BET’s annual “Black Girl Rocks” celebration. While those things are all good, I think there was an important message that was communicated delivered between Saturday and Sunday, the message being that black women need to define themselves in the media.
On Saturday night Kerry Washington made her debut appearance on Saturday Night Live. This was a big deal because in the preceding weeks, SNL cast member Kenan Thompson claimed that black female comics aren’t ready for SNL which lead to a huge backlash. After Thompson’s statement, Washington was announced as the host of the show as if she was behind the scenes with Pope & Associates plotting this all along. Like many, I was looking forward to seeing Washington take on sketch comedy over her weekly role as Ms. Fix It/Adulteress. I had hope during the opener where she played Michelle Obama to Jay Pharoah’s Barack Obama. Things were moving along brilliantly as fictitious Barack remarked to fictitious Michelle that it has been too long since he has seen her–a jab at the fact that there isn’t anyone to play Michelle Obama and the current black male cast members–Pharoah and Thompson–have sworn off dressing as women for skits. The fictitious couple’s pleasantries were interrupted when a White House aide announced the arrival of Oprah. But who would play Oprah? The one black woman currently on screen of course! Washington rushed out of the room and as she changed into Oprah’s best, the following words appeared on the screen:
“The producers at “Saturday Night Live” would like to apologize to Kerry Washington for the number of black women she will be asked to play. We make these requests because Ms. Washington is an actress of considerable range and talent — and also because SNL does not currently have a black woman on the cast. Mostly the latter. We agree this is not an ideal situation and look forward to rectifying it in the near future, unless, of course, we fall in love with another white guy first.”
Following the text’s conclusion, Washington rushed backed into the room doing a spot-on impression of Oprah only to discover that Beyonce just arrived and she would be responsible for being the pop-diva. She disappeared again leaving Barack and his aide to their own devices along with six different Matthew McConaugheys–because there are enough cast members to render six different McConaugheys. The cold opener concluded with a special guest appearance by the Rev. Al Sharpton who concluded that as usual nothing was learned from this bit and then he said those famous words, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!”
Alas my excitement dissipated about two sketches in as I realized that many of the characters that Washington played were stereotypes of black women. First there was Tammy, the blonde-wig wearing, gum snapping, ghetto-attitudinal assistant to Heshy, a female motivational speaker from Yemen. This was followed by the nagging, nosey girlfriend in “What Does My Girl Say?” a cover of the strangely popular Norwegian dance song “What Does the Fox Say?” (Which, I might add, was one of the funnier sketches of the evening.) Washington also played a strong, quasi-militant black female professor from Spelman–complete with a tightly-packed afro, an overly inquisitive pageant contestant from Uganda, a perky game show host, a despised high school teacher with heavy Jersey accent and a ditzy dating show contestant. All of these roles could fall somewhere on the spectrum of stereotypes of black women and though it can be argued that it was all for the sake of comedy or making a statement about the lack of diversity, it’s hard to push this argument when on any other Saturday night white comediennes have the opportunity to play roles that don’t depend on stereotypes about white women. For an actress with such range, it was disappointing to see her playing token roles that weren’t even worth the laughs. But I believe what happened on SNL is what happens when our images are crafted and written largely by people who aren’t black women and know nothing (truly) about the black female experience.
SNL currently has 23 writers, four women who are white, one black male—at least that I could find, and the rest are white males. Considering those demographics, I’m not sure how one could do anything but write stereotypical scripts for the few black actresses that walk through the door. The sad thing is, while universalizing the experience of all women is a mistake, failing to see where there is convergence is also problematic. A sketch that dramatized the interaction between black and white women and the missteps that occur—not limited to the “You can or can’t touch my hair” issue—would have been funny. Or maybe a sketch that didn’t rely on race and ethnicity markers–a well done skit, not a throwaway skit such as the game show and dating show sketches. There are other ways that Washington’s talents could have been used that didn’t rely on tried and true stereotypes and this is particularly significant because it is on the heels of the lack of black comedienne’s debacle. But, Washington can’t resolve SNL’s 39-year grievance all by herself, although she did a hell of a job trying. Given this,“Black Girls Rock” came at a perfect time to offset any hard feelings about Saturday Night Live missteps.
