continued from above

Already a lot is being done to promote this type of society by both government and civil society. The enthusiastic manner in which the Moral Regeneration Movement is being established in various communities indicates the seriousness with which various neighbourhoods take the strengthening of the soul and the character of our nation.

The work of the MRM is fundamentally about rescuing our public morality from apathy and indifference, by, for example, encouraging ordinary people to speak out against those crimes that thrive on silence.

Given that it is impossible to police every household every hour of every day, it is the responsibility of all citizens to work together to make our neighbourhoods free of such crimes by breaking the silence.

Our homes, families and communities are the first line of defence to safeguard our collective morality and to protect our children.

Targeting children at an early age in positive campaigns in this regard is critical. Government, through the Department of Education, runs a special programme on race and values in education which is aimed at promoting the Constitution and good citizenship.

This equips school children to learn the values of equity, democracy, reconciliation and unity in diversity in their ethos, policies and practices.

Government also has in place a family programme aimed at equipping families to play an effective role as fundamental building blocks of values and morals in society.

We urge the religious sector to intensify its good work among families as well, to contribute to this programme. Critical messages need to be provided to the youth focusing on alerting them to the dangers of crime, substance abuse and general deviant behaviour.

We must also keep repeating messages raising awareness about the need to eradicate the abuse of women and children and the general disregard for the human rights of others.

Ladies and gentlemen, we must congratulate the people of our country for the brave manner in which they are already tackling domestic violence and child abuse.

The media attention given to such offences arises from the fact that people are no longer afraid to come forward. We urge more to do the same and make our country safe for our children.

Also important is for us to permanently eradicate abuse through consciously changing the manner in which we raise our children, in particular by changing the messages we impart to them.

If we continue to make boy children feel that they are more important and superior, and for girl children to feel subservient, we are raising a society of perpetual inequality which is fertile for abuse.

We therefore face the challenge of nurturing our children to become neither abusers, nor potential victims of abuse. We need to invest in nurturing, protecting and educating our children, for that is an investment in building a strong successful nation.

Esteemed guests, in only a few weeks we will be launching the campaign of 16 Days of Activism against crimes directed at women and children.

This period serves as a powerful reminder that we all have a role to play to build safer communities for women and children.

From 25th November, to International Human Rights Day, on 10th December, we should all raise awareness levels to greater heights, and reduce the space for those who abuse children, including those who have no disregard for the lives of children.

From the Cape Flats to Khayelitsha to various other parts of this province, we need to come out during the 16 days to tell gangsters, criminals and all who prey on defenceless women and children that their time is up. Each year the South African public displays quite openly, its total rejection of this type of behaviour.

During my visit to Bonteheuwel on the Cape Flats in June last year, I was horrified at the manner in which children were being killed in crossfire by gangs. I am pleased that since that visit, the provincial government mobilised the community in various forms to enhance the healing process for the parents who had lost their children.

Our police service also acted swiftly and arrested a number of suspected drug kingpins, who have been charged with murder, dealing in drugs, intimidation and armed robbery. These cases are being heard in various courts here in Cape Town.

Ladies and gentlemen, another manner in which we could take the promotion of public morality further is in the battle against HIV and AIDS.

We have seen the destructive capabilities of this virus, especially on children. It is our collective duty to talk openly about the disease and increase the messages of prevention, while providing love, care and support to those who are infected or affected.

With regards to orphans of AIDS, our collective morality teaches us that "ANY CHILD IS MY CHILD". We need to live true to this message and assist in whatever way we can to provide support and give affected children a second chance in life.

As government, we are playing our role through providing support grants and many other kinds of social assistance to child-headed households and orphans. We know that the religious sector plays a key role in this regard as well.

Finally, ladies and gentlemen, in honouring Archbishop Tutu, let us keep his compassion and love for peace alive by our active pursuit of the very values he and the multitudes of others have so valiantly fought for and continue to fight for.

We must continue with the task of building loving, caring and safer communities in which people respect one another, and recognise each other's humanity and importance.

