Saturday, May 31, 2008

The Xtian Theology of Desmond Tutu

Each year during the Christmas season I see advertisements for Xmas gifts, Xmas trees, etc. I tend to offer those stores year round consistency and X them off as places I will ever shop. As I see it, how is it they show contempt yet expect us to support them? I use this analogy to illustrate a point. Earlier this year a reader forwarded me a letter he received from his country’s minister of foreign affairs regarding the Alliance of Civilizations. This minister, addressing issues raised about the AoC, assured the individual that there was no cause for concern because there is Christian representation on the High Level Group. The names provided were Desmond Tutu and Karen Armstrong. I nearly laughed when I read this section of the letter and said aloud “who do you think you’re fooling”. Thus, I decided to devote blog topics to these High Level Group members and provide readers with a glimpse of their theologies. Let us begin with Archbishop Desmond Tutu.


Before I read Desmond Tutu’s book God Has A Dream: A Vision of Hope for Our Time, I was puzzled by his participation as a High Level Group member of the Alliance of Civilizations. After all, my impressions of the man were initially favorable. In his book Forgiveness he described some of the most awful of atrocities carried out by South Africa’s apartheid regime. He appeared to be a man who condemned violence, government oppression, genocide, and human rights violations. So how is it this man became a participant in the system of world government—a system which he ought to recognize and heed the scriptural warnings? Could it be he isn’t aware of the global government’s population reduction agenda or its required “initiation” of the masses? After reading the blueprint of the World Commission on Global Consciousness & Spirituality—a commission on which Desmond Tutu serves—I removed any doubts that Desmond Tutu knows exactly what he is supporting.

As one reads the Commission’s blueprint, it is clear that they intend to “activate” an “evolutionary” process in which they will reckon with “pathologies” (individuals) whom they consider to be of a lower species (egocentric mind) and unite and transcend their more highly-evolved (universal mind) civilization. As found in history’s not-too-distant past, the portrayal is of an advancement of a superhuman race. Although the blueprint’s views are not isolated to any one individual commissioner, this identical theme may be found in Commissioner Barbara Marx Hubbard’s writings. Hubbard’s book Happy Birthday Planet Earth which is quite small yet filled with threats, provides an overview of the impending “selection process”.


We are instructed that everyone on the planet is to be given a choice—either transcend with the collective or face personal extinction. This is a theology which Desmond Tutu ought, and still has the opportunity, to denounce.

I would encourage Desmond Tutu to look at Commissioner Hubbard’s materials and in particular those related to the “activation” of the selection process. The Book of Co-Creation: An Evolutionary Interpretation of the New Testament Part III, provides insight. Here Hubbard’s explanation of Revelation 13: 16-17, I suspect, would make Karen Armstrong proud as Hubbard leaves this piece of scripture giving it a “charitable interpretation”. Revelation 13:16-17 reads:

  • “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark on their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”

Throughout Hubbard’s writings, the interpretation applied to this scripture is one of liberation—that of a loving birth:

  • “In the negative scenario, John foresaw the possibility of total domination of humanity by a dictator who wields the power of science and technology to control rather than to emancipate…for the science and technology has only now emerged, to be used or misused according to which scenario your generation chooses—Armageddon or loving birth.” Book of Co-Creation Part III - Pg. 127

This alone ought to make Archbishop Tutu pause and recognize the system in which he has become entangled. I’m not holding my breath on that one though as the archbishop tends to have contempt for literalists and those who do good and seek their rewards in heaven.

  • “Often we focus too much on concrete images of God and on overly literal readings of the Bible…The Bible is not something that came dropping from heaven, written by the hand of God. It was written by human beings, so it uses human idiom and is influenced by the context in which whatever story was written. People need to be very careful. Many tend to be literalists, people who believe in the verbal inerrancy of the bible, who speak as if God dictated the Bible, when in fact God used human beings as they were, and they spoke only as they could speak at that time. There are parts of the Bible that have no permanent worth—that is nothing to be sorry about, it is just to say that it is the Word of God in the words of men and women.” God Has A Dream – Pg. 105-106
  • “A church that tries to pacify us, telling us not to concentrate on the things of this world but of the other, the next world, needs to be treated with withering scorn and contempt as being not only wholly irrelevant but actually blasphemous.” God Has A Dream - Pg. 65

The entire foundation of Christianity is based upon Christ’s bodily resurrection. It is noteworthy to recognize Archbishop Tutu’s position here:

  • “But when we say Jesus Christ ascended into heaven, you don’t believe that he got into a kind of ecclesiastical lift that took him into the stratosphere. This is language that is being used figuratively because the realities that are being described are not human realities, they are supranatural realities. When we speak even about the resurrection of Jesus Christ, it is not the revivification of a corpse.” God Has A Dream – Pg. 107

Desmond Tutu has clearly made his choice—a new spirituality for a new age.

  • “I knew it was important to cultivate an authentic spirituality of transformation in that transition period of flux, bewilderment, violence, and turbulence. This authentic spirituality of transformation is the basis for any true and lasting transfiguration in our world…we are all meant to answer God’s call to be His partners in transfiguring the world.” God Has A Dream – Pg 108-109

But whose world is Desmond Tutu working towards? For its conclusion is:

  • “Even if God’s dream were to come true, there would still be pain in childbirth, torment in illness, and anguish in death. Sadness, longing, and heartache would not disappear.” God Has A Dream – Pg 72

which is significantly different than that promised by the Most High:

  • “And there shall no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and the Lamb shall be in it, and His bond-servants shall serve Him;” Revelation 22:3



Response to Desmond Tutu’s theology:
As an additional note, I cannot exit this post without providing a scriptural response to Archbishop Tutu’s “Christian” theology. Regarding statements on:

The value of scripture:

  • "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” 2 Timothy 3:16

The next world:

  • “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance…for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God…But as it is, they desire a better country, that is a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.” Hebrews 11:8-15

Christ’s bodily resurrection:

  • “Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand, and put it into My side; and be not unbelieving, but believing.” Thomas answered and said to Him, Lord and my God!” John 20:27-28