{"id":3381,"date":"2024-05-31T12:29:22","date_gmt":"2024-05-31T19:29:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/welcometable\/?p=3381"},"modified":"2024-06-01T11:38:08","modified_gmt":"2024-06-01T18:38:08","slug":"failed-coup-in-the-dr-c-part-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/welcometable\/2024\/05\/failed-coup-in-the-dr-c-part-3\/","title":{"rendered":"Failed Coup in the DR-C, part 3"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>
<\/p>\n
On Instagram, coup participant Marcel Malanga had a screenshot of these verses in Deuteronomy 28, from LDS scriptures (so identified because of the footnotes):<\/p>\n
\n
\u201cThe LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.<\/a><\/p>\n
13<\/span>And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do\u00a0them.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Inscribed on the instagram (after multiple photos of a seemingly invincible Marcel, sometimes showing piles of money) are the words, \u201cThis is the greener grass they were talking about.\u201d Under another photo, Marcel has written: \u201chonored to have you as my earthly father. I can\u2019t wait to change the world with you.\u201d Clearly, he believed that his father, Christian Malanga, was a messiah. These words will not serve him well as he tries to be released from prison in the DR-Congo.<\/p>\n
Christian, commonly called \u201cPresident Malanga\u201d, featured these scriptures on his social media, suggesting his own references to the Congo rather than Jerusalem.<\/p>\n
New Zaire<\/span>, Burst into songs of joy together,<\/p>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/span>you ruins of Jerusalem (Kinshasa<\/span>),<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\n "\n*
** for the\u00a0Lord<\/span>\u00a0has comforted\u00a0his people,<\/span><\/p>\n
** he has redeemed Jerusalem (Kinshasa<\/span>).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
** *10 <\/sup>The\u00a0Lord<\/span>\u00a0will lay bare his holy arm<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nThese hashtags follow, seemingly from the Donald Trump playbook: #makeafricagreatagain<\/a>\u00a0#fightforwhatsright<\/a>\u00a0#newzaire<\/a><\/p>\n
It is clear that, like Trump, Christian Malanga thought he was a chosen savior, and Marcel imitated his father. In an instagram photo, these phrases appear above the image of Marcel boxing a bag: \u201cYou need me to save you. Only I can save you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Presently, Marcel and his friend, Tyler Johnson, are in prison near Kinshasa. The American mothers of each man have started fundraisers to get their children home, this one for Marcel<\/a> and this for Tyler<\/a>.<\/p>\n
I am writing this on May 31, 2024. Donald Trump has just been found guilty of thirty-four charges. Chad Daybell has been found guilty of all murder charges against him<\/a>. Both men had considered themselves above the law, \u201cchosen\u201d by God.<\/p>\n
This is a frightening way in which religion can put its followers in peril.\u00a0 True belief in anything without careful examination can persuade us to follow someone (a mortal) because God has chosen them. It\u2019s a narrative put on re-play throughout the Old Testament, where Abraham, Moses, David, etc. are asked to do unthinkable things because God will be with them. In the narratives, they are either victorious, or they are spared. But I know of a seminary teacher who was convinced that he was called like Abraham to sacrifice his infant son. There was no ram in the thicket. The baby died and the man was institutionalized.<\/p>\n
In real life, the repercussions of people following a \u201cprophet\u201d even when his plans are ill-conceived have sometimes been disastrous. From the priesthood restriction keeping Blacks from participating in temple privileges to the Mountain Meadows Massacre, we Mormons<\/a> all should have learned a lesson of spiritual thoughtfulness and timely questioning.\u00a0 The message of my own family history and that of my religion is clear to me: Trust God, but do not follow anyone blindly\u2013including yourself.\u00a0 If you see evidence of anyone\u2019s ego (including your own) dismissing challenges, beware.<\/p>\n
Trust, but verify. Be bold. Be bold. But be not too bold.<\/a><\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n**<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n***
** <\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
** *On Instagram, coup participant Marcel Malanga had a screenshot of these verses in Deuteronomy 28, from LDS scriptures (so identified because of the footnotes): \u201cThe LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1301,"featured_media":3393,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[534,423,537,549],"class_list":["post-3381","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-coup-detat","tag-democratic-republic-of-the-congo","tag-malanga","tag-pride"],"yoast_head":"\nFailed Coup in the DR-C, part 3<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"On Instagram, coup participant Marcel Malanga had a screenshot of these verses in Deuteronomy 28, from LDS scriptures (so identified 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