“Black Girls Rock” is a “non-profit youth empowerment and mentoring organization established to promote the arts for young women of color, as well as to encourage dialogue and analysis of the ways women of color are portrayed in the media.” A few years ago, the organization partnered with BET to broadcast an annual celebration of black girls/women through performance, the presentation of awards, and paying homage to trailblazers throughout the ages. I, like many, black women look forward to this show because it is one of the few opportunities that black women are guaranteed to see mirror images of themselves on television. This year women such as Marian Wright Edelman, the founder of the Children’s Defense Fund; and Ameena Matthews, a violence interrupter and activist in Chicago were honored alongside living musical legends such as Patti LaBelle, television producer Mara Brock Akil, and black ballerina Misty Copeland. The audience alone is enough to put every television network to shame that claims an interest in black women without actually showing it. Black Girls Rock showcases girls and women of every complexion, shape and size, and walk of life and each of them, in their existence, shatters a misconception or stereotype of black women. Black women are more than the limited narratives that mainstream media portrays. To see the Rock Star award go to Queen Latifah and listen to her proclaim that she never imagined she’d be a Cover Girl because of the color of her skin, or be a star because of her size is encouraging and an encouragement to the next generation to let them know that the doors are open for them and sky’s the limit. “Never let anyone tell you that you should stand behind them. You are the leader, you stand in front,” Latifah said and this is a message that rings true beyond Black Girl Rocks into the spaces of Saturday Night Live and beyond.
Caribbean-American writer and activist Audre Lorde once said, “ If I didn’t define myself for myself, I would be crunched into other people’s fantasies for me and eaten alive.” While Washington’s appearance on Saturday Night Live shows a sign of progression, it could also be a version of being eaten alive. Eaten alive by closed-minded writers. Eaten alive by narrow narratives of the black woman in media. Even eaten alive because your biggest fans are more willing to support you just because you are black and they are too without requiring anymore of you. Without requiring you to fight for better representation of black women in media even when it is just for a laugh. A moment in television such as “Black Girls Rock” gives black women and little black girls an opportunity to define themselves for themselves precisely because they are provided with images of themselves as activists, artists, actresses, teachers, preachers, and other “sheroes.” They see more of what they can be. In all of this I don’t want to discount the actual Tammys of the world, the nagging girlfriends, the quasi-militant Spelman professors, or any of the other stereotypes used in theatrical dramatizations of black women because they are a part of us too. But more and more, our little black girls and young black women need to see what they can be over what has been perceived about them over the years. More and more they need to see that Black Girls Rock. That is, “Black Girls Rock” in particular and black girls rocking in general.
by Natasha S. Robinson | Nov 4, 2013 | Feature, Headline News |
A couple months ago Fast Company made a significant oversight by releasing a list of “25 of the Smartest Women on Twitter” which included the brightest women in business, politics, news, and innovation, but excluded women of color. The Brandfog Founder and CEO Ann Charles wrote, “As a woman CEO who writes about women in leadership, I’m frequently looking to make connections with other women on Twitter. The main stumbling block to fully engaging professionally on Twitter is that it can be a challenge to find the most valuable thought leaders, who tweet about the most relevant topics for you.” Charles is correct in presenting this challenge. She is also correct in stating that, “the key to extracting the most value out of Twitter is to find the new voices in the crowd. It can be exhilarating to discover people and communities that share the same interests and passions as you.”
In response to this oversight, BlogHer editor and TWiB host Feminista Jones started the hashtag #SmartBlackWomenofTwitter. In her words, “It seemed to me that this was yet another case of the invisible Black women and I wanted to do something to shine a spotlight on the Smart Black women I know and follow on Twitter.” I was pleased to see the national sensation of Black women raising their voices to be seen and heard in the crowd of over 550 million Twitter users. The hashtag: #SmartBlackWomenofTwitter documents Smart Black Women on Twitter and I would like to see its continued use.
