Tag Archives: Celebrities

Who are you allowing to influence you: ‘Influencers’?

Ballot Box

Important Takeaways:

  • Too Much Is At Stake For Our Nation To Follow ‘Influencers’ To The Ballot Box
  • Taylor Swift. A recent article that many of you might have read stated that she has the ability to sway the U.S. election this year. That’s a little scary to think about.
  • We don’t need her opinion on who she thinks would be the best candidate to lead this country while we’re facing huge national security issues, inflation, our borders in shambles, and the mess of our education system. Morality has been down in our nation, and our military is being undermined by an ideology from within—all while our enemies around the world see it and are loving it.
  • We, the American voters, have become like sheep, blindly following the voices of influencers.
  • Following Celebrities
  • Following Political Commentators
  • Following No One
    • Have you been following no one? We cannot afford to sit out. We say this every election, and it amazes me when the numbers come out afterward, showing how many people, especially evangelical Christians, sat out.
  • Who Should You Follow To The Ballot Box?
    • This season of survival in the United States should remind us of Israel’s survival and Joshua’s call for them to only follow the Lord. In Joshua 24, he brings all the tribes of Israel together to remind them of everything God has rescued them from. After this reminder, he calls for them to choose whom they will serve: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). We have to serve the Lord starting in our own household.
    • Much is expected of Christians to help serve in our community, to help make the decisions of who’s going to govern over us, our children, and our churches—and who could make the decision of shutting us down. We have to be a part of that.
    • Keep this in mind as you vote: What does our country need to continue to thrive and to create an environment where we can share Jesus freely? Have you ever thought about that? Because of the freedoms we have, we get to share Him freely.
    • Pray that the Holy Spirit will give you the wisdom to decipher through the noise and lies that come through different outlets. I know it can all be very confusing and seem overwhelming, but don’t go weary this year when it comes to our elections.

Read the original article by clicking here.

Nigerian musician Femi Kuti urges stars, fans to focus on Boko Haram victims

Musician exlaims to help victims of Boko Haram

By Kieran Guilbert

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Nigerian musician Femi Kuti on Monday urged his fellow celebrities and their fans to take to social media and pressure the government to do more to help millions of people struggling to survive in Boko Haram-hit northeast Nigeria.

The Lagos-based Afrobeat star said he wanted to raise awareness among young Nigerians and encourage them to demand a greater humanitarian response, having visited Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, on Monday.

“People need to have a sense of the reality in the northeast – from people walking around hungry to mothers with malnourished children,” Kuti said during his visit to Borno, the heart of Boko Haram’s seven-year campaign to create an Islamic caliphate.

“I hope more celebrities will visit and engage with their fans,” Kuti told the Thomson Reuters Foundation after accompanying the International Rescue Committee (IRC) on visits to local communities hosting the displaced and a health clinic.

“Then more people will see what is going on, share it on social media, and put pressure on the government to do more.”

Boko Haram’s insurgency has killed about 15,000 people and forced more than two million to flee their homes since 2009.

The Nigerian army, backed up by neighbors, has retaken most areas held by the Islamist militants. Yet the jihadist group has stepped up attacks and suicide bombings in the past few weeks as the end of the rainy season facilitates movements in the bush.

While calling on more support and aid for people in the northeast, Kuti said he was struck by the generosity of local communities towards those who uprooted by the insurgency.

“It is heartening to see so many displaced people welcomed into the homes of local families … and community elders offering to give up land to displaced for farming,” Kuti said.

In Maiduguri, which has seen its population almost triple to five million in recent years, there are signs a sense of normality is gradually returning to the city.

The curfew has been pushed back to 10 pm, from 6 pm, and clubs are packed and pulsating as DJs play the tunes of artists like Kuti and his late father Fela, the 1970s Afrobeat pioneer.

Yet there is still much to be done, and many people to help, before Maiduguri can be considered back to normal, Kuti said.

“There are still so many young people who are displaced, who have lost their parents, who cannot go home yet.” he said.” They cannot party, and it is them we must worry about the most.”

(Reporting By Kieran Guilbert, Editing by Ros Russell; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women’s rights, trafficking, property rights, climate change and resilience. Visit http://news.trust.org)