Let me also once again congratulate the Western Cape Provincial Council of Churches for instituting this annual lecture, which will each year, contribute immensely to the national discourse on building a successful and prosperous nation.

Given that building a cultured and self-respecting nation is a process and not an event, this annual Desmond Tutu Lecture is certainly one of the building blocks in this noble process of nation building.

I thank you.

what did you bait me into abd?

not only the sermon on the mount bredder but the entire bible is wonderfully awesome.

I have said that the church will fail in this age for sure. the bible prophesies such. I have never said that I know when the judgement is coming. I simply gave scripture that mentions what things will be like in the latter days. i use the entire bible abd not just scriptures that compliment my agenda.

that is one thing that I like about Jah and the bible, He not only gives the good, but He exposes even the whoredom of the church and israel. awesome. and even with that abd He assures us of the glorious time of change that will occur.

you must be deaf bredder or can not read. been tellin you that I go into the streets on a regular bases. I am a part of 3 prison ministries and we are about to add at least two more, i go into the community not with a badge of christianity on my chest abd, but in my heart.

i do not pull off my christianity on sunday after church bredder.

i am impressed at your list of organizations and doings. i implore you to keep up the good work bredder. it is sorely needed to be sure. i am not a hater. Good works are good works. but as you say good is the judge of motives and will issue rewards accordingly.

i really don't judge even my fellow christians abd, i simply do my part with or with out accolades. when i see a child in need i meet the need. be it shoes, clothing, or time. i mentor when and where i can.

don't try and be so self righteous bredder,

but again keep on keeping on bredder. i will...

African, be sure of one thing: I really like exchanging thoughts and ideas with you and anyone else who actually have thoughts and ideas. It helps me to grow.

Indeed, it is only by humility that I am able to keep going. I know I may seem to be self-rightous some times. But, I am not. However, I have a superior level of knowledge, information and skills to the average even the above average African such as a college graduate. This has been one of my main problems. People come to me with master's degrees and PHD's and expect to be able to out-smart me. out-talk me, etc. When they find that I am better prepared than they due to my education at the University of Hard Knocks some of them cannot deal with it. I have been kicked out of about all of the old line internet forums at one time or another. At the same time, I like to think that my example has inspired many other Africans to take stands. Thus, we see many new forums popping up almost daily. There has never been this much discourse among Africans before. This is why I speak so highly of the internet as a liberating tool that we can use.

LONG LIVE THE NATION!

abd, you have a twisted view of the bible and you are not alone on that...

you and others make the charge that christianity/bible have been manipulated and yet you can not give any definate evidence except what some one else has written.

remember that one of the bad things about the net is that anyone can post anything on it and call it a paper. i am sure that there is a ton of anti islam anti koran material on here.

were i to copy and paste a few pages on here how long would you spend trying to defend it?

I am not an expert on the bible but I am studying it with zeal to be able to show myself approved unto God, not man. quoting scriptures is a fine thing, but doing what they say is better. am i perfect, hell no. but you would not have to worry about your wife in my presence, if i saw your children in need or trouble I would not have to investigate before I helped them.

I realize that christianity acted upon makes the world and everyone around it better. God has said that he respects obedience more than sacrifice.

i don't doubt that you are a very knowledgable man abd. far above most. And a college education would be high upon my list as a means of brainwashing. all most degrees do for you is open a door of opertunity for wealth, riches and a good living. i know some really stupid educated people i am sad to say. i know a principal of a school who wants to be a sunday school teacher. she is a poor administrator, does not know how to talk to people to be affective. but i can not allow her to teach sunday school with her attitude.

I attended Southern University in 1968. Got involved in demostrations and groups on campus. the administration was oblidged to take away, those who were 'black listed', our deferment. I was drafted in november of 1969 and entered the army in 1970.

I basically am self taught. I met some heavy people who exposed me to ideas and authors and disciplines that encouraged freedom and growth.

Educated people are difficult to help, but they will cut you off if you look down upon them or show them up.

There is an art to dealing with them I have found.

