Co-creator of Kony 2012 video (and co-founder of Invisible Children), Jason Russell, was taken to a hospital Thursday for observation. They found Russell in his underwear. He supposedly was masturbating in public and vandalizing cars. Ben Keesey, Invisible Children’s chief executive officer says that Russell was suffering from exhaustion, dehydration and malnutrition. According to police, he seems to have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Regardless of what happened, I think it is important to recognize this: years of effort and hard work can be destroyed because one act of wrong behavior. What happened with Russell can happen to any single individual. We’ve seen it in Pentecostal circles time and time again with adultery or other types of failure. One moment of foolishness can detract from years of hard work and labor for the kingdom of God. Let’s learn from this.
Russell seems to have a very big heart for Africa. He does not seem to be in it for the money. This, perhaps as some sources are saying, was due to stress. Let’s keep the Kony 2012 movement, Invisible Children, and Russell’s family in prayer during this rough time.
What do you think will happen to the Kony 2012 movement because of this?
In Christ,
Daniel.
UPDATE:
Jason’s wife, Danica Russell, insists that what spurred on this behavior was not any form of drugs or alcohol.
March 16, 2012 at 3:49 pm
Sadly, this action will discredit much of his work in the eyes of the public, especially since there has been much debate about the content of the video you posted. I don’t know what to make of his cause. Overall it seems like a good thing, but there is a lot of confusion about it which makes me a bit cautious.
Since there is a sense of skepticism toward many charities because of the fear that finances are abused this is bound to hurt Invisible Children. Whether it is fair or not you can imagine what sort of criticism will emerge in response to these actions.
Also, as you noted, it is a warning to leaders and those who pour themselves passionately into justice issues. Those who speak against injustice have much pressure to avoid sinful behavior in their personal lives. Sometimes this pressure destroys people. There needs to be a balance between living to honor the Messiah and the danger of a Messianic complex.
March 16, 2012 at 3:52 pm
Very true, Brian. We see time and time again the fall of leaders once they hit their high points. I pray the Lord covers this movement with grace.
March 16, 2012 at 6:01 pm
I think it’s good to keep in mind that before this weird event happened, there was already a steady and gaining critique of IC and of the Kony 2012 campaign, especially in more academic/educated circles (see the visible children blog and the links provided therein). If this event DOES end up a primary catalyst for discrediting IC’s Kony campaign, it will only show how popular media events are the ones that are primarily responsible for influencing a majority of human perception and behavior. Instead of well researched, well thought out critical engagement with the information that is provided to them, what gets most people talking is sensationalized hype.
March 18, 2012 at 8:22 am
While being supportive of their basic cause, I’ve been somewhat bothered from the start of this campaign by its excessive focus on hunting down one single man, even if that man is evil. I wonder if this would hurt Invisible Children’s credibility less if they hadn’t made their campaign primarily about a single powerful person?