Mugabe Vows to “Crush the Church”

Original Post Date: 2002-03-24  Posted By: Jan

From the News Archives of: WWW.AfricanCrisis.Org
Date & Time Posted: 3/24/2002 11:45:48 PM
Mugabe Vows to “Crush the Church”

I received this note from a friend, calling for Prayer in Zimbabwe. Note however that Mugabe has vowed to “crush the church” and the priest is in fear of his life.

He’s just another athiestic communist…
Jan

—– Original Message —–
From: “Renee Pute”
To: Undisclosed
Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2002 4:05 AM
Subject: PRAYER NEEDED FOR MINISTER IN ZIMBABWE

Dear Friends and Family

Rev. Dr. Derek Carlsen wrote an open letter to Mugabe rebuking him of
his wickedness in Zim. We’ve since heard that Dr Carlsen is fearing for
his life (as Mugabe declared that “he will crush the Church”) and his
family’s passports have been revoked. They need your prayers for
protection and strength during this time. I certainly praise God for
Derek who made this bold biblical stand against Mugabe.

My husband, Matthew Pute, will be interviewing Dr Carlsen tonight on Radio
Tygerberg – 104 fm at 5:40, so tune in and listen as he explains his
situation.

I would encourage you to send this e-mail to other Christians so that they
too can intercede for this family.

Love in Jesus Renee

OPEN LETTER FROM DR DEREK CARLSEN

The President of Zimbabwe
His Excellency, Robert Gabriel Mugabe
Private Bag 7700,
Causeway Harare,
Zimbabwe

February 16th 2002

Dear Mr. President

As a church leader in Zimbabwe, I believe I have a moral obligation to
address you and I choose an open letter, since what I say is obvious to
anyone who cares to look.

Mr. President, I am horrified that I find the person who holds the most
honoured position in our country condoning:

the trampling upon our constitution the suppressing of fundamental
freedoms and human rights the violence that supports Zanu PF interests the
lies and deception in the State media the recently enacted oppressive
legislation the selective enforcement of the rule of law the spread of
injustice and corruption the hypocrisy with respect to property rights the
violent attacks upon opposition Members of Parliament the threatening of
our judges the fuelling of racial hatred the widespread intimidation of
the electorate No democratic country can tolerate any of these evils and
remain a democracy and no country, with a sense of morality, can ignore
such abuses without violating its conscience (Jeremiah 6:13-15).

I believe, Mr. President, that you have polluted your commission by
abusing the authority entrusted to you by God and the Zimbabwean people
(Deuteronomy 16:18-20; 2 Chronicles 19:5-7; Psalm 82:1-5; Proverbs
24:23-25; Isaiah 10:1-3; Romans 13:3).

I believe that, as a Christian minister, ordained by God, I have an
ethical duty to denounce any of our national leaders who embrace a path
that is immoral and oppressive (Exodus 5:1,2; 2 Samuel 12:7; Esther 7:6;
Matthew 23:14; Mark 6:17,18; Luke 13:31,32).

I believe this prophetic responsibility necessitates rebuking wickedness
without fear or compromise and I pray that the true church will not only
refuse to tolerate such behaviour from you, but from any future President
of our country.

Therefore, just as Nathan the prophet said to king David, “Thou art the
man” (2 Samuel 12:7), and as Elijah told king Ahab that it was his sin
that had brought trouble upon Israel (1 Kings 18:18), so I say to you, Mr.
President, that you are fundamentally to blame for the destruction of and
oppression in our nation. The Zimbabwean people are being crushed and I
choose to identify myself with them and say in God’s holy name, “Enough!”
My prayer is for God to be merciful and deliver us from your oppressive
hand and that once delivered, He would make us vigilant so we never again
allow the framework for such oppression to be erected.

Finally, I am moved by God’s grace and a clear conscience, knowing that it
is far better to die while seeking to uphold truth and justice, than to
live as a compromised coward under an oppressive ruler (Matthew 16:25).
Here I stand, I can do no other. May God help us all. Amen!

Rev. Dr. Derek Carlsen, L.Th, M.Miss, D.Miss.
P.O. Box 3348, Paulington, Mutare, Zimbabwe
E-mail: [email protected]

Scripture verses as quoted on previous page:

Jeremiah 6:13-15
13 “Because from the least of them even to the greatest of them, Everyone
is given to covetousness; And from the prophet even to the priest,
Everyone deals falsely. 14 They have also healed the hurt of My people
slightly, Saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ When there is no peace. 15 Were they
ashamed when they had committed abomination? No! They were not at all
ashamed; Nor did they know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among
those who fall; At the time I punish them, They shall be cast down,” says
the Lord. Deuteronomy 16:18-20 18 “You shall appoint judges and officers
in all your gates, which the Lord your God gives you, according to your
tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgment.19 “You shall
not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality, nor take a bribe, for
a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the
righteous.20 “You shall follow what is altogether just, that you may live
and inherit the land which the Lord your God is giving you. 2 Chronicles
19:5-7 5 Then he set judges in the land throughout all the fortified
cities of Judah, city by city,6 and said to the judges, “Take heed to what
you are doing, for you do not judge for man but for the Lord, who is with
you in the judgment.7 “Now therefore, let the fear of the Lord be upon
you; take care and do it, for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God,
no partiality, nor taking of bribes.” Psalm 82:1-5 1 God stands in the
congregation of the mighty; He judges among the gods. 2 How long will you
judge unjustly, And show partiality to the wicked? Selah 3 Defend the
poor and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and needy. 4 Deliver the
poor and needy; Free them from the hand of the wicked. 5 They do not
know, nor do they understand; They walk about in darkness; All the
foundations of the earth are unstable. Proverbs 24:23-25 23 These things
also belong to the wise: It is not good to show partiality in judgment.
24 He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,” Him the people will
curse; Nations will abhor him.25 But those who rebuke the wicked will have
delight, And a good blessing will come upon them. Isaiah 10:1-3 “Woe to
those who decree unrighteous decrees, Who write misfortune, Which they
have prescribed 2 To rob the needy of justice, And to take what is right
from the poor of My people, That widows may be their prey, And that they
may rob the fatherless. 3 What will you do in the day of punishment, And
in the desolation which will come from afar? To whom will you flee for
help? And where will you leave your glory? Romans 13:3 3 For rulers are
not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of
the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.
Exodus 5:1,2 Afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, “Thus
says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Let My people go, that they may hold a feast
to Me in the wilderness.’ “2 And Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I
should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will
I let Israel go.” 2 Samuel 12:7 7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are the
man! Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘I anointed you king over Israel,
and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. Esther 7:6 6 And Esther said,
“The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman!” So Haman was terrified
before the king and queen. Matthew 23:14 14 “Woe to you, scribes and
Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense
make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation. Mark
6:17,18 17 For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him
in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife; for he had
married her. 18 For John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to
have your brother’s wife.” Luke 13:31,32 31 On that very day some
Pharisees came, saying to Him, “Get out and depart from here, for Herod
wants to kill You.”32 And He said to them, “Go, tell that fox, ‘Behold, I
cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I
shall be perfected.’ 1 Kings 18:18 18 And he answered, “I have not
troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have
forsaken the commandments of the Lord and have followed the Baals”.
Matthew 16:25 25 “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but
whoever loses his life for My sake will find it”. Scripture quotes taken
from the NKJV, Thomas Nelson Inc., 1990

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