What of Palestine? What of the unfolding Genocide of the Palestinians in Gaza 2025, by Israel? What of the complicit , silent church? Where do I place myself as I look to follow Jesus into the chaos of death and carnage. Everything the wholistic gospel demands is destroyed in this 41km-12km space. While people are trapped and starved, Jesus says, " when you fed the least of these, you fed me."
"It is complicated", many say. " You do not know the history." and " I know someone who lives there and they told me...." People said all these very same things of Apartheid South Africa as crimes were being carried out on the humanity of black South Africans.
Broadly the evangelical church remains silent. Perhaps a prayer is offered for peace but little else. South African Christians for a Free Palestine has been birthed. Better late than never. We argue, discuss and read. We think and plan and protest. We pray and act.Act and pray. We laugh and weep together as we stand together and call for an end to this genocide.
We wait.
The story of the church and its understanding or stance on Israel and the Palestinians has definite theological roots. Depending on how the bible narrative of Israel in the bible and the land of today's Israel is viewed will depend on where you land and who you defend or support.
For me, I came to this story of Christ as an activist first and upon finding few that were fellow activists, I navigated this world from a different place. A place that calls injustice injustice . A place where my faith has collided in welcome. It is simple. Oppressing people is wrong. It is unjust and , in this case illegal. Yes, I have read and talked and read and listened to the history of the story of the founding of Israel as a nation state. All of this was and remains wrong. And here we are. people being slaughtered as I write and Israel and its compatriots freely joining in. History will judge you harshly.
Free Palestine!
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