“When the missionaries came to Africa they had the Bible and we had the land. They said, ‘Let us pray.’ We closed our eyes. When we opened them we had the Bible and they had the land.”
gosh–sounds awfully similar to the european entry to north and south america. Although my spanish prof tells me that in many cases in Latin America, the jesuits were there sticking up for the natives against the european powers. Is that true?
also brings up the question “which is ultimately more useful: the bible, or the land?” I think I’d have to go with the land.
It is certainly difficult to grow food on the Bible. However, some might suggest that will only strengthen your faith in God because you have to trust him to feed you. That does not appear to have worked out too well in most of southern Africa, though. Guess they just don’t have enough faith. Now, where did I put that sarcastic emoticon?
King Leopold II of Belgium colonized the land along the Congo sometime after 1880. Although he was a brutal heartless plunderer, killing tens of millions, he developed a reputation in Europe for being a great humanitarian. He stole ivory, and, later, rubber. See the books: King Leopold’s Ghost, and Heart of Darkness.
In the podcast (halfway through, at the start of Q&A), Brian attributes the quote to Jomo Kenyata, and the add on phrase to Desmond Tutu. Jomo Kenyata (wikipedia) is the father of Kenya. The Mau-Mau rebellion was brutally put down in Kenya by the British. The British have now left Kenya, and the Africaaners have transferred power to the blacks. Africa is largely in the hands of the native people, unlike North America or Australia.
Comment by: benjamin ady
1 08/14/07 6:57 AM | Comment Link |the old bible for land swap.
gosh–sounds awfully similar to the european entry to north and south america. Although my spanish prof tells me that in many cases in Latin America, the jesuits were there sticking up for the natives against the european powers. Is that true?
also brings up the question “which is ultimately more useful: the bible, or the land?” I think I’d have to go with the land.
Comment by: David H
2 08/14/07 10:02 AM | Comment Link |It is certainly difficult to grow food on the Bible. However, some might suggest that will only strengthen your faith in God because you have to trust him to feed you. That does not appear to have worked out too well in most of southern Africa, though. Guess they just don’t have enough faith. Now, where did I put that sarcastic emoticon?
Comment by: Martin Gugino
3 08/15/07 6:27 PM | Comment Link |King Leopold II of Belgium colonized the land along the Congo sometime after 1880. Although he was a brutal heartless plunderer, killing tens of millions, he developed a reputation in Europe for being a great humanitarian. He stole ivory, and, later, rubber. See the books: King Leopold’s Ghost, and Heart of Darkness.
Comment by: Martin Gugino
4 08/16/07 11:00 AM | Comment Link |President James K Polk was a bellicose land-stealing president. He is my nominee for worst president, ever.
Comment by: joe
5 08/16/07 11:02 AM | Comment Link |I’d be interested to see whether Tutu thought that africans were better off as Christians or not.
Comment by: Rachel
6 08/16/07 12:46 PM | Comment Link |Brian McLaren repeats the Tutu quote in this podcast: Post-modern and Post-colonial
And McLaren adds his own phrase, “And now, based on this Book you gave us, give us back our land.”
Comment by: Martin Gugino
7 08/16/07 7:18 PM | Comment Link |In the podcast (halfway through, at the start of Q&A), Brian attributes the quote to Jomo Kenyata, and the add on phrase to Desmond Tutu. Jomo Kenyata (wikipedia) is the father of Kenya. The Mau-Mau rebellion was brutally put down in Kenya by the British. The British have now left Kenya, and the Africaaners have transferred power to the blacks. Africa is largely in the hands of the native people, unlike North America or Australia.
Comment by: Rachel
8 08/16/07 8:26 PM | Comment Link |Thanks for the clarification and the link, Martin!