For several years now, we in South Africa, have been bombarded with the 16 Days of Activism (16DoA) against the abuse of women and children, at this time of the year. This is a United Nations sponsored campaign worldwide from 25 November to 10 December.
South African TV shows include it in their programming. From magazine type programs to the local soapies.
In my opinion, it is actually becoming a bit of a joke! What is the government trying to accomplish with it?
If we could only have that question answered, it would be a start!
Don't get me wrong! The abuse of women and children in this country is absolutely despicable! In my opinion, those that abuse women and children are complete cowards! It is embarrassing to me to think that we have so many cowards in this country!
Having said that, I have to also say that I do not think that the 16DoA is worth the money and effort put into it. The fact is that while we are running programs on TV and publishing articles in magazines and newspapers, abusers keep on abusing! If the government does not start effectively dealing with crime in this country and actually applying the laws on our law books, efforts like the 16DoA are wasted efforts. We might as well go fishing.
While our constitution gives more rights to criminals than to victims of crime, crime (including rape and abuse) will continue. The South African Bill of Rights (chapter 2 of the Constitution) has one section (12) with two subsections and 8 points for the freedom and security of the citizen. The same Bill of Rights has one section (35) with five subsections, twenty seven points and 8 subpoints for arrested, detained and accused persons. That is a touch lopsided, isn't it?
If the government is not going to start getting serious about crime, efforts like the 16DoA will simply go to waste. The government has the laws to fight crime. All they have to do, is to actually fight crime!
I do not see this happening too soon! Why? Too many of the criminals in this country are ANC supporters. Why would they fight against their own supporters? Is this not also the reason why they gave voting rights to criminals in jail?
It is time to vote for a new government. Crime must be dealt with decisively. I believe there is a party that is willing to do just that... the ACDP (African Christian Democratic Party).
Further, while secularists think that TV programs and articles in magazines and newspapers can change people, because they believe people are basically good, that is far from the truth. History has shown us the fallacy of that idea. History has demonstrated to us in very visual ways that man is evil and will continue to be so.
From the time of Adam and Eve, and Cain and Abel, mankind has confirmed God's opinion of them. Who but the Creator of all can know the heart of man? The Bible makes it clear what man is like. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick." (Jer. 17.9) If this condition could be treated, then we could start working with criminals.
Oh yes, this condition can be treated! Jesus Christ came expressly to deal with the heart of man. In the preaching of the gospel there will be real results!
Instead of TV programs, let the gospel be preached!
8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then I said, Here am I! Send me.
9 And he said, Go, and say to this people:
“Keep on hearing, but do not understand;
keep on seeing, but do not perceive.
10 Make the heart of this people dull,
and their ears heavy,
and blind their eyes;
lest they see with their eyes,
and hear with their ears,
and understand with their hearts,
and turn and be healed.
11 Then I said, How long, O Lord?
And he said:
Until cities lie waste
without inhabitant,
and houses without people,
and the land is a desolate waste,
12 and the LORD removes people far away,
and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. (Is. 6.8-12)
Is this what South Africans want? I guess not!
9 For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,
10 as it is written:
None is righteous, no, not one;
11 no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one.
13 Their throat is an open grave;
they use their tongues to deceive.
The venom of asps is under their lips.
14 Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.
15 Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 in their paths are ruin and misery,
17 and the way of peace they have not known.
18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.
19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God.
20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—
22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.
26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Rom. 3.9-26)
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