HOW DID CPDM PARLIAMENTARIANS GET INTO CAMEROON PARLIAMENT? HAS THE CORRUPT ELECTORAL PROCESS CHANGED?

ON CAMEROON POLITICS

 

My fellow Cameroonians and Concerned Citizens   The Foundation to the Case   Sincere greetings.   The only solution for Cameroon now is for us to concentrate on establishing the vision for a 24 months transitional government and the Cameroon Truth Commission during,which time we will all come together to rebuild Cameroon beyond President Paul Biya and his CPDM Ministers/officials and Parliamentarians past or present. The problems of Cameroon are very serious to the point where it does not matter what people think about the tribal or regional origins of people. It is easy to whip tribal or regional sentiments as a political ploy to divide and conquer but at the end of the day, we are still condemned to live in the same society. Let us rebuild first. In that way be sure that everyone has a fair chance to seek any public office. In the coming weeks, I will come out with a complete statement on the Cameroon Truth Commission. I know I had promised this but have been dealing with some personal family matters as you know.   We have the question of tribes, regions and people from all walks of life trying to survive under a corrupt tyranny and dictatorship. This is no longer what we should be dealing with in this century. We are bound to restructure Cameroon under a workable Federal Structure and system that will grant greater independence/autonomy to our people and allow them to elect their governors and others. All CPDM people have supported and helped President Paul Biya since he became President to appoint and impose Governors on our people. All CPDM Parliamentarians and Ex-Prime Ministers, Ex-Ministers, Ex-Governors,Ex-Parliamentarians,Ex-Managers, Ex-Ambassadors and Ex-whatever  have contributed to the state of oppression and corruption in Cameroon   We are caught up in a society where all us must figure a way out and that includes white and black people.Everyday, this is absolutely apparent to me because except there is profound lie that is very normal, why did we seek political asylum within the United States of America and why are people campaigning for the Presidency among asylees? How many Cameroonians in Europe and North America, Asia and Africa can vote? You see, we have a lot to change at home and abroad in order to give a voice to every Cameroonian at home and abroad in the development of our country as well as in terms of civic engagement. Until then, all the CPDM people just love the excitement and hysteria of the moment. It is just a waste of time. Oversea votes do not count. We rather be patient and alter the system.   That is I am bound to address this issue of CPDM Cameroonians trying to confuse you, Cameroonians once and for all with the hope that the selected few with a clean conscience who care deeply  about a better Cameroon, a virtuous and free Cameroon society, are not misled or distracted by people who knowingly have taken bribes from President Paul Biya and his CPDM government to challenge him at the ballot box. We know the truth. Why then do they want us to live in denial and just be fooled by this sensation and hysteria of the moment? Nobody is electable under the current electoral process in Cameroon except the CPDM candidates who eventually end up as the majority as a result of  massive disenfranchisement.   The Courage to keep focus   When Paul Tillich wrote " The Courge to Be" , it was not for the sake of it. We live in a world where we constantly need courageous actions in the face of adversities, deceptions, falsehoods and ignorance because with courage, we are sure to move this world forward and Cameroon is not going to be an exception to this rule. Other societies have depended largely on faith and courage, and behold, the birth of an amazing civilization endowed with progress, abundance and prosperity. How can this elude us when many of us are basking under it and enjoying it? How can anyone who claims they were persecuted by the CPDM regime want to stand in the way of change?   Hon Paul Ayah was and is still part of the CPDM system     Every Cameroonian has the right to seek public office. However, I honestly do not think that Hon Paul Ayah has any honest vision for Cameroon on his own. He, Hon Paul Ayah and Mr Akoson Raymond  have been struggling to dabble into a well programed vision, which I launched since 2009 in bid to convince himself that he has truly resigned from the CPDM regime!    There is no way in Cameroon for us to hold the CPDM regime accountable if out of a sudden somone resigns from the CPDM and begin to claim that he or she can change Cameroon immediately when he has not yet demonstrated a new character. There is absolutely no clarity and sincerity in the lurking conspiracy to manipulate one and betray a genuine and sacred call for a new Cameroon. That is why my vision for a transitional government was appropriate to allow this period  for people to observe and see the  transformation of Cameroonians who have fed from the system. There is too much CPDMNESS inside them, besides them,  around them  and about them. Our plight has been further comfounded by the sheer fact that Hon Paul Ayah was part of the CPDM regime even when we were being harrassed, intimidated and threatened right here in the United States by the likes of CPDM-USA under Joe Mbu, Seagol Jude Okafor, Jackson Nanje etc Up till now Cameroonians have lost their lives and continue to suffer from violation of their human rights because of the CPDM regime, government and Parliamentarians. CPDM Parliamentarians were mute when the CPDM regime persecuted and prosecuted me and many Cameroonians for seeking social justice reforms in the Church. Where was Hon Paul Ayah who now claims he can change the CPDM system?   The Constitutional approach to assets Declarations There is a constitutional method against, which backdrop every CPDM Parliamentarian, Opposition Parliamentarians and Government officials are expected to declare their assets.I do not think that an individual on his or her own can singlehandedly report to the Cameroon people that they have declared their assets. This is very manipulative given that we have learned that President Paul Biya does not care about people who have not stolen a lot of money!    But even if Hon Paul Ayah has  not stolen enough still upon all the time that he was loyal to the system before becoming a Parliamentarian, so far he has indirectly stolen from the people by collecting money from the CPDM regime with an unrealistic expectation and anticipation to DEFEAT HIS BOSS AT THE BOLLOT BOX. Did he collect any money from the system to run for elections that are based on a corrupt electoral process?   I mean his boss dictator Paul Biya whom he served until about October 2010 when he resigned and announced he would compete against him. How funny.When shall we ever get serious with life? This struggle is about the Constitution of Cameroon and it is clear to me that Hon Paul Ayah does not yet realize that Cameroon is for the future and not in the days of Ahidjo.   Plagiarism, copyright and intellectual dishonesty   While it is proper for Hon Paul Ayah to express his liberty for public office, I am personally very convinced now that Hon Paul Ayah and his strategic team championed by Mr Akoson Raymond have plagiarized and copy-righted my works and trying to make them like theirs.I am deeply concerned and just want to make sure that Mr Akoson Raymond and Hon Paul Ayah take note of this public notice as this matter will be cross-examined accordingly. We just want to be sure we are on the same wavelength when it comes to transparency and intellectual honesty. I have raised this issue over and over again. I stand corrected.   Long before, Hon Paul Ayah declared that he was running for President by the end of 2010, the vision for a new Cameroon under Cameroon Truth Commission had existed and well articulated by me ,which is publicly acknowledged by Mr Akoson in many of his communications with me by email and even phone calls. When Hon Paul Ayah first announced his candidacy, he subscribed to the vision for a 24 months transitional government but refused to acknowledge publicly that he was resonating with the person who had articulated this vision even before he announced his candidacy. By the same token, Hon Paul Ayah is now talking about truth and reconciliation ,which are the ideas and vision that were never commenced by him. In short, Hon Paul Ayah and Mr Akoson Raymond must come clean about their intellectual dishonesty, plagiarism and copyright because if we have to change Paul Biya and the system , then those who are pandering to the public must come to equity with clean hands.      A campaign that is evasive and manipulative Hon Paul Ayah claims that he wants to connect with Cameroonian in the Diapora! He wants to connect with CPDM -USA and not with Cameroonians in the Diaspora. We are not the same group of people. Majority of Cameroonians within the United States are CPDM people who are here on fake and fraudulent political asylums. They believe that it is wrong to hold them accountable.But since the Ex-CPDM Parliamentarian joined the Cameroon Diaspora , he has never answered any questions nor explained to anyone the concerns brought to his attention and his National Strategic Team. He has been very evasive just like his Boss President Paul Biya and the CPDM fanatics until Wikileaks revealed some secrets lately,which we did not know about.     Did Hon Paul Ayah and his National Strategic Team collect Money from the corrupt Government of Cameroon to run for President?   May be he did not steal a lot just like his former Anglophone boss Prime Minister Inoni Ephraim , which is why he is  not under scrutiny. However, for us Cameroonians glamouring for genuine change, all CPDM officials and Parliamentarians have to declare their assets according to article 66. This is the law, which was enacted by Parliament and signed  by President Paul Biya. I know I did question him on this ,which forced him to kind of  create the impression that he has declared his assets but  by trying to cut ahead of us to participate in fraudulent and corrupt elections, Hon Paul Ayah and the likes are trying to deny us the historic opportunity to change our country under the appropriate conditions for the good of everyone. Did Hon Paul Ayah collect money from the CPDM regime to run for President? If he did , then how can you collect money from the government that is corrupt and expect to defeat them?   