[Magdalen] ++ Desmond Tutu

[Jim Guthrie]

Thanks.

This was quoted in the NY Times article, but the entire thing is well worth the 
read.

Cheers,
Jim
From: Zephonites--- via Magdalen

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, who led South Africa’s Truth and
Reconciliation Commission, says the release from prison of notorious apartheid
security police killer Eugene de Kock represents a milestone on South Africa’s
road to reconciliation and healing.
“I pray that those whom he hurt, those from whom he took loved  ones, will
find the power within them to forgive him. Forgiving is empowering  for the
forgiver and the forgiven – and for all the people around them. But we  can’
t be glib about it; it’s not easy,” Archbishop Tutu said.
De Kock commanded the security police death squad based at  Vlakplaas. He
was sentenced in 1996 to more than 200 years in prison for crimes  ranging
from fraud to assault, kidnapping, conspiracy to commit murder, culpable
homicide and murder.
“He committed hideous crimes on behalf of his political and  security force
masters. His arrest in 1994, and subsequent conviction, created  the
impression that the perpetrators of apartheid era crimes would be held
accountable.
“The Truth and Reconciliation Commission was established in 1996  as a
societal balm to begin the process of healing South Africa’s wounded soul.
Platforms were created for victims of apartheid-era violence to address the
nation, and for perpetrators to apply for amnesty in qualifying cases, provided
they were found to have been truthful.
“But none of the security force members identified as perpetrators  of
human rights violations, none who were denied amnesty, and none who managed  to
avoid the TRC process altogether, were prosecuted. There was no follow
through.
“The fact that De Kock was to a large extent left to carry the  load of
apartheid security force evil on his own does not diminish his  culpability.
That fact is an indictment on our government.
“De Kock deserves to be released on the basis that he has served a
relatively lengthy term of imprisonment, he has apologised to and sought the
forgiveness of many of his victims, and he has for some time given all the
appearance (from what we have seen) of being ready for  rehabilitation.
“As human beings we have unique capacities to reconcile, to  forgive, to
move on and to love again. While many may not welcome De Kock back  into
society with open arms, the fact that we have allowed for his return is to  our
collective credit, as people and as a nation.”
Commenting on the failed application for medical parole by Clive
Derby-Lewis, the former Conservative Party leader serving a life sentence for 
the
1993 assassination of South African Communist Party leader Chris Hani,
Archbishop Tutu described as “disappointing” reports that Derby-Lewis had shown
no remorse.
“Provided Derby-Lewis qualifies for medical parole, however, there  is no
question that he should be released. We must guard against creating the
impression that there is one set of rules applicable to some people, and another
set of rules applicable to others. I loved Chris Hani very much and I
believe he  would have supported Derby-Lewis’ medical parole because he was
deeply committed  to the path of reconciliation.”
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In a message dated 10/04/2015 02:12:29 GMT Daylight Time,
jguthrie at pipeline.com writes:

Sally,

Speaking  of forgiveness, I've been following the de Cock story from South
Africa
a  bit.

Any opinion or discussion going on in your  circles?

Cheers,
Jim

-----Original Message----- 
From:  Lynn Ronkainen
Sent: Thursday, April 09, 2015 8:11 PM
To:  FCBasle at aol.com ; magdalen at herberthouse.org
Subject: Re: [Magdalen] ++  Desmond Tutu

Martin, thanks for including part of your article. I  really enjoyed reading
again, +Tutu's words on  forgiveness.

peace,
lynn

My email has changed to:  houstonKLR at gmail.com

website: www.ichthysdesigns.com

When I  stand before God at the end of my life I would hope that I have not
a
single bit of talent left and could say, "I used everything You gave  me."
attributed to Erma  Bombeck

--------------------------------------------------
From:  "Revd Martin Dale via Magdalen" <magdalen at herberthouse.org>
Sent:  Thursday, April 09, 2015 6:07 PM
To:  <magdalen at herberthouse.org>
Subject: Re: [Magdalen] ++ Desmond  Tutu

