Saturday, May 16, 2009

President Zuma

GetReligion Blog has an article about newly elected President Zuma:

"South African President Jacob Zuma knows how to work a political rally, as shown by the video atop this post — in which Zuma sings “Awuleth’ Umshini Wami” (“Bring Me My Machine Gun”). The Weekly Standard sounded a warning about Zuma earlier this month, and retired Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu has raised concerns about him for years.

"Now Douglas Foster, writing in the June issue of The Atlantic, touches briefly on religious aspects of Zuma’s appeal. Foster, who teaches at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and is preparing a book on South Africa, returns a few times to an image of a poor woman who sees hope in Zuma...

(there is then links to the article about Zuma's electric personality and links to the Rhema Bible church, which preaches prosperity gospel...the idea that if you love God and follow the rules that God will reward you with riches and honors...this idea by the way is popular here in the Philippines).

The blog then goes on to write:

"I found this article in the Times of Johannesburg about Rhema Bible Church welcoming a visit from Zuma. Foster is on to something, but it would be helpful to see whether Rhema — part of an international movement that emphasizes the prosperity gospel — is a fluke or a harbinger.

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