While searching for information on the UN food program I sumbled across the following image. The caption read:

“Kevin Carter’s Pulitzer Prize winning photo taken in 1994 during the Sudan famine.  The picture depicts a famine stricken child being stalked by a vulture. The child was crawling towards and UN food camp located a kilometer away.”

“No one knows what happened to the child, including the photographer who left the scene as soon as the picture was taken. He later confided to friends that he wished he had intervended. Jouranilists at the time were warned never to touch famine victims for fear of disease.”

Matthew 25:35-46 says..

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘..when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?”

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.”

  “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?”

  “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.”

  “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Several weeks after receiving the Pulitzer Prize Kevin Carter killed himself.

Amen.

Two things always go through my mind when I hear about something like this:

1. What happened to the man, in this case to make such a thing optional?
2. I hope his mother and his family have a lot of support, and can get through their suffering.

What a tragic story ... I can feel nothing but sad about any of that.

After Time ran the image they posted a comment that read; “A picture last Friday with an article about Sudan showed a little Sudanese girl who had collapsed from hunger on the trail to a feeding center in Ayod. A vulture lurked behind her. Many readers have asked about the fate of the girl. The photographer reports that she recovered enough to resume her trek after the vulture was chased away. It is not known whether she reached the center.”

Now, I know his friend said that there was an encampment there with women and other children, and that food was being delivered, but the fact that Kevin never mentioned that in any of his interviews makes me very suspicious of the friends claims.  Also, the mere fact that he said she’d recovered enough to resume her trek, says to me that he knew she was alone, either without anyone else around who could help her, or anyone who would help her. Also, why, if food had just been delivered, would she need to muster her strength to continue the trek at all?

Call me overly suspicious, even judgemental, but the stories don’t add up.

What is so sad about this is that there is plenty of food to feed everyone in the world. Political systems, especially those fueled by ideology (religious or non-religious) prevent the resources of the world from being shared with fellow humans like this little girl. There are plenty of good people in the world (religious or non-religious) who would immediately act to save this child if the opportunity were available. The political realities that prevent acts of compassion represent institutionalized evil.

Ecurb Noselrub - 23 November 2011 07:15 PM

What is so sad about this is that there is plenty of food to feed everyone in the world. Political systems, especially those fueled by ideology (religious or non-religious) prevent the resources of the world from being shared with fellow humans like this little girl. There are plenty of good people in the world (religious or non-religious) who would immediately act to save this child if the opportunity were available. The political realities that prevent acts of compassion represent institutionalized evil.

Back in the 80s during an Ethiopian famine a friend of mine remarked: “They’re not starving because there isn’t enough food, they’re starving because Ethiopia doesn’t have a secure line of credit.”

What’s with the pointless bible quote and the amen about someone killing them self?

That was one of the most depressing pictures I’ve ever seen….and I’ve seen a lot.

saralynn - 24 November 2011 05:40 AM

That was one of the most depressing pictures I’ve ever seen….and I’ve seen a lot.

Happens a 100 times a day while we sit here drinking coffee typing on our computers complaining that someone else isn’t fixing the problem; and in this thread praising those someones for killing themselves for failing to meet our expectations.

Ecurb Noselrub - 23 November 2011 07:15 PM

There are plenty of good people in the world (religious or non-religious) who would immediately act to save this child if the opportunity were available. The political realities that prevent acts of compassion represent institutionalized evil.

And there are plenty who wouldn’t, regardless of political realities. I hope one day science can explain that and offers a remedy as a disease of the human mind.

GAD saw only a Bible quote (probably didn’t even read past the second word), and felt impelled (by his personal prejudices and weak personality) to call it “pointless”. Then he went on to write a few nonsense sentences (which no one even commented on), thinking they were making a real point. See what an atheist looks like—so full of themselves and their opinions that a profound metaphor about the apathy of humanity gets tossed aside like stinking garbage. GAD is a fool. Good job ignoring his posts, people.

Mario: GAD saw only a Bible quote (probably didn’t even read past the second word), and felt impelled (by his personal prejudices and weak personality) to call it “pointless”. Then he went on to write a few nonsense sentences (which no one even commented on), thinking they were making a real point. See what an atheist looks like—so full of themselves and their opinions that a profound metaphor about the apathy of humanity gets tossed aside like stinking garbage. GAD is a fool. Good job ignoring his posts, people.

I thought Stardust was being sarcastic.  As in…“listen to what we profess, then see what we do…..”