Why did Hon Paul Ayah precipitate his resignation from the CPDM Parliament only when I called for assets declarations according to article 66 as well as for a transitional government?  We know all the tricks and the perpetartors know I am bold enough to expose them.Why did Hon Paul Ayah precipitate his resignation from the CPDM Parliament only after I called on Cameroon Parliament to hold the President accountable?  Besides, has the Cameroon Parliamentarians and officials acknowledged his resignation letter per the law? Where is a copy of his resignation memo if that is so important? There are all kinds of well calculated moves by anglophone CPDM members in and out of Cameroon to distort and derail the train for the freedom of Cameroon but we must stay the course. This has been the game plan of those who just want the leopard to change spots.   Has the same Electoral Process through, which Hon Paul Ayah was elected into CPDM Parliament changed  by any stretch of our imagination and experience?   The same electoral system and process that brought the likes of Hon Paul Ayah to Parliament are still in place. Nothing has changed and how are they going to defeat their boss at the ballot boss? Who is blind enough not to realize that all these is driven by a desire to keep us under the york of injustice for another 10 years? How did  CPDM Parliamentarians get into Parliament? Has that fraudulent electoral process changed since Hon Paul Ayah was last elected into CPDM majority Parliament?   Was it not proper for him to first of all change the electoral process while a Parliamentarian before he could even contest elections against his  boss he has served very well during his tenure? Can the Cameroon Parliament publish the file of Hon Paul Ayah to the public so that we get to know first hand what has been his activities in Parliament since? This hear-say without verification and confirmation is not what we need in an era where we want to hold government and public servant accountable.Where is evidence to support the allegation that he has been persecuted by the CPDM Parliament and CPDM regime?     The Truth about Hon Paul Ayah's refusal of a Ministerial Post during the reign of President Ahidjo Whether or not he refused a Ministerial post in the days of Ahidjo is besides the point. It is like talking about Hon Foncha and Hon St Muna all the time. We are in the future. Sorry.The truth is he accepted a Parliamentary post under President Paul Biya and the CPDM regime, which was just an extension of the previous corrupt tyranny and dictatorship. So, how is this kind of argument supposed to become a litmust test for his credibility and moral authority  for change? People never resigned from systems.They stayed the course until they changed it. Hon Paul Ayah escaped from the CPDM because he could not take the heat. How can he possibly defeat his Boss? He resigned and simultaneously believes he can win his boss through the same fraudulent and corrupt system? Can people be so emotional in politics that they tend to ignore or forget facts?    The realistic argument for collective responsibility together with stakeholders of Cameroon   Even though some pretend that Cameroon is only  for Cameroonians, their huge presence inside Cameroon is eloquent testimony that in order to move forward, everyone, I mean  stakholders must be willing to cooperate with us  for a new Cameroon society. The question all along has been , who is capable to stir the ship of a transition and avoid Mr Paul Biya and his CPDM regime from recycling members of his government, and Party into government? We cannot ptomote good governance and the rule  in Cameroon without holding each other accountable.   All CPDM -USA within the United States who lied to the US officials that were persecuted by the CPDM regime whereas they are still loyal to the CPDM government and their Parliamentarians like Hon Paul Ayah cannot stop the spirit for change. Oh, yes we want to change Paul Biya but at the sametime your attitudes are not different from the Paul Biya you want to change. So, what  they are doing in broad day light is intentionally making the education, knowledge and experience we have acquired over the years a laughing stalk to the world.    Jesus Christs' incident with sinners and a corrupt CPDM Parliamentarian 's incident with people who have been part of the problems of injustice, corruption and gross violation of human rights of Cameroonians Hmmmm, it is now really troubling to hear people claim that all of us have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God as a justification of the visit of a Presidential aspirant at Kondengui! The same people who think that they can change Paul Biya ought then to state as well that Paul Biya has sinned and is short of God's Glory.For this reason, there is no need to change him and the system that he embodies! Hon Paul Ayah, a CPDM member who has contributed to the  illegal imprisonments of many of my fellow Cameroonians languishing in jail is yet another great distractor. He did not visit political prisoners and also failed woefully to reiterate our call for all political prisoners to be freed. No, he went to Kondengui to  show up claiming that they were locked up arbitrarily without due process! Hmmm! Who contributed to shape and retain the arbitrary system that illegally incarcerated people without due process? Is it not Hon CPDM Parliamentarian Paul Ayah who was a Judge and Parliamentarian?Can Hon Paul Ayah show us one instance where he fought against the arbitrary and illegal imprisonment of Cameroonians? How many bills did he table before Parliament to stop the arbitrary arrests and imprinsonment of Cameroonians?   Does Hon Paul Ayah who has served the CPDM regime comfortably and convenient have any evidence that the CPDM persecuted him?  What struggle or persecution has he been involved in ,which shows that he was indeed a true patriot other than peacefully resign from his own CPDM Party as a well calculated attempt to fool himself and us? How can this staunch CPDM Parliamentarian who has failed to hold the CPDM government accountable while in Parliament suddenly claim he can do so now? If President Paul Biya has been getting away with a lot of stuff, it is because Parliamentarians failed to bite. Hon Paul Ayah was amongst all the other Parliamentarians like himself who up till now cannot account to us how Cameroon is governed constitutionally. He has not joined the call to ask Paul Biya to step down ,which is constitutionally motivated. No, he wants to compete with his Boss at the polls. The same man who made him to be CPDM Parliamentarian. How did he get into Parliament?   The Struggle must continue . The crowd of corrupt CPDM people may continue. We are few but never underestimate what we are capable of. The struggle for the freedom of Cameroon from corrupt tyranny and dictatorship must continue regardless of those CPDM tricksters who are wasting our time to delay this process in order to help  Mr Paul Biya become life President. All Cameroonians  who have studied and understood the concept of good governance and the rule of law know that neither Paul Biya nor any of his CPDM cohorts, past or present including but not limited to Hon EX-CPDM Parliamentarian Paul Ayah are eligible to organize or even run for public office in Cameroon. These are people who have pilotted injustice, abuse of human rights ,arbitrary arrests and torture of innocent Cameroonian citizens leading to many prisoners of conscience and other horrible human rights abuses of our time. I have suffered under pontius Pilate( Hon Paul Ayah) in Cameroon while the CPDM corrupt Judges aided and abetted the PCC Synod to persecute and falsely prosecute innocent women who stood up for social justice with me. Where was Hon Paul Ayah when all these saga was going on in Cameroon? Hon Paul Ayah resigned from the CPDM only towards the end of  2010 because he wanted to seek the Presidency and not because he was indeed a man who wanted the best for Cameroon and Cameroon. We cannot afford to compromise a struggle for the redemption and freedom of Cameroon by blindly believing in a man who has stakes in the CPDM political system and has fatten himself and his cohorts since he joined the system. While it is true that we all need each other in order to change Cameroon , there are some people who should  take a deep look at themselves. In fact, if Cameroon must undergo some moral surgery, call it transformation, then we must never make the ERROR of believing that any person who has served comfortably and conveniently under the CPDM regime as far as being a Parliamentarian is capable of changing the same system that they have been part of for decades.     Conclusion Cameroon is ripe for a transitional government and the Cameroon Truth Commission. This is what I stand for and have called upon all Cameroonians to keep aside emotions and appeal to their conscience and commonsense. Those who are dying to seek public office in any capacity can wait until we rebuild that country in  a way that will represent our common dreams and aspirations regardless of tribe, region or race. After all is said and done, then those who are ambitious and overzealots can then throw their hearts and minds to run for public office. I stand corrected before all of you with respects to the same issues that I have discussed and shared with all Cameroonians and sundry. We cannot afford another primitive action again at this time in history because it is now abundantly clear to me that we are not in the 17 th century but rightfully have inherited the 21st century with all its benefits and blessings. Why then are some people still acting like the lost sheep? To God Be the Glory for the dawn of a new era in Cameroon Rev Jonathan Awasom Senior Community Organizer and Consultant Nation Builder on political asylum within the USA Presidential Aspirant for a 24 Transitional Government for Cameroon Upholds the vision for a virtuous and free Society Desires to lead a transitional government and keep his neutrality from seeking public office in order to ensure that the transition is transparent and well accomplish Blog: http://virtuousandfreecameroon.blogspot.com/

