Jesus and His Mother

While Jesus spoke of forsaking all for the kingdom of God, and gave his life for the many, he also demonstrated family responsibility and concern for his family, even on the cross. What does his act of concern for his mother say to us?

John 19:26-27 26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! 27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

Mary had to watch her son die? Did she question herself? Did she wonder where she went wrong? Or was she clear society was to blame? How many mothers watch their sons die? How many sons and daughters are jailed and "crucified", tortured, and murdered today? How many teenagers commit suicide? The suicide rate is the highest it has ever been among young people. Why? Was it really God's will that Jesus die? I don't think so, no more than it is God's will that anyone die or be tortured...

Today, other mothers must watch their sons die or know that husbands, daughters and sons or being tortured in prisons. What a World? How may these situations be resolved? What is the answer?

Confirmed or possible extrajudicial executions/unlawful killings in 42 countries in 2002:
Argentina, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, CAR, Colombia, Cote d'Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Fiji, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel/OT, Jamaica, Kenya, Lebanon, Liberia, Macedonia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestinian Authority, Philippines, Republic of Congo, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Solomon Islands, Sudan, Thailand, Uganda, Venezuela, Yemen and Zimbabwe.

People "disappeared" or remained "disappeared" from previous years in 33 countries:
Algeria, Argentina, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Burundi, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Croatia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Indonesia, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mexico, Morocco/Western Sahara, Nepal, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Republic of Congo, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Ukraine and Uruguay.

People reportedly tortured or ill-treated by security forces, police or other state authorities in 106 countries:
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, CAR, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Fiji, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel/OT, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Korea (North), Korea (South), Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Morocco/Western Sahara, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestinian Authority, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, St Lucia, Sudan, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, USA, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Yemen and Zimbabwe.

Confirmed or possible prisoners of conscience in 35 countries:
Armenia, Belarus, Bhutan, Chad, China, Cuba, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Finland, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel/OT, Jordan, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Morocco/Western Sahara, Myanmar, Peru, Qatar, Republic of Congo, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Syria, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia and Turkey

People arbitrarily arrested and detained, or in detention without charge or trial in 54 countries:
Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Australia, Bangladesh, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Burundi, Cameroon, CAR, China, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Gambia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel/OT, Jamaica, Jordan, Korea (South), Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Malaysia, Mexico, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Pakistan, Palestinian Authority, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, USA, Venezuela and Yemen.

During 2002, people were sentenced to death in 61 countries:
Afghanistan, Algeria, Armenia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Burundi, CAR, China, Cuba, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, Grenada, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Korea (North), Korea (South), Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Libya, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritania, Morocco/Western Sahara, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestinian Authority, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, USA, Uzbekistan, Viet Nam, Yemen and Zambia.

Executions were carried out in at least 28 countries:
Belarus, China, Egypt, India, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Korea (North), Kuwait, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestinian Authority, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sudan, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, USA, Uzbekistan, Viet Nam and Yemen.

These figures include only cases known to Amnesty International; the true figures are certainly higher.

Serious human rights abuses committed by armed opposition groups such as deliberate and arbitrary killings of civilians, torture and hostage-taking, in 32 countries:
Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Bangladesh, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, CAR, Chad, Colombia, Gambia, India, Iraqi Kurdistan, Israel/OT, Liberia, Macedonia, Morocco/Western Sahara, Nepal, Nigeria, Palestinian Authority, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Republic of Congo, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, United Kingdom and Zimbabwe.

Also See: http://web.amnesty.org/pages/aboutai-facts-eng

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