[Desmond] Tutu, who helped lead opposition to apartheid in South Africa and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984, delivered a passionate but humorous sermon about the importance of unity.
“We don’t choose who is going to be my brother or my sister ”” though I wish I could,” he told the audience. “They are God’s gift to me, as I am God’s gift to them.”
Tutu, who spoke with his eyes closed and arms outstretched, urged the audience to embrace everyone, including tea party activists, Democrats, Republicans, gays and lesbians and George Bush, a name that drew a booming belly laugh.
He spoke directly to Douglas.
“Ian, please tell the children of God each one of them is precious,” he said. “Each one of them is held in this cosmic embrace.”
A booming belly laugh indeed. That is journalism at its best, where the reporter told a deep truth without making a noise.
meanwhile, back in South Africa …..
“meanwhile, back in South Africa …..”
It seems to me that the last couple of times Desmond Tutu has been mentioned here, someone (it may always be you, Azusa) points out, without further comment, how bad things are at present in South Africa. Could you expand on your thoughts a little? Do you believe Tutu is somehow responsible for this? That things were in fact better under apartheid? That we shouldn’t pay attention to Tutu because things have taken a turn for the worse? I’m honestly curious what it is you’re suggesting.
“Cosmic embrace”? Since when did prog rock pass for the Gospel?
FWLIW is this truthfully a just signification of Jesus’ way of loving? Can the good news of Jesus Christ be abstracted from the person of Christ and the shape of his life and become the “cosmic embrace” of the infinitely precious?