Browsing by Author "Mallya, Oswald"

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    The Manipulation Of The Crowd (S) In Matthew's Gospel And In The Slums Of Nairobi.
    (Tangaza University College, 2003) Mallya, Oswald
    Nowadays it is common to hear of the large crowds in political rallies in Kenya as election time approaches. We hear a politician addressing a large crowd in a certain ground somewhere in the country. The crowd is becoming very important as the date of election draws near! The politician's chances of winning the coming general election is measured by the size of the crowds that gather to listen to him/her. It is surprising because most of politicians have shown little or no interest in the crowds after they were elected five years ago. This shows that the politicians' interest in crowds is solely for their own personal interest and gain. They like the crowds only when they benefit them and when they can get something out of them. At this time of the election, it is the votes of the crowds that politicians are interested in obtaining and the rest is secondary. We also hear of the rioting mob in the slums and of the thief or someone who is or has been killed by an angry mob. When the crowd becomes rowdy and uncontrolled it is referred to as a mob. When someone is killed or maltreated by the mob, usually nobody takes responsibility and it is referred to as "mob-justice". What is puzzling is that the offense is done to an individual most of the time. It is individuals in the groups who pick up stones and stone someone. But when this individual is in a group he/she feels no personal responsibility anymore. In other words one can do whatever he/she wills provided he/she does it in a mob. I have witnessed people who have been killed in cold blood by an angry mobs, incited by only one person with only one word, "thief'." In 2001, on Christmas Eve a young man was killed by stoning outside the wall of our compound by a crowd after he failed to rob a woman of her mobile phone. Nobody was held responsible for his death! Besides these, very often in town, I have heard people saying, "Let us go and see what is happening there, since there are many people gathered." It is as if the crowd has a magnetic force that pulls individuals to it! Some people are willing to spend their precious time simply to be with the crowd. In my study of theology, I have been puzzled by the ambivalence of the crowd present in all the gospels during the whole ministry of Jesus. The crowd is presented as powerful (leaders fear it) and fickle at the same time, easily manipulated by the clever ones (leaders). Slums are the places where big crowds are often found. This being the case, if one wants to know more about the crowds', slums provide a good opportunity. During my four years in Nairobi, I have been in contact with crowds in one of the slums of Nairobi, Mukuru-Kayaba. This crowd has broadened my perspective and I have come to understand the source of ambivalence which marked the crowds in Jesus' time and which continues to characterise the crowds we encounter in many places today. I have written this paper because of my interest in this subject, an interest which has been stirred up by what I have mentioned above. In order to be clear from the beginning of what we are dealing with, this paper attempts to define in chapter one the meaning of the crowd, and its many varied usages as well as it's synonyms. Having explicated the meaning of the crowd in chapter one; chapter two focuses on a particular crowd in one of the gospels, Matthew's. We have chosen the crowd in this particular gospel because p history, environment and challenges are somewhat similar to those of the crowds we find in the slums of Nairobi today. The crowds we — encounter today are not a general, vague or the one of Matthew, this being_ the case, I have dedicated chapter three to this crowd. Crowds do not exist in a vacuum! This is why I have dwelt at length on the history, physical conditions and different challenges that face the crowds in both chapters two and three. I am convinced that the crowd is manipulated partly because of these conditions. The reaction of the crowd(s) is also influenced by these historical, physical, economical, social and religious phenomena. This paper suggests the formation of a small group for evangelization from the crowds following the model of Jesus and his disciples. This small group prepared to live according to the gospel values and greater awareness of the realities surrounding them, will make others especially from the slum crowds, disciples. I am convinced that once a group which live in the midst of the slum-crowd(s) is influenced by gospel values, it can in turn influence others from the slums to embrace the same values and therefore to make it difficult and impossible for those who want to manipulate them for their personal gain.