Redeeming Slaves

Most of us, when we think about the issue of slavery, we think of it as a 19th century American problem that ended with the armistice at the close of the Civil War. The reality is that slavery is alive and well in the developing world. In the Sudan, for instance, chattel slavery is rampant. The current militant Muslim regime allows the practice of the enslavement of Sudanese Christians. The vast majority of the victims are women and younger girls who are sold to Muslim men as sexual and labor slaves.

There is hope, however.

Over the last several years many Christian organizations have begun actively redeeming slaves. These groups raise funds in the west to buy slaves and either return them to their villages of origin, or helping them to defect to neighboring refugee camps. In our culture black Islam claims many disenfranchised African American youths who are looking for answers for their situation and for a sense of purpose and history. Often they are told that Christianity is the religion of oppression towards blacks, but that Islam is a religion that understands and can fulfil their needs. The story of Christian organizations redeeming slaves out of the hands of militant Muslims can be a powerful apologetic for the message of the Christian faith.

For more information check out these sites
http://www.iabolish.com
http://www.csi-int.org

Cresheim Valley Church and the sounds of NachtMusik

This blogsite is for connecting and communicating with those of you who are in the cresheim valley area and are interested in the new 10th church plant. Rather than just being a bulletin board for meeting times and casserole lists, the purpose of this board is to discuss issues of faith, questions of philosophy, humor and any other topics which seem relevant. Please feel free to post in comments section on any of the blogposts you find interesting. The picture of the left is called "nachtmusik" and is by a woman named Dorthea Tanning. I like the surreal quality and how it actually appears to be a dream sequence. The strangest dream I ever had was when I was a small child. I would walk down a long stone corridor, and the longer I walked the farther away from the end I seemed to be. I could hear this loud noise, not so much a sound; but something like all possible sounds together. Then I would appear at the end of the corridor, and a large knight with ashen red armor and a hammer would appear. The knight would say something to me which I could not understand and then the dream would be over. Pretty strange stuff! So quid pro quo...what is the strangest "nachtmusik" you have ever experienced?