Family, Faith and Freedom

Family, Faith and Freedom are very important ingredients in human life. Where do you stand on these issues? I hereby post a comparison of the Republican and the Democrat’s Platforms based on these issues. The publication is a verbatim quotation of the two parties as viewed in light of the FRC’s 25 Pro-Family Policy Goals.

I hope you will be enlightened…

Modesty: The Virtue that Protects Chastity

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Defining modesty is quite a daunting task. Modesty is multifaceted and takes on different dimensions. The Webster’s Dictionary defines it as “freedom from conceit or vanity; propriety in dress, speech or conduct.” This definition brings out two aspects of modesty, the inward and the outward. Both aspects are related; inward modesty leads to outward modesty and outward modesty is a sign of the inward quality. Christians need both.

The Webster definition suggests a degree of incongruence when we confine modesty to, or rather directly address, otherwise culturally relative behaviour such as skirt length or necklines. That kind of thinking leads to pietistic pronunciations that have no scriptural back-up. The concept or rather fact of modesty encompasses a wide spectrum of life. It includes but is not limited to speech, adornment, deportment, mannerism … though one must admit that the most discussed and visible aspect is in the dressing. For the purpose of this article, I choose to focus on the dressing aspect without downplaying the other aspects listed above.

Like one wise person retorted: “modesty is that quality which flows from a humble, reverent, and chaste mind and heart, and manifests itself in speech, behaviour and dress that communicates a moderate estimation of one’s own worth and importance, and a high estimation of the beauty of purity in a Christian walk.”

I aptly borrow the definition for indeed, to a consistent Bible believer, truth is absolute. In a similar breath, I denounce the mischievous conception that morality changes as cultures and situations change. Yet at the same time we must acknowledge that what seems to be properly modest in one situation would be immodest in another situation – take for example, a beach picnic wear. In which case, therefore, a heart check precedes a hemline check. While it is absolutely consistent with God’s genius of creation to desire goodness – including the desire to look good, it is outrightly inconsistent and as such at variance with God’s truth to desire to look flirty. Being flirty is a comrade of licentiousness as opposed to purity. In addition, flirty dressing seems to be a consequence of a greater problem – the desire to draw attention to ourselves. We need to behave and dress in ways that are appropriate to the situations we find ourselves in… Thus there is need to employ a critical balance in practising the former and shunning the latter.

For a consistent Bible believer, Scripture is the final authority on matters of faith and conduct and as such I will endeavour to look at this otherwise litigious issue from this background. To start with is Apostle Peter’s (1 Pet. 3:3) assertion that inward and outward modesty are two inseparable realities. He warns strongly against the fallacy of unnecessary concentration on outward adornment without consideration of the inner. The tone of the speech is clear; the verb ‘to be’ is in the present imperative, meaning a command that calls for an immediate obedience. In which case, therefore, Peter is not making suggestion, neither is he guessing a thought, rather he is talking with utmost certainty and he seems to imply that disobedience to this imperative comes with its consequences. The scriptural command therefore is not an option; on the contrary, it is what God wills for His people.

There are two biblical principles that guide us in the issue of modesty and dress. The first principle is that we must not seek to draw attention to ourselves by the way we dress Secondly, we must very careful not to cause others to stumble into sin on account of how we are dressing.

The first maxim concerns pride and vanity that is in our heart. The desire to be seen above everybody else, or put in a different way the persistent insistence to place ourselves above our legitimate positions as provided for by and within the divine providence. The natural human tendency to exalt ourselves above the positions apportioned as sometimes overwhelmingly takes toll of us such that we exceed the conventionally expected limits of our indulgence. When an individual thinks that he/she is not perfect in her original state of creation and chooses to enhance her ‘beauty’ beyond that which already exists naturally then we must acknowledge the disdain that the individual has for his/her creator. God’s creative act is the best and he declared so at creation when God saw all that He had made and it was very good. Thus indecent dressing with the sole motive of creating attraction is not only idolatrous but also contemptuous and amounts to gross insubordination. It is pure contempt of the creator’s motive as well as his ability thus pouring contempt on His attributes and character. God is omnipotent and thus cannot fall short in any of His works. He is also moral and therefore cannot maliciously make bad that which can be better. In other words, there is no significant additional contribution that man can make on himself that will override that which God has done. You see again, this outward immodesty (indecent dressing) is definitely a reflection of inward immodesty (disdain for God’s perfect creative work).

Indeed, such indecencies displease God and he will most definitely judge the haughtiness as He has promised in Isaiah 3:16-17. Let me mention that men are equally not inoculated from this kind of pride and vanity. Both men and women are thus called upon to dress themselves with utmost decorum.

