faithlink - n africa & middle east

6
Protests in the Arab World The ongoing saga of upheaval in North Africa and the Middle East raises questions for us about how God works in the world and how our actions can matter. We have seen transformation fueled by people who are tired of living in poverty, fed up with corrupt authoritarian regimes, and insistent on their human dignity. The prospects of change in North Africa and the Middle East are greater than they have been in recent memory. Washington Post columnist Eboo Patel writes that accounts of the Egyptian pro-democracy demonstration in 2005 pale in comparison to the events of January 2011. He says, however, that “there would have been no January 25, 2011 if there was not an April 27, 2005 [when a few hundred Egyptian protesters were outnumbered by police]. There would not have been a few hundred thousand friends and supporters of the ‘We Are All Khaled Said’ Facebook page (widely credited with gathering and channeling the discontent in Egypt) had there not been earlier democracy blogs and Facebook pages that were trafficked by a few hundred.” A Review of Events At this writing, unrest spans the Arab world (countries in which Arabic is the primary language) from the western Atlantic coast of North Africa to the Persian Gulf. The following review of events includes some, but not all, of the countries where there have been demonstrations––mostly by young people and fueled by social net- working––calling for governmental reform. In January, mass demonstrations in Tunisia forced President Zine- el-Abdine Ben Ali to resign; and on February 27, Tunisian prime minister Mohammed Ghannoushi announced his resignation as head of the transitional government. The Tunisian protests inspired revolts in Egypt and Libya and protests in Bahrain, Yemen, Jordan, Algeria, and Iraq. In Egypt, where protestors ousted President Hosni Mubarak on February 11 after weeks of mostly peaceful demonstrations against his 30-year autocratic regime, the military will run the country for six months or until elections can be held. Much of the unrest is about cor- ruption (including personal enrichment among the political elite), unemployment (especially among young people), poverty, rising prices, and social exclusion. In Libya, leader Colonel Moammar Gaddafi’s violent attempts to quell protests in Tripoli and other cities has resulted in international outrage, while protesters are gaining control over much of eastern Connecting Faith and Life volume 16, number 47 march 20, 2011 Session at a Glance In recent weeks, demonstrations in North Africa and the Middle East have raised questions about the human longing for freedom and dignity and about governmental responsibility. How does God’s vision for the world help us connect with the people in these nations and offer hope as we grapple with the emerging issues? North Africa and the Middle East: Calls for Change by Jeanne Torrence Finley FAITHLINK is available by subscription via e mail ([email protected]) or by downloading it from the Web (www.cokesbury.com/faithlink). Print in color or black and white. Find us on Facebook. Follow us onTwitter. Copyright © 2011 by Cokesbury. Permission given to copy this page for use in class. 1

Upload: mctrustry

Post on 24-Apr-2015

19 views

Category:

Documents


1 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Faithlink - N Africa & Middle East

Protests in the Arab WorldThe ongoing saga of upheaval in NorthAfrica and the Middle East

raises questions for us about how God works in the world and howour actions can matter. We have seen transformation fueled by peoplewho are tired of living in poverty, fed up with corrupt authoritarianregimes, and insistent on their human dignity. The prospects of changein North Africa and the Middle East are greater than they have beenin recent memory.

Washington Post columnist Eboo Patel writes that accounts of theEgyptian pro-democracy demonstration in 2005 pale in comparisonto the events of January 2011. He says, however, that “there wouldhave been no January 25, 2011 if there was not an April 27, 2005[when a few hundred Egyptian protesters were outnumbered bypolice]. There would not have been a few hundred thousand friendsand supporters of the ‘We Are All Khaled Said’ Facebook page(widely credited with gathering and channeling the discontent inEgypt) had there not been earlier democracy blogs and Facebookpages that were trafficked by a few hundred.”

A Review of EventsAt this writing, unrest spans the Arab world (countries in which

Arabic is the primary language) from the western Atlantic coast ofNorth Africa to the Persian Gulf. The following review of eventsincludes some, but not all, of the countries where there have beendemonstrations––mostly by young people and fueled by social net-working––calling for governmental reform.

In January, mass demonstrations in Tunisia forced President Zine-el-Abdine BenAli to resign; and on February 27, Tunisian primeministerMohammed Ghannoushi announced his resignation as head of thetransitional government. The Tunisian protests inspired revolts in Egyptand Libya and protests in Bahrain, Yemen, Jordan, Algeria, and Iraq.

