Religion played an
integral part in the resistance
movement in South Africa, both giving strength to the resistors, and
justification to the oppressors.
In the film Long nights Journey Into Day one of the
white police officers who applied for amnesty to the TRC said "One of
the values we have to protect is Christianity. One of the
elements of Communism is atheism, and that justifies our
actions." While Marxist Communism does incorporate dialectal
materialism, seen as many as akin to atheism, most of the men and women
involved in the resistance movement were Christians, and derived much
strength from their faith. The trade union meetings depicted in
the damaged film from the documentary showed how spiritual their
resistance was, they sang asking God for strength and to bless
Africa. Additionally, any of of the meetings for resistance
occurred in Churches. It may be that were if not for their
religious beliefs, many of the enforcers would have felt more
compassion for the resistors.
After the end of apartheid, people on both sides
used their faith to help them reconcile the deeds done, and
forgive. The mother of one of the young men killed with the
Guguletu Seven said to one of the police applying for amnesty in the
case, "It's pointless to hold this wound against you, God will be the
judge." and "When Jesus died on the cross, he told us to forgive those
who commit sins, so that the burden is lifted from our backs." It
was important to her to forgive, because she felt that it was only
holding her back, and holding back the efforts of reconciliation.
While some of the other mothers could not forgive him, she felt that it
was not her duty to judge, but God's, and this enabled her to look past
feelings of hate and start the healing process. Other people also
used their faith to comfort the families of victims, as well. As
one woman said in Long Days Journey Into NIght, "We hope that the Lord
will support and comfort you." Obviously, people of every
background and evolvement in this issue have derived strength from
their religion, either to overcome sorrow, or remorse, or to justify
their actions.
Going back to the statement by the white police
officer I quoted earlier, I think it's interesting. He states
that Christian values are important to uphold, and that Communism must
be stopped by all means necessary, because it's subversive to
Christianity. But was he upholding his Christian values when he
took their lives and felt not even remorse? Thomas Jefferson said
"Millions of innocent men, women, and children, since the introduction
of Christianity, have been burned, tortured, fined, and imprisoned, yet
we have not advanced one inch toward uniformity. What has been the
effect of coercion? To make one half of the world fools and the other
half hypocrites." This is, in effect, what happened and continues
to happen in South Africa today. Black South Africans use their
Savior to obtain strength to overcome the grief from the tragedies of
apartheid, while their former oppressors use Him as justification for
the same atrocities.
Faith can be a source of strength, but
religion can can be blinding. People can do outrageous
things when they believe they are right, and that God is on their
side. Ironically, both sides believed this to be true, and the
Christian religion is still prominent with a black South African
government.
Topher Rhodes
November 14th, 2003