If at any point, a person dresses in a certain way so as to attract another person of the opposite sex, some questions needs to be asked. Isn’t God able and hasn’t He promised to provide for us all that we need? Isn’t God honest enough to be taken at His word? Isn’t indecent exposure a border to immoral sexual behaviour – at least suggestively, if not that yet. Really, the act of “flesh peddling” is wrong for it is born out of the simple reason of pride and contempt of God. Negative adornment with the motive to draw people to ourselves rather than God and His beautiful act of creation is sinful and parallels Satan’s attempted coup and rebellion.

The other maxim is pegged on Paul’s “stumbling block” principle. Out of love for our neighbours we may not allow ourselves the freedom to dress however ways we deem. Behavioural science teaches that one aspect of communication is miscommunication. It is highly probable that a woman may dress in a certain way that is perceived as provocative and sexually stimulating. It is also possible that the woman in question might not have the nearest motive to indecent sexual behaviour (though in most cases that is the goal), yet by that kind of dressing she stumbles a man. Because of the love and care for such weaker brethren, then the Bible talks of those things that are permissible but not beneficial. Prudence calls for this loving sister to consider the weaker brother and forego perceived and desired right to dress as she so desires for the sake of this brother so that the man may not lust and consequently sin.

Women need to understand that men are more visually-oriented than them. It is indeed true that men can be easily aroused and tempted by sight than their female counterparts. This calls for the female fraternity to shelve off their naivety of this reality and adjust appropriately to the environmental dictates. I know that some women or even men – the strong ones (of which I am not), may defensively say that is not their problem. Especially in this new world of individualism, one might say, “Who cares if he’s put his mind in the sewer?” To this I respond, since your motive is not to stumble this brother who has got his head in the sewer, as you aptly put it, go along the way to ensure that his head is out of the sewer. Are you not called to be a good Samaritan? Are you not expected to be your brother’s keeper? Or will you answer this question with a negative like Cain did? Good sisters, do not tempt your brothers beyond what they can bear. Our business is to usher individuals into the kingdom, not out of it. If you won’t care, Christ still will but you’ll account for your careless attitude someday.

So then, beloved of the Lord, and as those created in God’s image and likeness, let us be true bearers of this image. Our bodies are sacred and we cannot reduce them to objects of sexual desire and fulfilment. Therefore we must strive for true modesty. Indeed, modesty is the virtue that protects chastity.

Leave the MPs and Their Taxes Alone

Leave the MPs and their taxes alone. I know most of you feel like lynching me for making this profound statement which I dare repeat: Leave them alone!

A storm has been brewing for the past few weeks. Championed by the civil rights groups, catalysed by the media, now the average Kenyan voter has just awoken from long slumber.

While I appreciate this collective fighting spirit, I must say, though, that it is misdirected. It seems to me that Kenyans will most easily look for a common enemy to fight rather than have a common friend to embrace. In less than a month we have moved from John McCain, to “the Waki Report” and now to the MPs salary. In each quest, we have fought a losing battle – even for McCain, only the myopic Kenyan would think that he lost.

I know as much as Obama does, that on the 21st of January he will take oath of office which will include the protection of American citizenry, of which McCain is. He will not swear to protect Kenyans from their thieving ruling elite. In this case therefore, McCain will have a president – one in whom Kenyans have confidence – and would most willingly import to replace the now senile megalomaniacs. Kenyans, on the other hand, will still have to do with the same failed old “duly elected, duly sworn baba Jimmy.” – the supposed alpha and omega to their problems. They will still have to do with the pre-independence chiefs turned post-independence thieves.

Back to our MPs and their taxes. I say that it is a waste of time shouting on the streets as we have threatened to on December the 12th. In the first place, this is not even a secondary contract that the electorate made with the MPs. The last political contest that was fought with more money than ideas was not devoid of promises. These are the promises upon which we are to hold our MPs accountable. Once we are done with the promises, we can move to other subsidiary fights. To me the MPs’ tax omission is just a peccadillo and is not worth spending our energy.

Secondly, the MPs untaxed salary is not illegal. It is within the constitution and requires a legislative amendment for it to be active. Methinks , consolidating Kenyans to march on the streets will not force the MPs to pass a legislation that they consider harmful to their well being. I see no political expediency in the move. After all, Kenyans are forgetful; they will get another enemy to rally around shortly. Alternatively, they may set up a special task force to look into the matter just to fool us, and before we know it, it will be a forgotten matter. Our MPs can do whatever they want and get away with it: look at the alacrity with which Khalwale et al drove out Kimunya from the treasury. Where did that zeal go? Simple, it is of no political worth. Thus the march is an exercise in futility – a waste of energy and time.