Didn’t think commentary was necessary.

But, you’re right.  I didn’t read the Bible passages.  That’s the problem with the Bible being so popular…..sometimes we’ve heard the words so often, they lose their meaning and fail to make the same impact as they did when we first encountered them.

TheBrotherMario - 25 November 2011 01:53 PM

GAD saw only a Bible quote (probably didn’t even read past the second word), and felt impelled (by his personal prejudices and weak personality) to call it “pointless”. Then he went on to write a few nonsense sentences (which no one even commented on), thinking they were making a real point. See what an atheist looks like—so full of themselves and their opinions that a profound metaphor about the apathy of humanity gets tossed aside like stinking garbage. GAD is a fool. Good job ignoring his posts, people.

The bible is worthless bullshit and you are a worthless douche bag. It would be funny if it wasn’t so sad to watch people spend their lives trying to find a way to make the bullshit in the bible useful for anything other then a lubricate for their S&M fantasy mental masturbation’s. Now go fuck yourself.

GAD The bible is worthless bullshit and you are a worthless douche bag. It would be funny if it wasn’t so sad to watch people spend their lives trying to find a way to make the bullshit in the bible useful for anything other then a lubricate for their S&M fantasy mental masturbation’s. Now go fuck yourself.

Are you suffering from indigestion or something?  Don’t you think you’re being a tad extreme? All the authors, artists, philosophers, poets, composers, thinkers and social activists who have been inspired by various passages in the Bible are pathetic?  Seems to me you are being willfully ignorant or…. and this is more likely…..you’re just being a GADfly.

saralynn - 25 November 2011 04:45 PM

GAD The bible is worthless bullshit and you are a worthless douche bag. It would be funny if it wasn’t so sad to watch people spend their lives trying to find a way to make the bullshit in the bible useful for anything other then a lubricate for their S&M fantasy mental masturbation’s. Now go fuck yourself.

Are you suffering from indigestion or something?  Don’t you think you’re being a tad extreme? All the authors, artists, philosophers, poets, composers, thinkers and social activists who have been inspired by various passages in the Bible are pathetic?  Seems to me you are being willfully ignorant or…. and this is more likely…..you’re just being a GADfly.

No not extreme all. And yes its pathetic. In it’s full context the bible is a book of ignorance and horror and worship of an evil pretend god.

See how GAD went ballistic when I pointed out who he was and why he is? This is pride in all its selfish glory, and a perfect example of a Sr. Member on Project Reason—what a joke.

I told him once years ago that the extent of his wit is supplanting the “o” in God for the “a” in his screen name. And he hasn’t proven me wrong yet. This guy is stuka with a year of college.

Any atheist who cannot see the benefit of religion as a moral compass throughout history is irrational and ignorant.

Any atheist who throws out the Bible, the greatest and most positively influential book ever written, because he or she finds some of the stories offensive to their “highly-developed” (...cough..) moral sensibilities is foolish and moronic.

Know this, Project Reason: This single Bible passage spoken by Jesus and quoted above has done more to inspire humanity to care for each other than the culmination of every word written by every secular writer who ever lived.

And to not realize this, and to go so far as to ridicule the passage as “pointless”, is to show to me and the whole world that atheism is often more propaganda than substance. No surprise here.

TheBrotherMario - 26 November 2011 08:58 AM

See how GAD went ballistic when I pointed out who he was and why he is? This is pride in all its selfish glory, and a perfect example of a Sr. Member on Project Reason—what a joke.

I told him once years ago that the extent of his wit is supplanting the “o” in God for the “a” in his screen name. And he hasn’t proven me wrong yet. This guy is stuka with a year of college.

Any atheist who cannot see the benefit of religion as a moral compass throughout history is irrational and ignorant.

Any atheist who throws out the Bible, the greatest and most positively influential book ever written, because he or she finds some of the stories offensive to their “highly-developed” (...cough..) moral sensibilities is foolish and moronic.

Know this, Project Reason: This single Bible passage spoken by Jesus and quoted above has done more to inspire humanity to care for each other than the culmination of every word written by every secular writer who ever lived.

And to not realize this, and to go so far as to ridicule the passage as “pointless”, is to show to me and the whole world that atheism is often more propaganda than substance. No surprise here.

No religious douche bag bias there.

Look you brain damaged fucking moron my screen name is my initials that’s why it is all CAPITALS dipshit. Nothing to do with your make believe S&M sky-daddy. Now go dream about your god and fuck yourself some more.