Monthly Archives: April 2019

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abolishing prisons

Only a few days ago I asked this question on abolishing prisons. It’s one among many things that I think are important discussions we should have in our time. Here is a podcast by a prison abolitionist that you could listen to or you can read the transcript of the discussion.

Then I remembered this address by Clarence Darrow to Cook County prisoners in 1902 where he says

There ought to be no jails; and if it were not for the fact that the people on the outside are so grasping and heartless in their dealings with the people on the inside, there would be no such institution as jails.

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Politicians and the church in Kenya

Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca

There is a storm brewing in my backyard, but it is all smokes and mirrors.

For some time now, churches have always invited politicians, including the dee pee,  and the well to do in the community to their fundraising activities. You all know god wants money. So one would ask, why is there trouble? One, the dee pee question (if you know, you know). Reports show he has been too generous leading many people to question the source of his wealth. Well, we generally have an idea but we would want to hear him say it.

Why is the storm all smokes and mirrors? A section of the church goers are complaining that politicians have taken over their pulpits. But this is a half truth or just a plain lie. Churches, clergy and the general population in most events treat politicians as demigods. They get deferential treatment at gatherings and are usually offered opportunity to speak wherever. In church, you have a captive audience and any politician would use such an occasion to push his agenda.

After receiving millions of shillings from politicians and other bureaucrats, clergy and their sheeple have now developed a conscience and do not want this money. Well, not happening. The good archbishop of the ACK church has said they want the money, but please be quiet about it. A cross-section of the population have however interpreted this to mean the good bishop is saying no to politicians and any stolen money. One would think only politicians are guilty of sleaze, but this is not true.

My fellow countrymen and women should stop being hypocrites. We all know god wants money. And wants a lot of it. For what I don’t know. Out of 175 countries ranked, Kenya is ranked 144. And it is not the case that only the political class is driving this corruption. We all are. And last I checked, the world factbook gives this break down of religious affiliation Christian 83% (Protestant 47.7%, Catholic 23.4%, other Christian 11.9%), Muslim 11.2%, Traditionalists 1.7%, other 1.6%, none 2.4%, and unspecified at 0.2% of the population, as estimated in 2009, which can only be translated that it is driven by religious people. They make the majority. So why pretend that you don’t want dirty money in your churches?

I say. let the religious people stop pretending they have developed some spine. Moi always went to a church, was thought of as one of the most religious people in Ke but presided over plunder, unsolved murders and so on. Kibaki no different. Muigai and Ruto are all Christians but have presided over plunder of a nation not seen before in this country since the beginning of self-rule. Well, maybe not as much as Kamau wa Ngengi grabbed land. Just keep inviting the politicians to your churches, we understand your gods/ parsons want money,  and the politicians want a captive audience, which the church provides. It is win- win. God/ parsons get money. The politician gets a captive audience.

End of Thursday sermon.

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movie time

You, the unfortunate followers of this blog have apart from suffering my random musings on many things under the sun must also suffer my movie choices.

Over the long Easter weekend, I had a lot of time to reflect on my life and got to watching many movies, thanks to slow internet and Netflix. So I watched the dressmaker and the one great thing about this movie is how Tilly gets her revenge against a community that shunned her and her mother for a long long time. It reminded me of three billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri.

If you have some time, get yourself some candy or whatever it is you like munching during movies.

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On free markets

I have seen some libertines argue that we should have no government regulations and I think this would include no subsidies nor protections and that each business should be free to enter the market and compete only on merit. No trade unions, no minimum wage regulations and all. Maybe even no employment act as we have in Ke.

The argument is that in such a system, bad business practices will be weeded out naturally and that this may even be beneficial to the environment.

I have also seen some oppose taxation. Since some governments use the bulk of tax money in military investment, maybe this will help the peace effort if there is no money to be appropriated to the war effort.

Is this practical? Is it desirable? Should we demand no control for markets and all?

And from Robert’s blog, capitalism is facing a crisis

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Some lost sayings of jesus

Since it is Sunday, one is allowed to be irreverent. In this list saying, Jesus says heaven is for males only.

In vs 114 of the gospel of Thomas, Jesus tells Peter thus

I myself shall lead her in order to make her male, so that she too may become a living spirit resembling you males. For every woman who will make herself male will enter the kingdom of heaven.

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A question for abolitionists

Over the years, I have come to the position that prisons should be abolished however I have always wondered what to do with administrators and politicians who through acts of omission or Commission, lead to death or destitution among the population.

I saw this question and wondered what most of you here you support abolition think
https://twitter.com/ClaireShrugged/status/1119202162603712515?s=20

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Reasons to be a christian

Who knew?

And here, Satan gets a bad rap while the harbinger of light is Lucifer. How does this work? God knew we would sin, before we were even a dream, died for us and we still continue to sin so that pastors can make money reminding us that god died for our sins.