FORMER US AMBASSADOR JANET E GARVEY ON CORRUPTION IN CAMEROON

Dear Civil Society International

 

 

This is the classified information by wikileaks on Cameroon,which only underscores Wikitruths about the state of corrupt tyranny and dictatorship in Cameroon for,which I have been persecuted and retaliated against since 2006. I did not need to know what is in the mind of President Paul Biya because we have a constitution ,which is binding on him as well as every other Cameroonian in public office. I am not surprised by his comments to the US Ambassador. One is rather flabbergasted by the fact that President Paul Biya does not believe that he is answerable to the Constitution and Civil Society.He sees himself as a kin

 

It is critical for the world to know that we cannot promote good governance and the rule of law anywhere in Cameroon so long as President Paul Biya and his government have not honored article 66 of the nation's constitution. This articles calls for the President and his government officials to declare their assets but none of them have never done so since he became President. This site will lead you to article 66 of the Constitution, which calls for all government officials to declare their assets and neither President Paul Biya not his Prime Ministers are excluded from being accountable.

[PDF]

CONSTITUTION of the Republic of Cameroon

File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - Quick View
Cameroon. Law No. 96-06 of 18 January 1996 to amend the Constitution of 2 June 1972. The National Assembly has deliberated and adopted; ...
confinder.richmond.edu/admin/docs/Cameroon.pdf - Similar

 

 

In spite of the Cameroon anti-corruption Commission, President Paul Biya and former US Ambassador are very relaxed over the endemic nature of corruption in Cameroon to the extent, which President Paul Biya, as stated by the Ambassador shamelessly revealed to the Ambassador that the arrest of corrupt officials would not include his former Prime Minister Ephraim Inoni because;

 

 "he thought this would not likely
include former Prime Minister Ephraim Inoni because the evidence
against him was thin and he didn´t steal much money"  

 

 

 

  

Cameroonian President Biya Gives Ambassador Political/Economic Overview CLASSIFIED BY: Janet E. Garvey, Ambassador, State; REASON: 1.4(C), (D), (E) Appears in these articles:http://www.aftenposten.no/spesial/wikileaksdokumenter/article4008271.ece

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 2020/02/05
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON KCOR EFIN CM PTER SENV PHUM BEXP PINR
SUBJECT: Cameroonian President Biya Gives Ambassador
Political/Economic Overview
CLASSIFIED BY: Janet E. Garvey, Ambassador, State; REASON: 1.4(C),
(D), (E)

                  "Corruption/Budget Transparency
¶9. (C) Ambassador praised Cameroon´s continued focus on
fighting corruption, including renewed arrests of alleged corrupt
officials, but also expressed concerns that legal procedures be
fully pursued. She detailed USG support for anti-corruption
efforts. Biya said he wouldn´t release those arrested for
corruption "until they admit they did something wrong." He was
pleased with USG cooperation in combating corruption and stressed
that corrupt officials "stole a lot of money." He confirmed that
more corruption-related arrests were coming under his
anti-corruption initiative Operation "Epervier" (Sparrowhawk),
although (contrary to rumor) he thought this would not likely
include former Prime Minister Ephraim Inoni because the evidence
against him was thin and he didn´t steal much money. Epervier had
sent a useful anti-corruption signal which has had some effect, he
thought; however, he wanted to rethink the approach of arresting
officials and focus more on getting the stolen money back. He had
more information about corruption committed by former Secretary
General in the Presidency Jean-Marie Atangana Mebara" 

 

Janet Garvey, Former USA Ambassador to Cameroon seen here with President Paul Biya chronicled the article ,which published on wikileaks.

