A U.S. based Liberian Cleric J. Samuel Reeves Talks about the moral and ethical situations in Liberia

A Liberian United States based Cleric, J. Samuel Reeves has been speaking on the moral and ethical situation in Liberia, see full text below
My Fellow Liberians and Friends of Liberia:

As we come to closure on issues of religion and the Christian Church in Liberia in the social justice dimension of our beloved country, Liberia, especially during recent debates on ethical and moral entreats in high places of the Liberian Government, I would like to extend heartfelt gratitude to Mr. J. Rodney Chesson, Mr. George Fahnbulleh, Mr. Isaac Saye Zawolo, Jr. and Mr. Sam Togba Slewion for their scholarly engagements. Additionally, I would like to thank the many Liberians and friends of Liberia that picked my brain, sought my opinion and questioned my silence on the situation at bar. Dr. Mariah Y. Seton, Father James N. Wilson, Deacon Solomon Reeves, Mr. Robert Sayon Morris, Rev. Samuel Mbayo, Mr. Benoni Tarr Grimes, Mr. Stanford Peabody and others spent many hours with me on the telephone discussing the situation. A big thanks to all of you for the frank and candid intercourse on the ethical and moral destiny of the country we love so dearly.
I pray that the Christian Church in Liberia will wake up from theological and Christological misconceptions that the church and its leaders should stay out of politics and just preach the Word of God. This misconception of the role of the Christian Church in Liberia is repressive and alienating. Under out constitution, all Liberians are stock holders in Liberia and all Liberians have the right to participate at all levels of their country’s affairs and to aspire for any positions they so desire. Regrettably, the Christian Church in Liberia is so colonized, misinformed and theologically impotent that it sometimes lends itself to misinterpretations of the Bible, promotes classicisms, stands on the side of the oppressors and becomes insensitive to the needs of the oppressed.
The Christian Church in Liberia should invest considerable energy and time in purging itself of uncritical approaches to matters concerning the church and state. It should adapt a holistic ministry that ministers to the total person and treats all Liberians with respect, dignity and honor. If the Christian Church in Liberia believes that Jesus Christ was fully God and fully human, it cannot emphasize spirituality and de-emphasize social, economic, political, military and other human elements that affect the Liberian people. Is it not true that as the Son of God, Jesus Christ represented God perfectly and as the Son of Man, he participated in flesh and blood issues?
In fairness to the Christian Church in Liberia , however, it has and continues to serve as bacon of hope for our people. It has and continues to provide nurture, encouragement, empowerment and mediation at all levels of the Liberian society. Like Jesus Christ, the Christian Church in Liberia has been and continues to serve mediatorial and reconciling roles in healing the wounds of Liberia and in building relations between divided and antagonistic forces.
The Christian Church in Liberia has and continues to experience temptations, frustrations, persecutions, unfair distribution of the country’s resources and taken for granted by the rich and powerful in Liberia, but it continues to shine as light in all dark and shadowy areas of Liberia. Religious leaders have been and continue to be taken for granted and disadvantaged by the rich and powerful in Liberia because most of our leaders operate under the myth that government is for evil, immoral, corrupt and unethical monsters who come to power for the sole purpose of exploiting, manipulating, stealing, killing and destroying the Liberian people and the Liberian nation. I grantee that this nonsense will stop and that I will return to Liberia this year to help enlighten, engage and empower our people to the reality that true governance, the minimization of corruption in high places and genuine healing of our beloved country, Liberia, are impossible until God and Government reconcile and partner for wellbeing, peace, prosperity, security and tranquility of all Liberians.
My fellow Liberians and Friends of Liberia, in union strong success is sure, we cannot fail...With hearts and hands, our country caused defending... With God above our rights to prove, not only that we will, but we must over all prevail. I thank you and may continue to bless the Republic of Liberia.

Rev. J. Samuel Reeves, M. Div., M. A.
Doctoral Student, Virginia Union University
Reaching 100 US Towns and Cities with the Gospel of Jesus Christ by Television in 2007.
Cell: 612-703-6145

As Gov't Declares Journalist Wanted for Pornographic Photos, His Lawyer Takes Exception, Says His Client is Right

A scene of people reading yesterday's photocopied of the paper

Credit from NDN
Pronouncement by the Liberian National Police Force declaring journalist Sam Deam, Publisher of the Independent Newspaper wanted for publishing pornographic photos of Minister Willis Knuckles as created serious concern among practicing and non practicing journalists, describing his action as 'unprofessional' and endangering the journalism profession. A cross of section of journalists who spoke to the GNN today expressed total disappointment on the part of the Independent newspaper Publisher.
"Sam Deam has violated the code of ethics of this noble profession, the Liberian Government should have allow the press Union of Liberia (PUL) to handle its member instead of being declared wanted by the State," Paul Noring for Editor of the Liberian News Agency (LINA) speaking to the GNN said.
Several callers on a local radio Talk Show said they were also disappointed and worried about the future of their children who said they said saw this orgy photograph of Minister Knuckles in public.
The callers called on the Press Union of Liberia to handle the issue, "these guys need to be monitored, look what this paper has done to our children with this kind of pictures been showing to them", another caller in a disappointing mood said.
Following the publication of Minister Knuckles' orgy photos, several persons including young people were seen with photocopied of the scene. Due to the demand of this by the public, the paper was sold as high as $LD135-150.00 per copy, while a photocopy of the scene was also sold at $LD50.00.
Meanwhile, the legal representative of journalist Deam, Cllr. Serenus Cepheus told a local radio station that sees nothing wrong for his client (Deam) to be wanted by the State, "My client has done nothing wrong to be wanted by the Government," Cllr. Cepheus told the public on the radio.

For Publishing Pornographic Photos Gov't Orders Publisher Arrested

The Liberian Government has ordered the arrest of the Publisher of the Independent Newspaper, Mr. Sam O. Deam for publishing in his newspaper pornographic photos of Mr. Willis Knuckles, Minister of State for Presidential Affairs yesterday.

The government at the same time has ordered the Liberian National Police to arrest anyone in the city and its environ caught in possession of these photos.

The Commissioner of the Criminal Investigation Division of the Liberian National Police, Steven Zargo yesterday told a local radio that the paper's Publisher was wanted for violating Section 18.1 of the Penal Code of Liberia.

The code prohibits the dissemination of obscene materials without minimizing the risk of exposure to children under sixteen.

Commissioner Zargo also said the Police would meet the leadership of the Press Union of Liberia on the matter.

Following this pronouncement by the police yesterday evening, plain clothes security officers picked up Mr. Dean while on his way home last evening, and taken to an unknown location.

Speaking on the issue the President of the Press union of Liberia, Mr. George Barpen confirmed that the management of the paper has committed some ethical transgression in its journalistic performance, but said the government was too fast have ordered the arrest Mr. Dean instead of the union taken its stance to deal with the issue of ethical transgression on the part of the paper's Publisher.

Details will follow in our subsequent publication