Fast Company did take note of the #SmartBlackWomenofTwitter and #SmartLatinaWomenofTwitter hashtags and followed up with a Twitter list which included women of color. However, their initial oversight speaks to the deeper issues of whose voice and presence is worthy of recognition and how we respond when we feel like we are ignored or devalued. It is so easy to go on the defensive when we feel disrespected, but the #SmartBlackWomenofTwitter presented a gracious response and simple acknowledgement that “We (Black women) are here. We are showing up in this space and taking our place at the table” and “We have been doing this for a while, so please don’t overlook our contributions.” There is a confidence and self-awareness that is present when we respond in such a way. Overacting in a negative sense may not have had the same powerful affect.
The Christian Worldview
Additionally, watching the events unfold as a Christian added layers to my understanding of the conversations. Gracious responses even to minor offenses sends a message about how we as people view ourselves, how we believe God sees us and our purpose in the world, and how we are perceived by others. As I contemplated these thoughts, I thought about the Egyptian woman, Hagar, whose life was changed when she had a personal encounter with God who spoke to her about the future. She said, “You are a God who sees me…I have now seen the One who sees me (Gen. 16:13).” I do believe that the lives of women, Blacks, or any overlooked group of people, respond differently once they come to the understanding that they are known and loved by God and that He alone holds their future. It is with this basic theological understanding that I as a Christian—who happens to be Black and a woman—engage and respond in boldness to the conversations that are shaping our world.
The second part of this conversation acknowledges my concern that publically professing Christians are rarely considered or invited into these “worldly” conversations. It’s almost as if there is an assumption that Christian women are not seriously thinking about business, politics, news, innovation, or leadership, and therefore are uneducated on the issues and cannot speak into these public spaces. The reality could not be farther from the truth. I am a Christian woman who cares very deeply about leadership, character development, and mentoring across generations. I also care about matters of biblical justice (specifically the disparities of social/economic class structures and the inequality of access and opportunity within our public education system, bridging the great divides between cultural challenges surrounding race and ethnic groups in America, and empowering women to use their influence to change the church, their communities, and culture). Because I am passionate about these issues, I speak, teach, and write about them.
There are bright Christian women of color who are discussing business, politics, news, and innovation and are serious about using their God-given influence to lead and have a positive impact on society. So I want the #SmartBlackWomenofTwitter conversations to include Christian women as well. If you are looking for #SmartBlackWomenofTwitter who are Christian leaders and thinkers and who are raising their voices to engage culture and change the world:
Follow me @asistasjourney and allow me to introduce you to these other Smart Sistas –
Christina Cleveland @CSCleve is a social psychologist with a passion for overcoming cultural divisions and seeing true reconciliation in the church. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of California and is an award-winning researcher, speaker, and gifted teacher. Christina blogs regularly at www.christenceleveland.com and just released her first book, Disunity in Christ: Uncovering the Hidden Forces that Keep Us Apart.
Lisa Sharon Harper @lisasharper is the Director of Mobilizing at Sojourners. She is the author of Left, Right, & Christ and Evangelical Does Not Equal Republican or Democrat. Lisa is a justice advocate who regularly writes for publications like Huffington Post.
Trillia Newbell @trillianewbell is a rising voice in the evangelical community. She’s a freelance journalist who writes for publications like The Gospel Coalition, Christianity Today, and Desiring God. Her first book, United: Captured by God’s Vision for Diversity will be published by Moody in 2014.
Enuma Okoro @TweetEnuma is a writer, award-winning author, spiritual director, and international speaker. She holds a M.Div. from Duke University. She recently released her fourth book, Talking Taboo: American Christian Women Get Frank About Faith.
Rahiel Tesfamariam @RahielT is a columnist for the Washington Post and founder of UrbanCusp online magazine. Rahiel is a graduate of Stanford University and holds a M.Div. from Yale. She is a social advocate who is passionate about exploring the tensions of life, style, faith, culture and justice.