Thirdly, even if they were to pay taxes, not even half of your problems will be solved. If the MPs pay taxes we would save just a few hundred million shillings. There are other plausible ways of addressing our problems than crying for the few pence. And that brings me to my fourth argument.

I think this campaign for the MPs taxation is not the mwananchi’s idea. This must be a somebody’s battle, maybe even a smokescreen. Come April 2009, the peace accord will be one year old and the promised “new constitution” will not be there. Could somebody be diverting the attention of Kenyans on less important issues? Remember, the majority of Kenya’s woes can be solved by enacting a brand new reasonable law. Part of the reason why you we fought ourselves at the dawn of the year was poor legislation. It is this poor legislation that has provided inequitable distribution of resources. The same law has left a large room for corruption, and the same patched old law has given the MPs power to make decisions concerning their salaries and sometimes yours and mine.

My take is that we need to spend our energy on something meaningful …say, fighting for a new constitution. A new constitution that will change everything, including the MPs’ salary and taxation plan. It will be a better and a cheaper way to bring the so desired changes rather than go for the same tactics they use on us: peace meal changes. Now they have lied to you that a temporary ECK is a good idea, yet they refused the same before last year’s election. Now that there is no impending election, the ECK is urgent! Friends, can’t you smell the rat?

I contend that the MPs are sacred lambs in this campaign. This onslaught cannot work, just like the Adventist’s doctrine of the substitutionary atonement. The campaign is a smokescreen. It is meant to distract us from kill the real culprit..flawed election, bad governance, archaic laws and false peace.

I understand the frustrations of my beloved countrymen. I understand the hunger and consequent anger it brings. But I also know that our ugali is not in this tax alone. The larger part of this national cake lies elsewhere and this is what they won’t let you see…or didn’t they say let the sleeping dog lie? Wisdom demands that we choose our battles carefully. It is Chinua Achebe who said “since men have learnt to shoot without missing, birds have learned to fly without perching. We may go to the street but our stone will not catch them – they already know it is coming. I am not a pessimist but this battle is already lost – be wise, choose your battles and live to fight a meaningful war some other day.

So when Atwoli stirs our anger and calls upon us to demonstrate on Jamhuri day he is deceiving us. We would rather look for a better place to vent our frustrations.

Lest we forget. We are responsible for part of our problem today. We had a chance to change things for good but we traded it with tribalism. We were fools enough to have voted most of the corrupt individuals in. Some of them have lawsuites that have taken years yet they are your ministers. With that key to power who would be the fool not to use it to defend his interests? Why are the Kituyis, Tujus, Kibwanas, and Murungarus not ministers? because some sensible people spoke.

Do not be deceived. We only reap what we have sown. It must have been Aristocles (Plato) who said the price intelligent people pay for not participating in politics is being governed by fools. That is what we have. We cast our votes to the most ineligible and now we are crying to the same as if we expected anything different.

My take, a rather radical one, and seemingly insane is to declare every individual who has previously held a political office ineligible for running come 2012 or whenever the next general election comes. That way we shall weed out all the bad seeds and separate them from the good. That day of harvest is near. We can have a new beginning with a brand new set of leaders who do not have blood in their hands, who do not have a dirty behind to cover.

Yes, MPs should pay taxes, I agree but our timing is wrong and so is our strategy. Kenyans can come together when they have a common enemy. I know we will come together. But that day is not today. That battle is not this – save your breadth kenyans, this is not our fight. We can fight another day…

In 2012 we will have a brand new set of legislators that pay taxes. We will make it a mandatory requirement for every aspiring candidate. It will be so because “Yes we can!”

Leave the MPs and Their Taxes Alone

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Leave the MPs and their taxes alone. I know most of you feel like lynching me for making this profound statement which I dare repeat: Leave them alone!

A storm has been brewing for the past few weeks. Championed by the civil rights groups, catalysed by the media, now the average Kenyan voter has just awoken from long slumber.

While I appreciate this collective fighting spirit, I must say, though, that it is misdirected. It seems to me that Kenyans will most easily look for a common enemy to fight rather than have a common friend to embrace. In less than a month we have moved from John McCain, to “the Waki Report” and now to the MPs salary. In each quest, we have fought a losing battle – even for McCain, only the myopic Kenyan would think that he lost.

I know as much as Obama does, that on the 21st of January he will take oath of office which will include the protection of American citizenry, of which McCain is. He will not swear to protect Kenyans from their thieving ruling elite. In this case therefore, McCain will have a president – one in whom Kenyans have confidence – and would most willingly import to replace the now senile megalomaniacs. Kenyans, on the other hand, will still have to do with the same failed old “duly elected, duly sworn baba Jimmy.” – the supposed alpha and omega to their problems. They will still have to do with the pre-independence chiefs turned post-independence thieves.