                      

To discover more on Wikitruths ,please, always download my blog at

 

 

http://virtuousandfreecameroon.blogspot.com/

 

http://virtuousandfreecameroon.blogspot.com/

 

http://virtuousandfreecameroon.blogspot.com/

THE AMERICAN MOVERS AND SHAKERS : POLITICAL, RELIGIOUS LEADERS AND PHILANTROPISTS WHO RECIEVED COPIES OF MY MEMO TO G-8 SUMMIT ON ENDING POVERTY AND INJUSTICE IN AFRICA IN THE 21ST CENURY ALSO KNOWN AS "CRY THE BELOVED AFRICA"

Jonathan Awasom < wisesayings10@yahoo.com> wrote:
2nd Memorandum on G-8 Summit:

Oh Cry the  Beloved Africa.
African scholarship, research, truth and experience on injustice and poverty in the 21ST
century.
Author and spokeperson: Pastor Jonathan F. Awasom in partnership with God and humanity to end poverty in Africa.
Social Justice and Human Rights Advocacy at large
Voice of Reason and Conscience
Denominational Affiliation: Protestant Presbyterian Christian
Home Church: Christ Presbyterian Church in Edina, Minnesota
Conservative or Liberal? None of the above.
Political Party: Non-partisan but bypartisan
State: The State of Minnesota, USA
Status: Political Asylee(on exile)
Website under construction: www.jfawasom.com
Continent and Country: West African- Cameroonian
Former Colony of: Germans, French and British
Official language: French and English
Population: about 16 millions
Unemployment rate: about 80%
Phone: 952-261-5818
Email:  jjawasom@yahoo.com
Website under construction: www.jfawasom.com
Ask not what African can do for you, ask what you can do for Africa: Adopted from President JFK Kennedy
There is nothing wrong with Africa that cannot be solved with what is right with Africa: Adopted from President Bill Clinton
Freedom is God’s gift to humanity: President George Bush Jr.
Let the people know the truth and the country is safe: President Abraham Lincoln
All people are born equal and free, endowed by the creator with inalienable and inherent rights among, which are freedom, liberty and pursue of happiness: President Thomas Jefferson
Partnerships: The Presidents of G 8 Summit
C/o President George W. Bush and
Prime Minister Tony Blair
The US State Department
C/o Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State
The United States Ambassador to Cameroon
The British Ambassador to Cameroon
The German Ambassador to Cameroon
Senator Mark Dayton and Norm Coleman
Congress Representatives in Minnesota, USA
Church leaders and scholars in Minnesota
The United States congress on Foreign Relation Committee
The United States Committee on International Relations
The United States Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and International Operations
President Clinton’s Global Initiative
The United Nations Organization
The Human Rights Watch
International Justice Mission
World Vision
The Open Society Institute
Acton Institute of Religion and Society
Princeton Theological Seminary: Church and Society
Presbyterian Church, USA: Social Justice, Peace, Unity and Purity of the Church
The Willow Creek Association: Christ and Freedom
Luther Seminary, St Paul: The Missional Church in the 21st century
The Bishop of ELCA: St Paul,Minnesota
United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities: Social Justice
The United Methodist Church: Social Justice
The United Church of Christ: Social Justice
University of St Thomas, St. Paul Minnesota: Department of Justice and Peace
St John University, Minnesota: Social Justice
The Archbishop of St Paul and Minneapolis and for Pope Benedict xvi
The World Alliance of Reformed Churches
The World Council of Churches
The Humphrey Institute, University of Minnesota: Public Policy
Harvard University: African Studies
ONE: The Campaign to make poverty History led by U2’S Bono
Bill and Miranda Gates .ONE is composed of about 12 organizations
The people of Africa for the 21ST century

Date: 9/25/05 and reviewed today 3/13/06

Subject: My Reaction to the 6-8 July 2005 G -8 Summit in Gleneagles, Scotland, which include Africa as my case study, the church and human freedom, applause, critique, deconstruction of the phrase, “poor nation”, rationale, commentary, minor and major causes of poverty, some solution to the causes of poverty and “my” Christian worldview on injustice and poverty.
The global war against injustice and poverty: The case of Africa
The church and human freedom

MEMO TO PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH AND G-8 SUMMIT LEADERSHIP IN 2005

2nd Memorandum

From:  Jonathan Awasom

Social Justice and Human Rights Advocate at Large

Voice of Reason and Conscience

To: The Presidents of G 8 Summit

C/o President of the United States of America

Through: The US State Department

C/o Condoleessa Rice, Secretary of State

Subject: The 6-8 July 2005 G -8 Summit in Gleneagles, Scotland

Date: 9/25/05

The Global War against Injustice and Poverty  

         

The Case of Africa

The G 8 Summit

The July 6-8, 2005 G-8 Summit in Gleneagles, Scotland was an unprecedented historic  event in the world, which brought together 8 industrial nations and poor nations together. I thought it was a great event particularly as it captured the attention of the world to the fact that, at last, the industrialized nations realized that it was time for them to declare poverty as a major problem that is plaguing the "poor nations" on earth.  The state of dictatorship, political instability, genocide, ethnic cleansing and wars in Africa and insecurity concerns come into play as one of the major causes of poverty, which renders many people hopeless. This made that summit a real complex event because I surmise that it has set a platform for real and honest dialogue about human rights and dignity in the continent of Africa

I Applaud the Great 8 Nations

I have not completed the learning curve of life but my immediate reaction is to affirm and hail the great eight for their courage, strength, compassion, kindness and generosity. Whoever conceived the idea to seek these problems, it is one of the best things that has happened in recent times. Given the seriousness of the issues at stake, I believe that something extra-ordinarily will happen as we work together with our heads and hearts together. I think that to identify and declare poverty or give a name to something whether it is negative or positive does not mean it is a new invention. I am sure it points to a deeper sense of determination to address the matter. In fact, neither the 8 nations nor the citizens of the world are ignorant about the devastating nature of poverty and hunger in Africa. May be this conversation will last forever as we fight to end poverty. Before I was born, the problem existed and I feel that speaking with all the experience and education I have received in my lifetime should be considered an addition to this good cause.

A critique

However, I have a concern about the semantic meaning of “rich and poor” nations.   The G 8 Summit is made up of industrialized rich nations to discuss the problems of “poor nations”. My initial response is that I have a problem with the definition and identification of nations on the continent as “rich and poor”.I feel that in as much as we might really want to classify some nations based on the degree of industrial and political achievements, we should select a different definition and language for them other than rich and poor.

Poverty is a systematic and endemic problem, which emanates from either the "extreme inequalities"  "misfortunes" or “ignorance” in every set up be it political, social, religious or economic. It can affect anybody ranging from the rich to the poor and the poor to the poorest with devastating consequences. I have witnessed rich persons degenerate into poor beggars. Poor persons have dropped from their current positions to the lowest level like the rich fool in the Christian bible.