Who are the other sistas we should add to this list?
by Jelani Greenidge, Urban Faith Contributing Writer | Nov 2, 2013 | Entertainment, Feature, Headline News, Jelani Greenidge |
Grand Theft Auto V, Pictured (L-R): Trevor Phillips, Franklin Clinton & Michael De Santa (Photo Credit: Rockstar Games)
Since September 17th, the day that Rockstar Games and Take Two Interactive unleashed “Grand Theft Auto V” (GTA V) for video game consoles, gamers around the world have been immersed in the sordid tale of criminal enterprise set against the beautiful vistas of Los Santos, the fictional version of Los Angeles. GTA V grossed over $800 million in 24 hours and broke the $1 billion mark in only three days, surpassing revenue totals for every feature film released in 2013 except “Iron Man 3.”
Those numbers are certainly impressive, but they also speak to the encroachment of video games into the same segment of the social literary sphere that used to be occupied only by feature films. From a pragmatic standpoint, it’s no wonder the average 20-something adult male would jump at the chance to participate in an entertainment experience like GTA V, because $60 for about 100 hours of immersive entertainment is a bargain compared to $12-15 for a two-hour feature film. Especially because games like GTA take the fantasy of wish-fulfillment, which has been embedded in the film industry for decades, and takes it to – pardon the pun – the next level.
GTA V follows the gripping tales of Franklin Clinton, Michael De Santa, and Trevor Phillips, the three criminal protagonists whose lives are interwoven in dramatic, funny and occasionally heartrending ways. But the gameplay mechanic, which involves traveling to various locales in the city and then carrying out the various missions that help to advance the story, requires copious amounts of driving and shooting. In order to make it easier to get around, the game makes it simple to acquire a car. You either steal one that’s unoccupied, or with a brief threat and an unceremonious shove, you jack one from an unsuspecting motorist – hence the name.
Just relax, don’t fight it, and no one’s getting shot. (Photo Credit: Rockstar Games)
To be fair, over the years the GTA franchise has become more complex and interesting than just a bunch of guys who steal cars. In GTA, car theft is just a means to more lucrative ends — bank robberies and drug battles mostly, with legitimate business objective sprinkled throughout. With family connections, bitter betrayals, and a sense of burning resentment, GTA V has just as many thematic similarities with “The Sopranos” as it does “The Fast and the Furious.” I almost wonder if it needs a new title – after all, Aaron Sorkin’s drama about presidential politics wasn’t called “Walk and Talk,” even though that’s all that happened on that show.
But I digress.
My point is that at almost any given moment in GTA V, you’re engaged in either an epic shootout, or you’re driving around beautiful vistas with a brand new, shiny vehicle. And since cars and guns are two of the top three ingredients for the standard wish-fulfillment fantasy of the classic American male, the only thing left is sex.
Which brings me to one of the biggest problems of the game.
Why am I arresting you? For failing to be anything more than a stock character. (Photo Credit: Rockstar Games)
To say that GTA V is misogynist is to criminally understate the obvious. Yes, there are strip clubs and prostitutes, the inclusion of which tends to dominate most of the self-righteous, what-about-the-children haranguing that tends to follow any GTA release. It should go without saying that all of the GTA titles are rated “M-for-mature,” and probably would’ve been rated “AO (Adults Only),” except for the political nightmare that would be for big-box retailers. It’s usually the most careless, ill-informed, lazy parents of entitled children that purchase games like GTA for their grade-school-age kids – especially when the sales clerk tries to talk them out of it.
But strippers and prostitutes are only a tiny part of this very, very large game, just as vice crime is only part of the larger criminal underworlds that tend to inhabit cities like Los Angeles. What makes GTA V so misogynist is the lack of inclusion of any meaningful female characters at all. In GTA V, the women of Los Santos, when they’re not sex workers, are marginalized to the point of near invisibility. The three love interests opposite Franklin, Michael and Trevor are one-dimensional caricatures that come off pretty jarringly, especially in contrast to the way each of the men are treated as complex people, with a variety of needs, motives and personalities. And the rest are one-note bystanders or bit players.
