Topic: Speech presentation
Joseph Kony
Introduction
Ever heard of “killing in the name of God?” I bet you have. Am also positive that we all link this unpopular phrase with our brothers from the Middle East – the Jihad fighters, I mean. No doubt the Islamic fundamentalists that kill non-Muslims are the ones we popularly associate with killing in the name of God, or Allah, to be precise. But do you know of Stout Christians that are guilty of this crime too? Well this is the reason you ought to pay particular attention and learn of one.
Indeed you do not require a degree in Investigative Journalism or Criminal Justice to figure out this person. All you need to do is to substitute “Middle” with “Central” but maintain the name “East.” Then introduce “Africa” to the mix. These makes you shift from “Middle East” to “East & Central Africa.” Here is where you find a Christian that “kills in the name of God.” His criminal outfit goes by the name “the Lord’s Resistance Army.” His deadly name sounds like JOSEPH KONY. In my presentation today, I portend to reveal to you all some interesting things about this Ugandan rebel leader. Basically, I will begin with some interesting facts regarding Kony’s childhood, then his rebel organization and religious crimes, and conclude with what we can learn from this whole story.
Brief background of Joseph Kony
Where did Joseph Kony come from? You would probably ask. He was born like you and I, of course. This was sometime in 1961, it is estimated. As a youth he was an altar boy, a devoted one. He was fond of dancing too. The lure of traditional healing drew him to quit schooling, but of course he knows writing and can read some English. He was one of the most revered persona in his native Odek village in Northern Uganda. He ordained himself as prophet of his ethnic Acholi people.
Kony the “prophet”
The man tagged himself as spokesman of God and a spirit medium. With his LRA outfit he aimed to “purify” his people and turn the nation of Uganda into “a nation of God” – a pure theocracy, that is. Kony claims he is paid visits with a multinational host of 13 spirits, including a Chinese phantom! The rebel leader says he is on a mission to have Uganda run purely on the biblical Ten Commandments. I guess I should call it the Nine Commandments because he already grossly broken one of them – that of “Do not kill.”
“Killing in the name of God”
Speaking of killing, Kony and his LRA has killed. Indeed the cult leader upholds Christianity in his own way. As one escapee soldier of his once said, “When you to fight you make the sign of the cross first.” Failure to do this is an express death sentence! Keep in mind that Kony also quotes the Holy Bible a lot as he massacres his people using child soldiers he has abducted. Interesting to note also is the fact that the LRA leader has refused to negotiate with the Ugandan President for a truce. “I can only communicate with Museveni through the holy spirits, not through the telephone,” he said.
Conclusion
The Joseph Kony story is good evidence that fundamentalism cuts across all the religions in the world and is therefore not just a preserve of the Islamists.
Speech Outline
Introduction
Attention grabber – “Ever known of Christians who kill in the name of God just like the Islamic jihad fighters?”
Brief background of Kony
Kony was a devoted altar boy who loved dancing a lot.
He left school to become a traditional herbalist
He claims he founded LRA as movement to transform Uganda in a “nation of God” that runs on the Ten Commandments.
Kony the “prophet of God”
Kony claims to be a prophet of God and would kill all his people that do not follow him
Conclusion
– Fundamentalism cuts across all religions and both Christians and Muslim kill in the pretext of serving God.
Reference:
Bbc News Africa. (2012). Joseph Kony: Profile of the LRA leader. Retrieved on March 22, 2012 from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17299084
Craine, G. Anthony. (2012). Joseph Kony. Retrieved on March 22, 2012 from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17299084
Eichstaedt, Peter. (2009). First Kill Your Family: Child Soldiers of Uganda and the Lord’s