In Egypt, where protestors ousted President Hosni Mubarak onFebruary 11 after weeks of mostly peaceful demonstrations againsthis 30-year autocratic regime, the military will run the country for sixmonths or until elections can be held. Much of the unrest is about cor-ruption (including personal enrichment among the political elite),unemployment (especially among young people), poverty, risingprices, and social exclusion.

In Libya, leader Colonel Moammar Gaddafi’s violent attempts toquell protests in Tripoli and other cities has resulted in internationaloutrage, while protesters are gaining control over much of eastern

ConnectingFaith and Lifevolume 16, number 47march 20, 2011

Session at a GlanceIn recent weeks, demonstrations

in North Africa and the Middle Easthave raised questions about the humanlonging for freedom and dignity andabout governmental responsibility.How does God’s vision for the worldhelp us connect with the people inthese nations and offer hope as wegrapple with the emerging issues?

North Africa and theMiddle East: Calls for Change

by Jeanne Torrence Finley

FAITHLINK is available by subscription viae mail ([email protected])

or by downloading it from theWeb (www.cokesbury.com/faithlink).Print in color or black and white.

Find us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter.Copyright © 2011 by Cokesbury.

Permission given to copy this page for use in class.

1

Page 2: Faithlink - N Africa & Middle East

Libya, where plans are underway for an interim government. In Bahrain,protesters have called for constitutional reform. Sunni ruler King Hamadbin Isa al-Khalifa is slowly responding to the demands of the movement.

On February 24,Algeria lifted a state of emergency ordered 19 years agothat had banned protest marches. Protestors there have been calling for apeaceful transition to democracy. In Yemen, widespread anti-governmentdemonstrations have called for the ouster of PresidentAliAbdullah Saleh.

Activists in SaudiArabia have called for political reform––includinga constitutional monarchy––of this highly restrictive nation.Aging KingAbdullah’s promises of reform have stalled as his relatives squabble overwho will be his successor.

In Oman, protestors want jobs, higher wages, and political reforms.In Morocco, there have been mostly peaceful demonstrations calling forpolitical reforms, a new constitution, and more limited power for KingMohammed VI. Following violent protests on February 27, Prime Min-ister Nouri al-Maliki of Iraq called for his cabinet to enact governmentreforms. In Lebanon, protestors are demanding changes in governance.

Christians and Human RightsAs protests grow through theArab countries in NorthAfrica and the

Middle East, similar grievances are voiced: unemployment, poverty, dic-tatorial rule, inadequate public services, governmental reform, corrup-tion, free speech, and a free press. Many of the issues are directlyconnected with human-rights violations.

For Christians, human rights are to be afforded to all human beingsbecause all are made in the image of God.We cannot say that some peopleare made in the image of God and others are not.As creatures in the imageof God, all persons deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. BishopKenneth Carder writes in his book Living Our Beliefs: The UnitedMethodist Way, “How we treat ourselves and others––and how we formcommunities and nations––is determined by the image we have ofhuman beings.”

The reality of human sin and evil distorts but does not remove theimage of God in humankind. God’s intention is the restoration of thedivine image. The prophets expressed it in terms of God’s vision ofshalom: peace and harmony in all creation.

In this age of the Internet, social networking, cell phones, and con-stant news availability, we cannot live in isolation from other humanbeings who suffer around the world. Our commitment to live out thecommandments to love God and neighbor means that we are to care forneighbors globally. One way of doing that is by supporting human rights.

That God loves humanity and wants us to love humanity supportsour concern about human rights. The Old Testament and the New Tes-tament teach us to love God and neighbor and to stand with the poor,the weak, and the oppressed.When we act out of love for neighbors nearand far, we are working for God’s vision for the world: justice, peace,wholeness, and harmony.

Core BiblePassages

The Old Testament passage for thesecond Sunday of Advent this yeardescribes the call of Abram and Sarai(later called Abraham and Sarah) toleave their family and homeland (Gen-esis 12:1-9). God promised that theywould be ancestors of a great nationand a blessing to all the people onearth.

In this call we see God’s intentionto bless humanity. Abram and Saraihad to leave behind the familiar and setout on a journey with many unknowns.Their only guarantee was God’s prom-ise. This journey would take them tonew places and relationships andwould require them to rethink what itmeant to be faithful to God.

More than a thousand years later,Paul referred to this story in his letter tothe Romans (Romans 4:1-5, 13-17).Like Abraham and Sarah, Paul hadhad to leave the familiar behind andanswer God’s call to become a Chris-tian missionary.

The Gospel reading for the secondSunday of Lent is John 3:1-17, in whichJesus invited Nicodemus into a newrelationship with God. Many readersof this story stop at the often-quotedverse 16 and do not proceed to verse 17,which speaks of God’s vision for thewhole world.

volume 16, number 47march 20, 2011

Copyright © 2011 by Cokesbury.Permission given to copy this page for use in class.