One of the things I really liked about GTA V was the way that it gradually introduced the player to the various colorful characters, main and supporting, that appear in both the cover art and the slide show during game installation. Each of the men is rendered in vivid detail, an introductory snapshot that foreshadows their part of the story. But there were also three ladies, including one female cop arresting an escort. Where were they? Who were they? I played through the main storyline, and never found out. Apparently to Dan Houser and the rest of the creative staff at Rockstar, they were little more than window dressing.
And that really gets to the heart of what’s wrong with GTA as a whole.
by UrbanFaith Staff | Oct 31, 2013 | Feature, Headline News |
c. 2013 Religion News Service
NAIROBI, Kenya (RNS) As attacks on Christians mount in Kenya’s coastal region, some evangelical pastors in Mombasa area no longer may be willing to turn the other cheek.
The Rev. Peter Karanja (center), of the National Council of Churches of Kenya, addresses a news conference on Wednesday (Oct 30). He said the government should see this as writing on the wall and that Kenyans are getting tired of the continuing insecurity. (Photo Credit: Fredrick Nzwili)
Worried about attacks against their churches and congregations, some pastors are asking for rifles to protect themselves from suspected Islamic extremists.
The violence intensified on Oct. 20 and 21, when two evangelical church pastors were killed inside their churches. Pastor Charles Mathole, 41, was killed Oct. 20 as he prayed inside his Vikwatani Redeemed Gospel Church. The following day, East African Pentecostal Church pastor Ibrahim Kithaka was found dead in Kilifi, about 35 miles north of Mombasa.
Christian leaders blame the attacks on increased radicalization of Muslim youth. The attacks have occurred amid protests by Muslims that they were being targeted in Nairobi’s war against terrorism.
“Our many churches are not under any protection. They do not have walls or gates. The government should issue AK-47 rifles to every church so that we can stop them from being burnt, our property from being looted and our pastors and Christians from being killed,” said Lambert Mbela, a pastor at Mathole’s church, during his funeral.
Three weeks before the latest murders, Muslim youth torched a Salvation Army church in the Majengo area in Mombasa to protest the killing of the popular Sheikh Ibrahim “Rogo” Omar and three others by unknown gunmen on Oct.4. The same church was torched last year after the murder of another prominent Muslim cleric, Sheikh Aboud Rogo Mohammed.
Some church officials say the request for arms reflects a growing frustration with the rising insecurity, but others say the move contradicts traditional biblical teachings on nonviolence, or could put churches and congregations at more risk.
“I don’t think arming Kenyan (clerics) will ensure security,” said the Rev. Peter Karanja, the general secretary of the National Council of Churches of Kenya, at a news conference in Limuru, near Nairobi, on Wednesday (Oct. 30).
“However, the government should see this as writing on the wall. Kenyans are getting tired of the continuing insecurity.”
Karanja challenged the government to marshal enough personnel and resources to improve security in churches, offices and homes without having to arm clergy. “What we do not agree with is that every pastor should be armed to ensure they are safe,” he said.
Interfaith initiatives in the coastal region have allowed different faiths to live in relative calm, but the attacks are threatening decades of peaceful coexistence, according to the Rev. Wilybard Lagho, vicar general of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mombasa.
“I think we need to restrengthen interreligious dialogue. The problem is in the minds, and we need to win them back,” said Lagho, calling the request for guns a shallow solution to a complex problem.
Some Muslim leaders, meanwhile, have backed the pastors’ call for arms but said there should be a thorough vetting of who gets a gun.
“It is a good idea, but not all clerics should get the guns. Some are rogue clerics and may pose more danger to other religious leaders,” said Sheikh Juma Ngao, chairman of the Kenya Muslim National Advisory Council.
Copyright 2013 Religion News Service. All rights reserved. No part of this transmission may be distributed or reproduced without written permission.