It is like martial arts, your confidence is your protection. humility often makes them 'attack' you because most feel that they elevate or validate themselves by chewing us up and spitting us out.

this is certainly not par the course for educated people. when you find one who "knows" and is not caught up with having the big head, you have found a very useful person.

Socrates taught me the best method of dealing with self righteous people. you defeat them and they never even know it.

Meknow, we have a lot in common. The big diference is I got "deferred" after I came back from the war.

Let me tell you a little secret: Islam accepts all of the prophets of the Bible. Our main issue with Christianity lies in the latitude in which things can be corrupted by trnaslations and the so-called "criteria" by which some things were taken out of the Bible while others, most of which did not belong in the Bible, were put into the Bible to serve specail interests. It is not difficult to see what serves special interests and not the best interests of mankind at large.

Checkout some history. When Muslims were persecuted in the beginning years, we found refuge among the Christians of Ethiopia. We shared with them a belief in Allah, Most Merciful, Most Gracious. So, it was easy to get along with them. To this very day, no Muslim is ever allowed to make war against Ethiopia except in self defense. It is interesting how nobody ever mentions this aspect of Islamic Law, ash-Sharia.

the bible does not support slavery.

the bible does not suport racism.

this is a figment of your brainwashing against christianity.

if islam is true why worry about what christianity says.

i don't worry about what islam says. I live and teach christianity which is sufficient and pleasing to Jah.

Doesn't the Catholic Church admit that God has to be BLACK?

Think about it!

The Catholic Church says that God is OMNIPRESENT!

God is EVERYWHERE!

Consider what is known about the size of the universe now. Consider the vastness of INTERGALACTIC SPACE.

Watch a few episodes of Star Trek.

If God is EVERYWHERE then the vast majority of God must be .......

Don't tell Farakhan we will never hear the end of it.



umbra

You are right in a sense. This is why the slaves were prevented from reading the Bible. But, when they did learn to read, they were brain-washed with pimp theology. Thus, Christianity has been made to appear to be racist when it is in fact not racist. Christianity was made to appear to support slavery when in fact it did not support slavery.

As Muslims, we cannot ignore what happens in Christianity because we accept all of GOD's Prophets (Peace and Blessings be upon them all) If we allow Christians to define prophesy, it would corrupt Islam. Therefore, we must maintain a correct understanding of prophesy.

You keep talking about the last days, etc. When Muslims picked up on that line of thinking it led to civil war among Muslims. Thus, we have a deviation in Islam in which some Muslims expect a return of some Imam or other. This is very similar to what you keep saying about the return of Jesus. As for me, I am satisfied to leave such matters at the discretion of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Gracious. I like my religion simple and to the point.

One of Allah's names is Rabi Alamin which can be translated as Ruler of the Universe.

Meknow, I have an idea for you. My dear Comrade has posted an appeal for books for Africa here (Greetings African Family

I am appealling to all Global Pan Afrikan familyto send Pan African study links,articles and any other information to the following address zipaya2006@yahoo.com .Z.I.P.A.Y.A is a pan african youth movement recently formed in Zimbabwe under the Zimbabwe Youth Council.We are looking for study material and literature for our membership and our Revolutionary Library.Our collection is slowly building up.We prefer any work to do with scientific socialism,auto biographs of our revolutionary luminaries,speeches,artcles on anti imperialism and pan africanism,African civilisation,history culture,African traditional religion etc.

For cd's, books and videos you can send to:

Kwanisai Mafa
Zimbabwe Pan African Youth Agenda
National HQ
P.O Box 123
Gweru

For more information please dont forget to get in touch with me.

Cde Kwanisai Mafa
ZIPAYA National President
Zimbabwe Pan Afrikan Youth Agenda)

Please ask the mebers of your church to donate old books of any kind to Africa. Set up a collect box and get as many books as possible and ship them to me and I wil re-ship them to Africa. Or if you prefer ship them directly to Cde Mafa in Zimbabwe. This is an urgent problem. And, we can go a long ways to helping to solve the vbook shortage in Africa.