May be you, too have witnessed cases of poverty taking toll on someone or group of people who were not originally poor. Poverty is not just about a person born into it but I think it also concerns people that were rich and suddenly became poor. Someone like me was not born poor but because I was born into a circumstance of dictatorship, I was bound to be poor because my chances of having freedom were systematically and endemically hampered and destroyed by the CNU and CPDM system of oppression

My experience has generated questions as I became more and more enlightened. I was a good example of a “poor and needy”, which is the language that the privileged elite used to describe those of us from poor backgrounds because we were placed at their “mercy”. They made all the decisions and laws, which were not in favor of the “poor and needy”. In fact, I have been a bad friend of poverty and it is really difficult for me to be quiet without making my contribution to any conversation and research on poverty.

In short, poverty stems from the socio-economic, political and cultural structures of oppression and widespread injustice in the country. The political systems have shaped the standards of living in a negative way forcing the majority of people to live in poverty. In practical life, the war against poverty is worth winning provided we look at the ROOT CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF POVERTY simultaneously and avoid distorted interpretation of it. For instance a statement like “POOR NATIONS” already makes the problem impossible to be solved because we are focusing on the effects of poverty and totally negating the attitude and behavior of the people who are causing that poverty.

If we divorce one from the other, then we will be papering over the cracks and keep postponing and trampling the problem under the rug. I think there are a lot of skeletons in the cupboard of African rulers that need to be addressed in order to come out with an objective platform for our noble efforts to exterminate injustice and political oppression in Africa. The fact that they are never accountable to anyone is fundamentally an impediment to any conversation that has to do with solving problems.

As a matter of fact, when rich folks living in Africa among the poor and poorest get together and accept to be tagged as "Poor Nations", I feel that it is misleading and disturbing because within every nation, there are extremely wealthy folks and extremely poor folks. For instance, Cameroon, which is supposedly called a poor nation, has the wealthy and rich elite, richer and wealthier than most people even from the industrialized nations.

Consequently, what will be the moral and ethical reason for describing such rich and wealthy people as poor nations? The practical and actual situation has been very confusing and troubling to me. Besides, it sounds very obvious to me that many of the African representatives are living in denial because they want the industrial nations to see them as part of the solution to the poverty stricken Africans but the people in Cameroon where I belong are not. (As I said I will always speak from my context because I have a good knowledge and experience from there). The rich elite in Africa do not represent the interest of the poor and poorest at all. From their past behavior, one can deduce that they have a policy, which suggests a struggle for survival by the fittest.

There is absolutely no way for the weak ones to win that type of mechanical warfare over survival, unfortunately shaped by dictatorship and corruption. I am tempted to go the extra-mile to imagine that the elite are called “poor nations” because they are suffering from poverty of conscience, moral decadence and intellectual dishonesty. They have denied most of the times, the most basic needs for the poor and poorest such as good health care, education, roads, water and freedom of conscience.

The human community can bear witness to my claims following the horrible images of poverty we see all the times over the television networks. If a general survey is taken of every country in Africa, one will be shocked to notice the harsh reality of poverty distinct from the rich folks and societies in Cameroon (Africa). How then can they be called poor nation? An inappropriate and misrepresentation of the people is itself and inherent obstacle toward an honest and open dialogue toward finding the real answers to the question; why are people poor? What are the minor and major causes of poverty? What can be done to end poverty? What is not being done to end poverty? What is being done and who is doing what and what is not being done? 

I am a Cameroonian and I don't think that the elite in Cameroon should be calling themselves “Poor Nation”. It is deceptive and it is a distortion of the truth. They are not poor and will never be poor except something unusual happens! Indeed, they are extremely and stingingly wealthy and I have never felt that they can represent the poor with their ill-gotten wealth. But as we all know, the world as of today is redesigned in a way that the richer in Cameroon get richer and the poor, poorest.

One of the main reasons why this happens is because the poor are not being represented in our conversation and decisions focused on helping them. The poor seem to be blamed for their poverty and it seems nobody cares to listen to them. The disconnect between the rich and poorest from one country to another is a forgone conclusion and I feel that the poor are constantly being offended when rich folk (church and government) from a continent like Africa attempt to pose as poor people when they are not poor. They create a false expectation and impression, and behave as if they care about the poor. Truly, today I know that any discussion about poverty by the rich folks in many African countries is a sheer coffee time and past time. It is like throwing water on a duck’s back.

All the delegates who attended the G-8 Summit from Africa either religious or political in their usual unholy alliance with each other are the rich and richest. Do they really represent the poor? If they did, then we in Africa would not find ourselves in the disgusting state of poverty and misery, which is destroying lives on daily basis. Every country in Africa is made up of an elite and some of them ignore the poorest even though they would gladly talk eloquently about their issues. They have the ultimate power and logistics to torture and suppress and may be cover up the truth. I disagree with them that Cameroon is a poor nation.

I disagree with them that African is a poor continent. There is poverty in Cameroon and poverty is plaguing the nation of Cameroon but it does not mean that Cameroon is a poor nation. A good way to look at it is to ask the questions, what are the causes of poverty in Cameroon? What are the causes of poverty in Africa?

I believe very strongly that the elite is a club that is reserved to a certain class of people and if anyone does not belong to that club of dictatorship, their chances of a good life is as hard as an elephant passing through the eye of a niddle. Their luxurious and wasteful life styles, is an embarrassment to the “poor” living in the industrial nations and a shock and disappointment for the "poorest" in less industrialized nations existing in disintegrated and impoverished communities.  My rationale for this critique is as follows;

Poverty is truly a global problem and is dotted all over from one country to the other. I feel very strongly that there is no poor nation in Africa because of the affluence of the elite. We should change the language and identify the poor and poorest in every country and categorized them in terms of their per capital income, sources, availability of human resources, purchasing power, employment, educational and growth opportunities, and the living standards of their families.

For instance the standard of poverty in Africa is not the same like that in some of the industrial nations, which could be attributed to a wide range of factors such as good governance, security, economy, good luck and social welfare policy. The first thing is for us to come out with a working definition of poverty by taking into consideration the minor and major causes as a de factor. If the African leaders feel that they are representing the poor and poorest, then they should start speaking the truth and stop blazing lies and manipulation of the Western World.

We should engage the poor in the global summit and conversation and listen to them and figure out the best ways to help them with a stringent broad based support system of accountability for their success. About six months ago, I had coffee with one of my friends at Christ Presbyterian Church in Edina, Minnesota who is a mission employee and I remember sharing with him that listening to the poor and poorest could be very helpful in ending poverty. I was very emphatic that we could not really solve the problem of poverty from an intellectual point of view without listening to the poor and poorest. He said that he knew that I was a man of conviction. I told him that, well I was speaking from experience and not just out of a deep conviction.

I feel that responsible leadership from the elite from Africa should hinge on listening. Our leaders don’t listen. They belief that war, violence and protests are the priceless values that everyone must embark on before the right thing is done. Even when people know the truth, they want bloodshed, tears and real pain before they can step up to the challenge. Perhaps it happens in the industrialized world but the elite in Africa think for themselves and create meaning only to suit their personal whims and caprices. They cluster in rich neighborhoods and ignore the poor and poorest and yet they are the ones who are used to cajole for money from overseas. I think according to the standards of living in Cameroon, I won’t consider myself poor right now but I speak from experience as an advocate.

