If you’ve been on Facebook or Twitter over the last 24 hours, you have probably seen people talking about the efforts to stop Joseph Kony from the organization called Invisible Children.
Here’s my response after watching the 30-minute film.
Let me start as a filmmaker. It’s an amazing piece of art. Propaganda maybe…but the best kind of propaganda there can be. For those who say the media of film and video can’t actually change the world, this will prove them wrong. This little movie will change national and international policy – and likely bring a tyrant to justice. It is always dangerous to overstate things, but I think this movie is no flash in the pan. It will make it into the history books.
Now as a Christian. The Kingdom come must include justice. Nothing is closer to God’s heart and Jesus’ mission than rescuing the powerless from the hands of oppressors. I have no idea if the filmmakers are Christians, and it really doesn’t matter to me. The passion of their call to action smells of Kingdom come. For that reason, I love it.
The backlash? Shortly after going viral yesterday, the organization behind the video received criticism.
Largely on two fronts:
1.) A perceived lack of integrity with their finances, with many noting that just over 30% of the donations go directly to help those in need. Read the company’s latest financial report here.
2.) The company’s support of the Ugandan military which has a questionable human rights history. Read an article here.
In response to these criticisms, Invisible Children released this statement today.
So, what are we to do? I propose the following:
1. Watch the movie.
It’s a masterpiece regardless of where you land in the end.
2. Do something.
If we trust the filmmaker, that is his ultimate goal – to move you to action. Resolve in this moment that you will do something to come to the aid of children in the world who are being oppressed.
3. Research Invisible Children.
Do your own homework. If you feel comfortable, support them.
4. Donate.
If you are not comfortable with Invisible Children, you can still donate to others who can help. I currently support both Compassion International and Destiny Rescue.
5. Pray for Invisible Children.
If you elect to not support the Kony 2012 movement, you can still pray for justice to be done through their efforts. If nothing else, they have pulled our attention away from ourselves this week. That’s a miracle itself these days.
For me, I hope the movement keeps growing.
And that Joseph Kony is stopped.
I would mention that if people are not comfortable with the Invisible Children Organization, go find an organization working on this problem and support them. Invisble Children (ironically) is highly visible, but it is not the only group aware and concerned for this tragedy.
May I suggest WhistleStop as a place to begin? The fashion boat whistles and give them out to children who work on African Farms. The idea being that if they can draw attention to themselves if they feel threatened someone (a family member or other farm worker) will come to their aid.
Joe, thanks for this insight.
I too was very moved by this video. As somebody, that has gone the extra effort for justice related issues and getting Christians involved in areas of justice… I am saddened that I am just now hearing about Kony.
I agree that we should check out organizations that we support. I also think too that the God can, will & does use non-Christian organizations to bring the Kingdom into situations. Although there are questions regarding integrity, ethics, etc. and this organization… these are all criticisms that have [with some validity] been leveled against Christian organizations and yet people still support their causes. These are criticisms that are leveled against our own government every week… yet we still support it.
I think that this movement… and that is what it is… is one that the Body of Christ needs to get behind. I also think that this is a multi-faceted problem that is going to take more than just one organization to solve… Christian and non-Christian.
So I say… Let’s stop KONY.
After watching this video it makes my problem’s seem really small. I wish I could reach inside the computer and rescue all these hurting children. I seen a post that said “Let Africa take care of Africa”. I disagree because these children do not know any better. In our hearts were undivided worshiping one Savior one Lord.It do I just pray that they can find God as their refuge. He is our refuge, he is our sanctuary and when I feel afraid he’s my hiding place. I pray for them same for all these innocent lives.
Great insight….great perspective.
One of the worst attributes of the Body of Christ is that we seem to think that we can only give credit to those who are explicitly one of “us”, instead of seeing Kingdom in Action and not needing to have a resume of those who are enacting it.
This is good stuff. Justice is all over it. I am excited to see the “Force Multiplication Factor” in action. Those of us who are Kingdom Minded believers, not “church folks” can see the Hand of God.
I appreciated this. I watched the film today and it made me cry. What I most loved about it was the thrust of the whole thing seemed not to be so much about money but about visibility. And this idea that the understanding that we are given through the internet and social media might give us the capability and the power to do something about injustice. It’s a beautiful, life-giving idea.
Joe, you’re a stud! I fully agree with you.
Well-stated perspective Joe – as always!
I would like to see the campaign move beyond awareness of the world, but awareness among the children in the LRA. They probably have no idea there are so many people in the world that want to help them, and probably have been so brainwashed they don’t even realize the real danger they are in and that what they are doing is wrong. If they were made aware, they would be able to overpower him. If even just a few LRA members are given the seed of doubt about their leader, and made to understand what they are going through – and told to do – is horribly wrong, they could tell another and another and his power over the children would weaken.
It would take a while, and presumably he would use nefarious, torture and evil means to stop any disloyalty initially, but if a majority of the children become aware, it can happen. Hopefully, this campaign will combine with the efforts of all other similar issue non-governmental orgs there on the ground, will be able to grow to see this happen.