>
> Sally
>
> Do you know what I really  respect of ++Desmond  Tutu was when he stepped
> down as ++ of Cape  Town to become Chairman of the Truth  and
Reconciliation
>  Commission. His theology is far to liberal for me, but what  he has done
as a
> Christian for the nation of South Africa puts him on the  level  of Nelson
> Mandela as a statesman - in my  opinion.
>
> Funny you mention him because I have just   written about him in one of
the
> two East Marshland Benefice parish  mags for May  2015.
>
> May I just copy you in on a part of  what I wrote  in our parish mag today
>
> Blessings
>  Martin
>
>
> <One of the most remarkable events in recent  years was the setting up  of
> the Truth and Reconciliation Council  in South Africa after the historic
poll
> on April 27, 1994, which  brought Nelson Mandela  to power.
> It was almost universally  predicted that there  would be serious
> blood-letting when the  black-led government took control. A  fearful
orgy of
>  revenge
> and retribution against the whites was   predicted.
> After all, hadn’t that sort of thing happened  in the  Nuremburg Trials in
> 1946 at the end of the Second World War when the  top  Nazi’s were tried
and
> executed? Surely this would be a time  for justice and  retribution.
> Well, that prediction was not  fulfilled. But  instead of revenge and
> retribution, the new  nation of South Africa chose to  tread the
difficult path
>  of
> confession, forgiveness, and  reconciliation.
> The new  South African Government under Nelson  Mandela decided to set up
of
> the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, with the  remit that  they would
> give an amnesty to the perpetrators of some of the  most  gruesome
atrocities

> in exchange for a full disclosure  of the facts of the  offence.
> I was not a great fan of the  Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu until he
took
> up the position  of  Chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission
in
> South  Africa and  relinquished his position as Archbishop of Cape Town.
>  Why did he do that?
> Let me let the Archbishop speak for himself.  Archbishop  Desmond Tutu
> wrote:
> “To forgive is not just  to be altruistic. It is the best form of
> self-interest. It is also a  process that does not exclude hatred and
anger.
> These
>  emotions are all part of being human. You should never hate yourself  for
> hating others who do terrible things: the depth of your love is  shown by
the
> extent of your anger.
> However, when I talk of  forgiveness I mean the belief that you can come
> out the other side a  better person. A better person than the one being
> consumed  by  anger and hatred. Remaining in that state locks you in a
state of
>  victimhood,  making you almost dependent on the perpetrator.
> If  you can find it in yourself to forgive then you are no longer chained
>  to the perpetrator. You can move on, and you can even help the
perpetrator  to
> become a better person too.
> But the process of forgiveness  also requires acknowledgement on the part
> of the perpetrator that they  have committed an offence.“ >
>
>
>
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>
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>  In a message dated 09/04/2015 19:41:27 GMT Daylight Time,
>  sally.davies at gmail.com writes:
>
> It  sounds a lot like the  horror that ran through "white" parishes in
South
> Africa, back in the  day when a certain Bishop Desmond Tutu of
Johannesburg
> was appointed  Archbishop of Cape Town.
>
> Stories did the  round about his  family making a fire in the middle of
the
> floor at  Bishopscourt,  a la traditional African hut.
>
> It affected him not one   whit but I think there must have been strain on
the
> younger  family  members.
>
> When our very popular priest Rob was  transferred to a school  chaplain
job
> at the end of 2012, a few  people tried to start the story that  this was
> some kind of  anti-St John's conspiracy by the Bishop. It didn't go  far
>  because there were too many level headed people, because Rob himself
nailed
> it by making it clear that he knew this was God's calling for  him,  and
by
> our wonderful assistant priest Angela (now about to  retire herself)  who
> held things together with tremendous grace  during the  inter-regnum.
>
> Sally D