We should identify poor communities, societies and people and ask the question, why are they poor? Why are you poor? How can we help them? How can we help you? All these need a high sense of honesty and integrity in our enquiry and research .I will provide some sample answers later.

We should cross -examine the minor and major causes of poverty in Africa in different compartments namely; Dictatorship and Reign of terror, natural disaster, greed and corruption, untimely deaths, bankruptcy, armed robbery, laziness, ignorance, bad tax policies, which destroy and kill small business initiatives and misfortunes like the lake Nyos gas disaster in 1988, which occurred and turned out to be an occasion for exploitation of the victims by some leaders. What about the divisions between ethnic groups and tribes that make up the African countries. Are these divisions healthy and helpful? We should also take into consideration the hypocritical life style of the people who claim to be religious and political leaders.

One main cause of poverty in Africa is the, genocides, ethnic cleansing civil wars or the struggles of freedom fighters who unfortunately are described as rebels. I don’t think that the constant warfare and divisions in Africa is economically healthy for the continent. I imagine that it cost a lot financial resources to fund governments to fight and kill their own citizens instead of talking and listening to each other.

Almost all of the countries in Africa have one disgruntled group of people fighting in some distant part of the country while the government forces are also fighting them in another part. We are pitied against each other and we cut at each other throats in causes that will never produce any good outcome except misery and pain. In the United States for instance, no matter how people and communities disagree, there is a good sense of dialogue, debate arguments for and against each other in a bid to better the human condition.

In the continent of Africa, the reverse is true and why would these leaders prefer wars instead of dialogue? What is the role of the church in Africa toward all these wars, rebellion from both the governments and the people? Everybody in Africa are rebellious once people of the same country fight and kill each other because of power and wealth. These are the same people who get together to talk about poverty and yet they don’t do anything to change their bad leadership style.

We should also question the moral authority of the church and investigate the church in Africa to find out what they have been doing about the state of affairs in Africa. The role of the church in social justice and advocacy as a moral power should be taken into consideration. Is the church effectively and practically playing a God-centered and inspired role as they witness to the people?

Has the church become part of the oppressive structures? What is going on in reality? Once we look at the small and big details, we will move to the next stage, which is the application. I can further elaborate on each factor with practical examples but for the sake of brevity, I will withhold that for now while hoping that some opportunities will emerge for me to shed more light on the issues.

Some solutions to the root causes of Poverty and Injustice

We should honor the passion of Mother Theresa by creating World Day Against Poverty. It will lead to global walk and awareness annually to find a cure for poverty. Mother Theresa’s long-term vision was to end poverty and not to pamper it with charity everyday. She wanted it to end and while articulating that vision, she was caught up in her own frailty and God called her to rest. I don’t think Mother was asking only for food and money to feed the hungry. I think that all these moral heroes wanted the structures and systems that cause poverty to be reconstructed so that everyone will have equal rights and opportunities in the world.

We should audit African Leaders right away by asking them to declare their assets and resources in all the places that they have invested them. We have the right to know how they earned their riches because they occupied or are occupying political and religious positions, which gives them access to money and resources. We are bound to do so because the corruption there should concern us.

Let me quote an example, there is absolutely no way that the same people in Africa will be on the same job or system of oppression for decades without being corrupt. They are never accountable to the people unlike in the United States. So, it is fundamental that the G-8 summit proceeds to investigate them and ask them to give an account of their activities for all the years that they have been reigning as infallible people. There should be a law to enforce this rule because the fact that people have ill-gotten wealth and are not held accountable for it creates more corrupt people everyday.

We should cross –examine the concept of leadership in Africa. Does it mean the same as in the US? Leadership and empowerment cannot thrive in the midst of corruption. First things first. Bad leadership and influence on the lives of the people is a serious concern for me and misleads people to live in fear under a false sense of loyalty often mistaken for patriotism. We should expose the African leaders so that they will stop lies, hypocrisy and manipulation when they travel overseas. Their stories should be investigated and pinned down.

We should make an effort to stop corruption by enforcing laws, which will prosecute corrupt leaders and people in Africa. Corruption is one of the greatest causes of poverty and wars.  In order for peace to reign on earth, we should stop corruption and treat it as a serious crime against humanity. Corruption breeds hatred, jealousy, greed, war, injustice, abuses of any sort because perpetrators survive under corruption since nobody is accountable to anyone except to the elite.

Everyone is allowed intentionally to be corrupt or corrupted under what some Africans call “ the system” .The few persons who say no   to it are seen as strange and unreasonable. They became subject of attacks and presented as the bad “guys” because the corrupt and corrupted still walk away happy and contend.

They insist by their bad examples that the only way to success on earth is through corruption. They believe that the world is a corrupt place and that everybody is corrupt plus those who pretend to be the best. They make their case in order to justify their corruption and torture of the masses. We may be helping such negative thinkers in their wrong conviction directly or indirectly by our “APPAULING SILENCE” but if we stand up and oppose them with concrete action then we will achieve good results.

We should strive to end dictatorship in Africa at all cost because it is an undocumented evil force in the continent of Africa. People cannot overcome poverty under a state of dictatorship where the elite project themselves as demigods and always ready to shoot and kill their own people. We should institute a system of accountability for human resources and make sure that the leaders are held accountable in everyway possible.

We should admonish some of the church leaders who are on the side of dictators instead of being a discerning moral influence over political leaders. Except we stop the unholy alliance between the church and the state in Africa, corruption, which is the bedrock of dictatorship will never end. Therefore, I will like to bring to the attention of the human community and especially the world wide Christian Church the deceit and hypocrisy of the elite in Africa and to raise awareness about a theology that will engage missionaries in social justice and human rights and also empower the church to embark on the cause for freedom.

We should stop them from buying guns to kill innocent people who dare stand up for their rights. We should stop making dictators and corrupt leaders feel too comfortable in their wrong doing because they believe that they are protected by someone else somewhere. We should not back them and if we have the opportunity to meet with them, we should change them. It is not impossible to change people or bring them to a point of moral consciousness and accountability. We should stir their conscience and shame them

We should reconsider the decision of providing sanctuary to people who perpetrate hate crimes in the world and after they destroy, they escape into hiding in the western world or other parts of Africa. We should bring them to justice to account so that they will recognize their misdeeds and change. The essence of discipline is to correct a wrongdoing because these individuals are still supporting the corrupt regimes in Africa and pretending to be in good standing with universal human values.

If we ignore their past abusive records then others will continue in the same practice. We should track them to account for their resources. It is possible that we can take back some of the stolen money and resources and invest in the country to help others. I believe in forgiveness but it does not mean that we should downplay on justice. Hate crimes are perpetrated in Africa by the elite because their predecessors walk around unaccountable for what they did. Wherever they are hiding we should look for them to confess their crimes.