2

Page 3: Faithlink - N Africa & Middle East

Connecting God’s Vision With theProtest Movements

“Thewhole drama of history,” observed theologianReinholdNiebuhr, “isenacted in a frame of meaning too large for human comprehension or man-agement.” The daily television news we get does not provide even a smallframe of meaning. When we stop at the factual and do not reflect on thelarger context, we take a superficial look at what is happening. The largercontext is peace and justice for all of creation. The larger context is the king-dom of God, the rule and reign of God that is breaking into our world evennow. Our Christian faith and hope call us to pay attention to those placesand events inwhichGod is transforming theworld toward peace and justice.

Writing on his blog about the current uprisings in the Middle East,Larry Hollon, chief executive of UnitedMethodist Communications, makesthe case that “people of faith are called to work at being globally aware. . . .Viewing religion (or politics, for that matter) simplistically is tantamountto ignoring the transformative spirit of God in the ongoing creation.”

Partners With ProvidenceWhat can people of faith and hope do? First, we can learn more about

North Africa and the Middle East. What countries are involved in pro-democratic movements? What is the location of each country? Why arepeople demonstrating there? This learning could be individual or in studygroups in our communities and congregations.

Second, we can seek to relate the ethical issues to our faith. Do weconsider people in the region to be our collective neighbors with the samelongings and yearnings that we have? Do we believe God intends forthem to flourish––that is, to have basic human rights? Can we be advo-cates for justice and freedom for these people?

In a recent essay on Egypt, Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite, formerpresident of Chicago Theological Seminary, spoke of the arch of themoral universe being long and bending toward justice. Observing that thearc of the moral universe recently caught up with former PresidentMubarak, Thistlethwaite is quick to point out that this image does notmean oppressed people should sit around and wait for God to act. Shesays the story of Tahrir Square illustrates the truth that “Providence needspartners in history for justice and peace to reign.”

President Barack Obama alluded to the same image when he said,“For . . . Egypt, it was the moral force of non-violence––not terrorism,not mindless killing––but nonviolence, moral force that bent the arch ofhistory toward justice once more.”

When we see the upheavals in the Arab world, it might be easy forus to believe we are helpless to do anything. How can we be partners inthe work of peace and justice in North Africa and the Middle East? Canwe see God at work in the uprisings in the Arab world? These are ques-tions that can engage us more deeply with the plight of the people aswell as with our own Christian faith.

Middle East:Definition andDemographicsFor clarity, this FAITHLINK is enti-

tled “NorthAfrica and the Middle East:Calls for Change” because there is nosingle, agreed-upon definition of theMiddle East. The online EncylopediaBrittannica definesMiddle East as “thelands around the southern and easternshores of theMediterranean Sea, extend-ing fromMorocco to theArabian Penin-sula and Iran and sometimes beyond.The central part of this general area wasformerly called the Near East.”

About 30 percent of the population inthe Middle East is between the ages of15 and 29. Only 20 percent of the USpopulation is in that age group.

Levels of education have increasedin recent years, but the number of jobshas not. In the past, educational degreesled to government jobs; but an increaseinmarket-oriented economies has reducedthe number of such jobs.

Professor Ragui Assaad at the Uni-versity of Minnesota explains the linkbetween economic and political issuesin the region. He says that formerly,governments had a kind of implicit bar-gain with the people saying they wouldgive them jobs, subsidized housing, andcommodities in exchange for theirunquestioning allegiance to authoritar-ian rule. Now, Assaad says, “a numberof countries have been unable to do thatand have had to abrogate the bargain,so to speak, on their side.And so youngpeople are saying if we’re not gettingthe goods, we might as well have avoice and democratic choice [in] whatthe governments do.”

volume 16, number 47march 20, 2011

Copyright © 2011 by Cokesbury.Permission given to copy this page for use in class.

3

Page 4: Faithlink - N Africa & Middle East

EmpowermentThrough Social

MediaAmajor difference between revolu-

tions in the past and recent events inNorthAfrica and the Middle East is theaddition of social media that has spedup the capability to organize oppositionmovements. As protests across NorthAfrica and the Middle East have calledfor an end to dictatorial regimes, grass-roots opposition groups are using someof the same nonviolent resistance meth-ods used by theUS civil rightsmovement.

