Invisible Children

Who?
Invisible Children (with capital letters) is an organization that works to help the invisible children (lower case) in Africa. Bobby Bailey, Laren Poole, Jason Russell are the three founders of Invisible Children. They are from Southern California and their decision to go to an area of Africa that was war-stricken to make a film became the beginnings of Invisible Children.


What?

They work in many different fields to help those suffering in Africa because of the rebel LRA (Lord's Resistance Army). They work to bring media attention to the problem. They achieve this through films, websites, LRA crises tracker, and touring throughout the United States in schools to spread the message and bring attention to these forgotten children. They also act to mobilize people to the cause. They hold international events, campaigns, film and music tours. They also work to protect those still at risk by putting up a radio network for natives to call for help when there is rebel danger, defection fliers, and other radios. They don't forget those that have already suffered from the tragedy. They have teacher exchange programs, scholarships, rehab centers and work to rehabilitate those that have been abducted and bring education to those without access otherwise. They try to keep the entire problem in mind, they don't just treat the short term consequences but also work to reach long term solutions.  

When?

Since 1987 Joseph Kony has been terrorizing east and central Africa. He and his Lord's Resistance Army abduct, kill and displace countless children and civilians. The founders of Invisible Children first learned about this atrocity in 2003 and founded the organization in 2004. They continue to work today and will in the future. 

Where?

The main focus of Invisible Children's efforts is in Africa. Most of their work is in the central or eastern part of the country. They began mostly in Uganda but as the problem has spread, so have they. The conflict with the LRA affects many countries including South Sudan, Uganda, Central Africa Republic, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The organization also works in the United States to raise awareness of the cause, lobby for legislation to help, and try to bring volunteers to the cause. The two main countries that Invisible Children work in are Uganda and the United Sates. 


Why?
Invisible Children works tirelessly to help the invisible child soldiers and victims of abductions as well as other tragedies in Africa. There are so many people in need there that have no voice to ask for help. Invisible Children works to provide aid to these people and stop the horrors that still occur there today. There are still so many people that are affected by the LRA's atrocities today despite the great work Invisible Children has done so far. They have done amazing things but there is still so much to do and so much to still help with. We believe in the equal and inherent value of all human life. They fight for those without the ability to fight for themselves because "We believe that a worldview bound by borders is outdated and that stopping injustice anywhere is the responsibility of humanity everywhere."

The work that Invisible Children is doing is truly remarkable. They are giving a voice to those that would otherwise be unable to speak or be heard. Their cause is one that should be near and dear to everyone's hearts. They have already done so much, but there is so much left to do and so many ways that all of us can and should help. 

First Commandment

"I am the Lord, your God: you shall not have strange Gods before me"

Most people know this commandment as it is the first. But how many follow it? In today's world, it seems that fewer and fewer people follow this commandment. However true that is, it is not anything new. People of all monotheistic faiths throughout history have also struggled with this. Famously, directly after Moses received the Ten Commandments, he returned to the Israelites and discovered them worshiping a golden calf. This was not the first time people turned to worldly things or other gods instead of the "one true God", nor would it be the last. There are two main categories that violations of this commandment can be separated into. 1) worshiping other, false, gods before God. 2) putting worldly things before God. 

Teenagers have a history or questioning authority and rebelling against their upbringing. In 2013 this is no different. While obviously not all teens fit this stereotype, many do. Many don't attend church, practice their faith, and some don't believe in God at all. Some of this is because believing in God isn't cool or going to mass isn't cool. Again this isn't true for all teens. I can count on one hand the number of teenagers I know that go to church on a regular basis. Even smaller than that is the number that actually want to go. But I do have some friends that take their faith very seriously, actually enjoy it, and appreciate and practice the theological virtues of faith, hope and love on a religious basis.

I also have many friends that are atheist or agnostic. They don't follow the first commandment by an active choice. They choose to deny the existence of God or higher power, or that it can never be proven that there is a God. It is a choice that it is their right to make (whether you believe it is a God-given right or not is up to you). They don't worship a false god, nor do they worship any god yet this is considered against the first commandment. The other 9 commandments are derived from this first commandment and by that logic many people believe that those that don't follow the first commandment cannot follow any of the commandments by extension. I think this is simply untrue. You can believe in God, be in church every Sunday and still be an awful person just as you can practice no religion, deny the existence of God and be a wonderful person that still leads a good, moral life.

Many more people are guilty of breaking the First Commandment in the second sense. Putting worldly things before God in their lives. This practice is a form of idolatry. People often put many things ahead of God:

Money

Sports

Winning

Fame

Entertainment 

The list goes on and on. These are all forms of modern day idols. People may not bow down to them and pray to them but they are far too often placed before God in their lives. These worldly things become far too important in peoples lives than they should. People also place celebrities on the same pedestal. Giving them much more power over their lives than God because they are here on earth. People that don't believe in God often site that there is no proof, we can't see it. Even those that do believe in God turn to worldly things for the immediate gratification they get form them because they are here on Earth but "the only true happiness can come from God"

Following the First Commandment has gone by the wayside for many people. It is important to follow it, for most people. Many break the commandment without realizing it and without recognizing it as an actual sin. I consider myself a fallen Catholic. My beef isn't with God, it is with the Catholic Church's practices in the world today. But I still feel I can have a relationship with God, follow the First Commandment, and be a generally good human being without being affiliated with any particular religion. There are those that may consider this to be heresy but I don't consider it to be. If it is okay for others to practice religions that aren't Catholic or Christian, why shouldn't it be okay for someone to be independent of a particular faith but still follow the Commandments? I believe in God and I try to follow the First Commandment but I don't think you have to be a part of the Catholic Church, or any established religion for that matter, to do so.