What does the Christian religion teach us about materialism and our faith? What does the Holy Scripture say about all these things in terms of our faith and respond to it? HOW DOES GOD’S GRACE AND PEACE APPLY TO THIS? I think that we are at a point where the Christian church may be called upon to give a theological or a Christian response to the problem of poverty in Africa. I don’t have all the answers but I believe very sincerely that we need to go the extra –mile to focus deeply on the different categories of the causes of poverty by understanding the implication of the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. It requires some work here. Ask your priest or pastor about that story.

We should encourage the G-8 summit to take a deep breathe and ask themselves if it is worth it to give 25 billion dollars annually to a continent which, about 90% of the leaders are deceitful and corrupt? Will it not be advisable to agree on some laid down policies on how to hold them accountable for the resources?  I think we should look at these issues critically so that the help we are giving will have its desirable impact on the poor and poorest.

We should encourage the G 8 summit to know that they could explore the continent of Africa and identify at least 5 communities in each country and study them very well. This research will help the researchers to see, compare and contrast. Listen to the people, ask questions and get to know why they are held hostage by poverty. Ask the governments what they have done with previous financial aids and why enough is not being done before they continue giving the 25 billion dollars. I am ready to participate in this conversation about the continent of Africa.

Finally, people are not free, nothing good really happens. Freedom is one of the answers to the pandemic of poverty and deprivation in Africa. I definitely share in the theological and political interpretation of freedom as God ‘s gift to humanity. I think people should be free both from poverty and greed. Practically, we are not free in Africa, my friends. When our rulers in Africa do anything possible in order to stay for too long in power and refuse to let go power, deny to be accountable, resort to corruption without any impunity, the logical consequence is that the elite enrich themselves at the expense of the poor and poorest.

If these folks get together to discuss poverty when they are the ones creating poverty through a statusquo that is static and often whitewashed with a mirage of misinformation and distortion of the truth, I bet you we shall never end poverty. It is okay to empower them to fight poverty because, after all they are in control but I believe that we should also consider the steps toward dealing with the root causes of poverty and injustice. One way to deal with our problems in Africa is being truthful about what we know and what we don’t know. I support the initiative and colossal task that lie ahead of humanity to curb poverty, economic deprivation and end civil strive and war.

Yet, I am aware that I come from one of the poorest communities in the world. Also, back in Cameroon, there are rich neighborhoods and extremely poor neighborhoods. If we rather focus on identifying the areas and communities plagued by poverty in the whole Africa, we will see the poverty gab more vividly .In this way, we will be able to find a long lasting solution to it. Poverty, injustice and social inequalities might never be uprooted in reality but the extent to which, humanity takes delight in celebrating these negatives matters. The greatest achievement of humankind is not limited to the intellect but is well known by what the head thinks and what the heart does in a practical human community.

Thank you.

Jonathan Awasom

Jonathanawasom@yahoo.com

LETTER TO REV DR JOHN CROSBY,SENIOR PASTOR OF CHRIST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, EDINA MINNESOTA,USA

   Wednesday, February 4, 2009 12:00 PM

Dear Pastor John Crosby

Senior Pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church, Edina Minnesota, USA

Greetings in the name of the Holy Trinity.

Thank you for inviting me to come and participate in the Forum on Race,Faith and Politics at Christ Presbyterian Church Edina on Saturday February 7th,2009.But first of all, you have to inform the Edina Police that you have changed your mind and would like me to come and take part in that important dialogue  that could shape the Republican Party Politics and change some of their negative tones and policies against humanity. I am very excited for this type of forum because it will allow me to express myself as a Liberal Republican and also ask some tough questions about Race,Politics and Faith ,which I have learned and experienced in this Country.I love this theme a lot and it is very timely since we shall engage one another across the world to re-examine our common humanity in terms of the political and religious precepts in the light of our actions in this country and also in the world especially concerning violation of human dignity in this society and especially in Africa. I am sure you will recognise the foreign policies of the missionary Church in Africa as well as the role of people like us who have captured the spirit of the United States and are now resident in this country.

I intend to re-introduce my memorandum about the race,politics and faith of Christ Presbyterian Church's involvement in the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa where genocide and civil war has resulted in the murder and assassination of innocent people including fetuses,unborn children and women.

Since there are expert speakers at your invitation, I think they will also address some of the concerns I have as regards the false and illegal police arrest that was orchestrated by you and the Leadership of CPC in gross violation of the first amendment to the great constitution of the United States of America.

The biggest issue that bothers me is these two letters that you folks wrote to me;One was about evil and the other about Good. I am looking forward to participating in the forum , which will also examine the conflict between good and evil , within the Leadership of Christ Presbyterian Church, Edina. My major question is how is it possible that the same people will have the propensity for evil and good simultaneously? This is a serious issue about faith and as you know evil and good have both infleunced and shaped RACE,FAITH AND POLITICS in this country and the world a lot. It is therefore critical that these issues be addressed. These are the two letters from CPC leadership


1. Infinite Power of God’s love and respect
 

GOOD

 “Jonathan: We are responding at this time to your email and attachments that were sent to me dated May 15, 2008.First and foremost, we at CPC hope and pray that you will understand our sincere love for you as a brother in Christ and that we care for you as a child of God. We at CPC are willing to have discussions with you at a future date regarding what a relationship between us and you might look like and how to get to that relationship”     By the leadership of the Church


The above letter followed a different letter that was written to me by the Oppenheimer law firm , which came through as the work of Satan.

 

2. Indefinite Power of man’s hate and disrespect
  EVIL

By the Oppenheimer law firm misrepresenting the Church Leadership

“Dear Mr. Awasom Jonathan
With the foregoing in mind CPC …effectively immediately,
you are prohibited from being on CPC property, or entering any CPC building. This prohibition includes CPC parking lots, as well as CPC’s buildings…CPC will view your violation of that prohibition as trespassing on private property…In the unlikely event that you fail to comply with that prohibition, CPC will utilize security personnel and law enforcement officers to remove you from CPC property. If necessary, CPC will also secure a court order baring you from its property.  March 22, 2007

In closing, please understand that Christ Presbyterian Church has the legal right to restrict unauthorized individuals from its property. We expect that you will voluntarily comply with the prohibition set forth in this letter and attached Trespass Notice, and it will not be necessary for the Edina Police Department and Edina City Attorney to undertake the type of criminal enforcement action which they had to undertake against you in 2007. In closing, I thank you for what I expect will be your compliance with the prohibition set forth in this letter and the enclosed Trespass Notice...This notice serves to warn and direct you to immediately leave our property, including any parking areas, described below. Property/business name: Christ Presbyterian Church: Address: 6901 Normandale Rd. , Edina , MN 55435.Pursuant to Minnesota State Statue 609.605,you will be guilty of a misdemeanor if you intentionally enter upon our property prior to the expiration of this notice, which is valid until INDEFINITE”   

As you can tell, there are a lot of burning issues to be addressed and I can't wait for this great day to arrive. However you need to confirm with me that your invitation is genuine and not a set up for me to be picked up by the Edina Police. As soon as you confirm this I will get all my questions and concerns ready.  I thank the Holy Trinity for making sure that you did not forget to include me in your mailing list.

