Someone indeed must bail the cat! In order to ensure this, many Africans especially the elites have left no stone unturned in the quest to unravel the mystery behind the plight of the African. What is however painful is the fact that many, have ended up in doing disservice even, to the Creator that was not created. This is done by the ways through which religion is wrongfully blamed.
Every attempt made to reawaken the conscience of the proponents of such theory, has readily met a brick wall. Before one kicks off, they already know where one is going and the next comment would be: “please spare me that sermon”. They however never spared themselves sermons when they set out to pollute minds of people who are ignorant. Even King Aggripa never hushed Paul! All he said was: “Paul, you almost persuaded me to become a Christian” (Acts26:28). For Paul who, was a trained lawyer to have embraced the Gospel of Jesus Christ, ought to have been enough reason for people to wake up to realities. We have however failed to! Someone once alleged that if Christianity is to be what it is, White man wouldn’t have given it to the Black man. How low our mindset has become!
The truth however is that when a trained lawyer eventually encounters law, there would automatically be a clear cut difference between counterfeit and original. It sure takes a lot to convince or persuade. It is as a matter of fact, one of the most difficult things to do! Some harden their hearts to avoid being persuaded while many juggle reasons in a bid not to be persuaded. Yet many others are tossed about by the opinion of others. If you are not persuaded, be free to be you and let those who have been persuaded, ply their trades their ways.
What I sincerely find disturbing is the fact that most of these people are, beneficiaries of the benevolences of the Church of Jesus Christ in the time past. To fathom this, enquire to know the schools they attended. If it is not Saint this primary school, it would be Saint that secondary school. Nevertheless, they have the effrontery to accuse the Church or its Owner of wrong doing. Am I trying to deny or exonerate the Church of wrong doings? No not at all! It must however be noted that when spiritual matters are given canal clues, things go awry.
It is one thing to flock to the Church and a different thing altogether for Church to enter people! After all, many people go to prison but they refuse the prison to be in them. If the African man had gone to the Church and allowed the Church to enter into him, the reverse would have been the case. Instead we chose to be religious and ignore Godliness. Some Years ago, I travelled to my country. From the Airport already, there was a traffic jam that was caused by sheer impatience and I wasted no time in making my host know, that we, are the cause of our problems and not forces of darkness.
I told him that it is a shame that people who either go to the Church or Mosque every now and then, could unashamedly allow a small pot hole, to make them stay hours on the road. He did not instantly understand me. It was then I made him knew that we only stayed in the traffic because no one was ready to let the other go first. It is an eyesore because one of the commonest teachings given at the places of worship is to exercise patience. Thus, observe the theory of one after the other. When the pupil or student fails to abide by what they are thought, should the teacher or school be blamed? In a normal setting, the answer is a big NO!
However in a setting like ours, where the commonest slogan is: “Majority carry the vote”, we have chosen to blame the teachers as well as the school. Many have angrily tore their Bibles! What has that got to do with the realities on the ground? Some are prescribing a reversal to our traditional system of worship before the White man’s religion (as they chose to term it) was introduced to us. Has that one done us good?
The same traditional religion which sent twins to their untimely graves purporting them to be evil? It is a shame how children who entered the World with their legs first were murdered and taken for abominations! What about children who were thrown into forests said to be evil ones? Many of them were born with sickle cell anaemia. Because they were seen dying, ungodly names were accorded them all, in the name of tradition. Poverty indeed is not a state of not having money but that of shunning realities! It is a shame that in this 21st Century while our counterparts are forging ahead, we prefer retrogression and tend to blame religion for our woes.
Is it not Christianity that founded what man has taken for the “GOLDEN RULE”? Whatever you would want men do unto you, do same unto man (Matthew 7:12). If the African had adhered to this alone, most glory tales would not be had. Those who kill others should not have indulged in such acts. Politicians who fight corruption while corrupt themselves should have thought better. Those who carry out certain actions out of envy and jealousy should have had a rethink! Instead here we are, blaming the Church for our own guilt.
Some of the places where the traditional worship is still on going in this Jet Age, are but eye sores. Yet someone has the temerity to make such suggestions! Sometime in Year 2020 on Aljazeera’s “REWIND” an evil was exposed whose source, is traced still to our revered traditional worship. In a community in Ghana, parents would patronize men who parade themselves as spiritualists and engage their services in killing their own children who were said to be evil. What a shame? Nevertheless, we are still faltering between two opinions.
Jesus Christ the Founder and Owner of His Church never make mistakes! If there are some unscrupulous elements who use His Name to commit atrocities, He should not be blamed for the short comings of a man. Notice that everyone would give account of his or her stewardship. As such, Christianity should not be judged by the conduct of a man but by that of Christ.
A look at the countries where religion is practiced heartily with a clear cut understanding of what it is about, leaves one with the truth that we, are the architect of our own fate. In the United Arab Emirates, there is a Mosque called Mary mother of Jesus Mosque. The tourist attraction it has become and the sum it has generated for the country is so huge. Could such be had in my place of birth without generating a feud? No way. In Arab countries where the courses of Islam are championed, one sees patriotism in reality. Citizens work for the good of their countries. Leaders lead with love having the led in mind. The understanding of what they are taught makes them to think about tomorrow. The same applies to Countries nwith the Christian religion such as the Europeans. In ours, we learn something and apply a different one yet we blame religion.
May be we do not understand what we read or are taught. But at least, the Ethiopian eunuch was quick to accept his lack of understanding (Acts 8). Why have we failed to acknowledge our lack of understanding? It is time to wake up and face the truth! The truth sets free but when we fail to apply the truth, knowing it is of null effect.
Religion is not the cause of our plights. It is our inability to embrace and practice what we have been taught, that is responsible for the challenges which we tend to blame on religion.