Back to our MPs and their taxes. I say that it is a waste of time shouting on the streets as we have threatened to on December the 12th. In the first place, this is not even a secondary contract that the electorate made with the MPs. The last political contest that was fought with more money than ideas was not devoid of promises. These are the promises upon which we are to hold our MPs accountable. Once we are done with the promises, we can move to other subsidiary fights. To me the MPs’ tax omission is just a peccadillo and is not worth spending our energy.

Secondly, the MPs untaxed salary is not illegal. It is within the constitution and requires a legislative amendment for it to be active. Methinks , consolidating Kenyans to march on the streets will not force the MPs to pass a legislation that they consider harmful to their well being. I see no political expediency in the move. After all, Kenyans are forgetful; they will get another enemy to rally around shortly. Alternatively, they may set up a special task force to look into the matter just to fool us, and before we know it, it will be a forgotten matter. Our MPs can do whatever they want and get away with it: look at the alacrity with which Khalwale et al drove out Kimunya from the treasury. Where did that zeal go? Simple, it is of no political worth. Thus the march is an exercise in futility – a waste of energy and time.

Thirdly, even if they were to pay taxes, not even half of your problems will be solved. If the MPs pay taxes we would save just a few hundred million shillings. There are other plausible ways of addressing our problems than crying for the few pence. And that brings me to my fourth argument.

I think this campaign for the MPs taxation is not the mwananchi’s idea. This must be a somebody’s battle, maybe even a smokescreen. Come April 2009, the peace accord will be one year old and the promised “new constitution” will not be there. Could somebody be diverting the attention of Kenyans on less important issues? Remember, the majority of Kenya’s woes can be solved by enacting a brand new reasonable law. Part of the reason why you we fought ourselves at the dawn of the year was poor legislation. It is this poor legislation that has provided inequitable distribution of resources. The same law has left a large room for corruption, and the same patched old law has given the MPs power to make decisions concerning their salaries and sometimes yours and mine.

My take is that we need to spend our energy on something meaningful …say, fighting for a new constitution. A new constitution that will change everything, including the MPs’ salary and taxation plan. It will be a better and a cheaper way to bring the so desired changes rather than go for the same tactics they use on us: peace meal changes. Now they have lied to you that a temporary ECK is a good idea, yet they refused the same before last year’s election. Now that there is no impending election, the ECK is urgent! Friends, can’t you smell the rat?

I contend that the MPs are sacred lambs in this campaign. This onslaught cannot work, just like the Adventist’s doctrine of the substitutionary atonement. The campaign is a smokescreen. It is meant to distract us from kill the real culprit..flawed election, bad governance, archaic laws and false peace.

I understand the frustrations of my beloved countrymen. I understand the hunger and consequent anger it brings. But I also know that our ugali is not in this tax alone. The larger part of this national cake lies elsewhere and this is what they won’t let you see…or didn’t they say let the sleeping dog lie? Wisdom demands that we choose our battles carefully. It is Chinua Achebe who said “since men have learnt to shoot without missing, birds have learned to fly without perching. We may go to the street but our stone will not catch them – they already know it is coming. I am not a pessimist but this battle is already lost – be wise, choose your battles and live to fight a meaningful war some other day.

So when Atwoli stirs our anger and calls upon us to demonstrate on Jamhuri day he is deceiving us. We would rather look for a better place to vent our frustrations.

Lest we forget. We are responsible for part of our problem today. We had a chance to change things for good but we traded it with tribalism. We were fools enough to have voted most of the corrupt individuals in. Some of them have lawsuites that have taken years yet they are your ministers. With that key to power who would be the fool not to use it to defend his interests? Why are the Kituyis, Tujus, Kibwanas, and Murungarus not ministers? because some sensible people spoke.

Do not be deceived. We only reap what we have sown. It must have been Aristocles (Plato) who said the price intelligent people pay for not participating in politics is being governed by fools. That is what we have. We cast our votes to the most ineligible and now we are crying to the same as if we expected anything different.

My take, a rather radical one, and seemingly insane is to declare every individual who has previously held a political office ineligible for running come 2012 or whenever the next general election comes. That way we shall weed out all the bad seeds and separate them from the good. That day of harvest is near. We can have a new beginning with a brand new set of leaders who do not have blood in their hands, who do not have a dirty behind to cover.

Yes, MPs should pay taxes, I agree but our timing is wrong and so is our strategy. Kenyans can come together when they have a common enemy. I know we will come together. But that day is not today. That battle is not this – save your breadth kenyans, this is not our fight. We can fight another day…

In 2012 we will have a brand new set of legislators that pay taxes. We will make it a mandatory requirement for every aspiring candidate. It will be so because “Yes we can!”