NB: Since the crisis we have rest on issues on Race, politics and Faith, I shall be at CPC on Saturday at the main entrance into the church to raise awareness about the gross abuse and injustice that I have suffered when I did not commit any crime. I will come as a very peaceful human being and will position myself around where the Police Car is always packed so that everybody will know that I respect the police and our civil leaders and would not defy their order not to enter the premises of CPC following the unjust order banning me from coming to CPC again because I was inspired by the Holy Trinity to ask questions. I shall start coming to worship again once all the corporate individuals who are practicing bad politics and faith  begin to listen to the Voice of God and the Chief Sherpherd.

I thank you  again for the invitation. The justice and peace of God , which passes all human misunderstandings and confusion continue to touch and soften your hearts so that you'll not hurt me again. But that you will listen and act with reason and commonsense. 

Yours truly
Jonathan Fru Awasom 
 Voice of conscience





      CPC Special Event

Wednesday, February 4, 2009 12:00 PM




From:


"John Crosby" <email@...>
Add sender to Contacts




To:

"Jonathan* F Awasom -" <wisesayings10@...>




Dear CPC Community,

Please join us for a special evening at CPC this Saturday, February 7..  After the 5:15PM worship service, all are welcome at CPC’s monthly Saturday Community Dinner in the Fellowship Hall. The cost for the dinner is $6 for adults, $4 for kids (age 4-12), with a $20 max per family. To reserve a meal, please RSVP by Thursday, February 5 to Patti Kratzer at pattik@....  (Those who signed up via the Friendship Pads during last weekend’s worship services do not need to RSVP again).

Starting at 7:00PM, we will reconvene in the Sanctuary for a Forum on Race, Politics, and Faith.  Join us for a dialogue between the President of Fuller Seminary, Dr. Richard Mouw, and Reconciliation and Community Development expert, Dr. John Perkins, as they discuss these touchstone issues from a Christian perspective.  The forum will be moderated by Mike Hotz, CPC’s Associate Pastor of Domestic Missions.  For more information about the forum and our guest speakers, please click here: http://cpconline.org/index.php?content=Forum.

We hope you will join us this Saturday, February 7 for an evening of fellowship, discussion, and growth.

In Christ,

John Crosby
Senior Pastor



           "Statement of Faith of Christ Presbyterian Church , Edina.



As a congregation, we reaffirm what the church in all ages and places has proclaimed as a foundation of the Christian faith — the Apostles Creed:

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic (universal) church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

We recognize that humanity is created in the image of God, separated from God by sin, lost and in need of forgiveness. In the person of Jesus Christ we see the Trinity of God most plainly; through His atoning death and physical resurrection we receive forgiveness and eternal life. The church is the Body of Christ on Earth to spread His Kingdom, and embody His love for the world. 

We also feel it important to emphasize our commitment to two additional doctrines:

The Uniqueness of Jesus Christ
We believe God has spoken to people of the world, so that human beings know of God’s goodness and existence (Hebrews 1:1-3, Romans 1:19-21). We affirm that salvation comes by God’s grace to sin-filled people, through faith in Jesus Christ alone (Acts 4:12, John 14:6).

The Authority of Scripture
In confusing times, it is imperative to define how we make difficult decisions. We affirm that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are inspired by God and authoritative to direct the behavior of God’s people in matters of faith and practice (2 Timothy 3:16, Psalm 119:2-4). We also affirm the primacy of the Scriptures over all other creeds, which exist to reflect the teaching and affirmations of the Scripture in certain times and situations.

In everything we seek humility and reliance on God’s Spirit to guide us. God is judge, not human beings. Our faith compels us not to pass judgment, but to preach and live the gospel in loving relationships, with urgency and respect for all. Like the Reformers we proclaim: in essentials, unity; in non-essentials, diversity; in all things, charity.





WHY A STATEMENT OF FAITH

Christians periodically need to reaffirm what has defined Christianity since the time of the first disciples and apostles long ago. At the beginning of the 21st century, Christ Presbyterian Church’s leadership (elders, pastors, and staff) faces three important cultural realities:


CPC is a Presbyterian church (PCUSA) at a time when mainline denominations are theologically divided even as they decline in number and relevance.

The increased diversity of our congregation brings a variety of perspectives, many with little clarity of historical, biblical Christianity.

We live in a post-modern culture, where moral absolutes and ultimate truths are no longer recognized. The authority of biblical truths needs to be emphasized and explained in order to apply effectively.   





QUESTIONS ON OUR STATEMENT OF FAITH

Why do we need a formal Statement of Faith now? I thought we already had one. Good question! Presbyterians have used a Book of Confessions to define their core beliefs, all subservient to the authority of Scripture. These range from the early church’s Apostles Creed through 11 Catechisms, like the Westminster Catechism, to modern statements of faith like the Confession of 1967. At the same time, there is a lot of confusion and disagreement within the denomination, especially considering that about 80% of our members come from non-Presbyterian backgrounds. We want something short enough to serve as common ground without being so detailed as to be unusable. 

Do all the members of CPC have to understand and believe in this Statement?
Our vows of membership focus on four questions: Who is your Lord and Savior? Do you trust Him? Will you be His disciple? Will you be a faithful member of this congregation? The Statement is an amplification of basic Christian beliefs aimed at informing our visitors as well as guiding leadership and those with teaching responsibilities. 

Why aren’t there specific references to contentious issues, like abortion, homosexuality, or capital punishment? 
Most of the decisions made on these types of issues fall back to one central principle – the authority of Scripture which we do outline in the Statement of Faith. When Scripture speaks in one voice on any issue (non-disputable matters) we will yield to the authority of the Bible over against any other source of wisdom. On the other hand, one of the principles in our church’s life is to allow for diversity when not directed by the Scriptures. Where Scripture is silent on an issue or when there are a variety of voices within it, we need to allow for grace in our conversations with others. Many of these issues have faithful Christians on all sides; while we will seek to learn together, we need to encourage a respectful atmosphere where God can speak to all.





GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FAITH

We want to be defined theologically by our center in Christ, not by our boundaries. Boundaries only become important when issues divide us, or are potentially inconsistent with these core beliefs. We hold in tension a desire for people to feel free to begin their spiritual journey at many different places, while at the same time, calling them to step toward biblical issues.

We have no desire to make a rigid, detailed template for subscription. This Statement will be used as:

information to allow visitors to discern our core beliefs,

guidance for teachers and leaders, so they may affirm their accord with our core theology before teaching and setting curricula,

an educational tool for the congregation at all ages,

to give guidance to the staff and Session when matters of dispute come before them, so we are more consistent in our deliberations, and

to help define our center as we interact with various denominational issues."