Building coalitions with like-mindedgroups, some of these opposition move-ments teach nonviolence to their mem-bers. However, the protest movementshave also used Internet-based “newmedia”––blogging, Facebook, and Twit-ter––to foster communication amonglike-minded groups, to grow the move-ment, and to encourage freedom ofthought and speech among peoplewhose voices have been stifled.

United Methodist Communicationschief executive Larry Hollon writes onhis blog about this use of social mediato topple regimes in Tunisia and Egypt.“The ability to tell your own story isempowering, even more so if you’venever had access to the means to tell it,or if you’ve been silenced by repres-sion.” Hollon says that among the indig-nities these people face is “the sensethat if you’re poor, you don’t matter.When people who’ve been treated likethis find their voice, they find a meansto experience affirmation and libera-tion. It’s a chance to discover dignityand self-worth.”

volume 16, number 47march 20, 2011

Copyright © 2011 by Cokesbury.Permission given to copy this page for use in class.

4

FAITHLINK: Connecting Faith and Life is a weekly, topical study and an official resource for TheUnited Methodist Church approved by the General Board of Discipleship and published weekly by Cokesbury,The United Methodist Publishing House; 201 EighthAvenue, South; P.O. Box 801; Nashville, Tennessee 37202-0801. Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from the New Revised StandardVersion of the Bible, copyrighted © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of theChurches of Christ in the United States ofAmerica, and are used by permission.All rights reserved. Scripture quo-tations indicated as CEB are from the Common English Bible, copyrighted © 2010 Common English Bible, andare used by permission. Permission is granted to photocopy pages 1–4 of this resource for use in FAITHLINKstudy groups. AllWeb addresses were correct and operational at the time of publication.

Fax comments to FAITHLINK, 615-749-6512, or send e-mail to Pamela Dilmore, Lead Editor,[email protected]. For fax problems, fax FREE to 800-445-8189. For e-mail problems, send [email protected], call 800-672-1789, or visit ourwebsite atwww. cokesbury.com/faithlink.

Freedom and Other Human Rights“Taking Liberties: On the Stifling of Dissent,” Resolution 5001 in

The Book of Resolutions of The United Methodist Church, 2008reminds United Methodists of our affirmation of “the prophetic tra-dition of dissent” and calls us “to publicly speak out for the protectionof all human rights for all––including the right to dissent throughpeaceable assembly, freedom of the press, freedom of speech andother nonviolent means.”

This resolution is grounded in the affirmation made in our SocialPrinciples (¶164A): “We hold governments responsible for the pro-tection of the rights of the people to free and fair elections and to thefreedoms of speech, religion, assembly, communications media, andpetition for redress of grievances without fear of reprisal; to the rightto privacy; and to the guarantee of the rights to adequate food, cloth-ing, shelter, education, and health care. The form and the leaders ofall governments should be determined by exercise of the right to voteguaranteed to all adult citizens.”

The biblical teaching that grounds our stance on human rights isthat every human being is made in the image of God. Our traditionteaches that human dignity is “the image of God in each humanbeing” and “the foundation of all human rights” (The Book of Reso-lutions of The United Methodist Church, 2008; page 739).

Helpful Links� Map Game on the Middle East is presented on the website“Rethinking Schools,” produced by a Milwaukee, Wisconsin, non-profit organization. Play it at http://www.rethinkingschools.org/just_fun/games/mapgame.html.� Amnesty International works for human rights issues around theworld, and now there are a number of essays about issues in the Mid-dle East. Learn more at http://www.amnesty.org/.

Jeanne Torrence Finley is director of Collegial Communicationsand an elder in the Virginia Conference.

Page 5: Faithlink - N Africa & Middle East

OPEN the SessionPray Together

O God of change, as we study the current uprisings in North Africaand the Middle East, help us to connect with the yearnings and longingsof these people who so long have lived under authoritarian rule. Help usto think deeply about the challenges they face, the circumstances thathave led to pro-democratic movements, and how you may be workingin the midst of these movements. We pray in the name of Christ, whoinvites us to be new creatures. Amen.

Name the Countries of North Africaand the Middle East

Since the uprisings began, a map game offered by a Wisconsinteachers’ organization called Rethinking Schools has become quite pop-ular on the Internet. If you have Internet and projection capability inyour building, invite the whole group to play the game, which involvesnaming all the countries of North Africa and the Middle East. Findthe map game at http://www.rethinkingschools.org/just_fun/games/mapgame.html.

To do this activity with Internet connection but without projection,set up two computers and form two teams. Each team will need a mem-ber to count the number of tries the team makes to complete the game.The team with fewer tries wins.

To do this activity without an Internet connection, find a map ofNorth Africa and the Middle East, remove the names of the countries,and give copies to the two teams. The team who has the most correctanswers is the winner.

At the end of this activity, ask volunteers to comment on their expe-rience of the game. Ask: If you have been following the events in theMiddle East, what stories do you remember and what observations haveyou made?

EXPLORE the TopicReview Current Events in the Middle East

Review the major points in “Protests in the Arab World” and“A Review of Events” (pages 1–2). Ask: What has happened since thetime this issue of FAITHLINK was written? How do you explain the upris-ings in so many nations in this area of the world? What do these upris-ings say to you about human longings? about human rights? aboutauthoritarian styles of government? about communication in our world?

Explore Demographics of the Middle EastReview the main points in “The Middle East: Definition and Demo-

graphics” (page 3).Ask:What surprises you or makes you want to knowmore about these demographics? How do you respond to ProfessorRagui Assaad’s remark about the attitudes of young people in thesenations?

volume 16, number 47march 20, 2011

Copyright © 2011 by Cokesbury.5

North Africaand the

Middle East:Calls forChange

CREATE YourTeaching Plan

Keeping in mind yourgroup members andyour group time,

choose from amongthe OPEN, EXPLORE,and CLOSE activitiesor from “TeachingAlternatives” to plan

the session.

How does God’s visionfor the world help us

connect with the peoplein North Africa and theMiddle East and offer

hope as we grapple withthe emerging issues?

Page 6: Faithlink - N Africa & Middle East

Have a Bible StudyRead “Core Bible Passages” (page 2), and form three teams. Assign

each team one of the following passages, and ask them to discuss the ques-tions linked to that passage and report their insights to the whole group.

Genesis 12:1-9: What misgivings would you have if you were inAbram and Sarai’s place? What do you think gave Abram and Sarai thecourage to set out on their journey to Canaan? What similarities and con-trasts do you see between the story of Abram and Sarai and the currentstory of the demonstrators in North Africa and the Middle East?

Romans 4:1-5, 13-17: What parallels might Paul have seen betweenhis experience and that of Abram and Sarai?

John 3:1-17: If Nicodemus embarked on a new life after this conver-sation with Jesus, what challenges might he have faced? Name the chal-lenges faced by people after they experience new life in Christ. Whatconnections, if any, do you see between the Christian teachings about newlife and the desire for reform in other nations?

Discuss Human RightsInvite the group to review “Christians and Human Rights” (page 2)

and “Freedom and Other Human Rights” (page 4). Discuss: How does yourfaith engage you in the events in the Middle East? Why should Christianscare about the human rights of persons in another part of the world? Whatgives you hope about the prospects for peace and justice in the Middle East?

Explore the Role of Social MediaReview the main points in “Empowerment Through Social Media”

(page 4). Discuss: How did social media enable the organization of theprotest movements in North Africa and the Middle East?

Consider Ways to Promote Peace and JusticeRead aloud the first paragraph in “PartnersWith Providence” (page 3).

Ask: What inspires or challenges you concerning the questions and sug-gestions in this section?What other questions emerge for you?What otherways might you partner with God in the work for peace and justice? Listresponses on a markerboard.

Read aloud the closing paragraph of this section.Ask: How do you seeGod at work in situations of civil unrest and protest?

CLOSE the SessionPray Together

Transforming God, help us pay attention to situations in the worldwhere efforts are made toward peace and justice. Sustain our hope whenwe are overwhelmed by news events, especially now by the events inNorthAfrica and the Middle East. Increase our vision and hope so that ourvision may be aligned with your vision for all of creation; in Christ’s name.Amen.

volume 16, number 47march 20, 2011

Copyright © 2011 by Cokesbury.

6

TeachingAlternatives

Make a Presentation on AmnestyInternational

In the week prior to the session,ask a volunteer to research the workof Amnesty International and tomake a presentation about its humanrights concerns in North Africa andthe Middle East. The presentationmight include a sampling ofAmnestyInternational’s concerns around theworld, a summary of one or two ofthe essays on the Middle East, anda report of the actions called for bythis organization.Plan a Congregational Study of

the Middle EastAsk a team of volunteers to plan

a study of the events in NorthernAfrica and the Middle East. Thisteam might use some of the activi-ties in this issue and provide ongo-ing research of current events.

Next Week inFAITHLINK

Computers,Humans, and

GodThe Jeopardy competition

betweenwell-known humanwin-ners on the program and WatsontheComputer raisesquestionsaboutthe nature ofmachines and humanbeings. How do advances in com-puter technology enrich or chal-lenge our views of human natureand God? How do they informthe way we practice our faith?