Paradox of Religion
By Folarin Samson
I was listening to an FRCN lunch-hour show in
which two clerics were guests, a Ustaz and a pastor. The subject was on
religious conflict in the country. The atmosphere of the discussion was relaxed
and gave the impression that Muslims were not at war with Christians and vice
versa. There was unpretentious camaraderie in their tone as they both made
their submissions, citing verses from their Holy books. Also, they were
unanimous on one thing, that religion is not Nigeria’s problem. Instead, they
averred, some disgruntled politicians are inciting restless and jobless youths to
foment trouble in the country using the cloak of religion. The Boko Haram
menace was a quick reference. That assertion is true on the face value. A
deeper and closer look at our nightmares –corruption and recurrent violence-
would show how perverted religious practice has damaged us as a nation. A sentimental
approach will only blind our eyes to the solution to our problems and we’ll
keep hunting shadows while the situation degenerates further.
It is first a paradox that Nigeria, considered
the most religious country in the world, is also voted one of the most corrupt,
crisis-prone nations on earth. It’s a disgrace to God. It beggars the question of
the essence of religion. Religion is supposed to bind, not split. Religion is
supposed to strengthen ethics and morality of society, not weaken them. It is
supposed to correct societal ills, not perpetuate them. Religion should promote
good neighbourliness and the sanctity of human lives, not bloodshed. These are
the elusive ideals. Religion itself has been muddled up and now reeks of
corruption and to say it is not a problem is to play the ostrich in a very bad
situation.
Today, materialism sits on the pulpit of many
assemblies with monstrous confidence. Many pastors are vain pursuers of wealth
who shifted business after several failed adventures, with the hope of lining
their pockets with God’s money. Their sermons are therefore pure motivational
and psychological cook-ups that misinterpret God’s Word to fleece unsuspecting
and impressionable members. New ways are continuously formulated to expand
profit and not the kingdom of God. The new trend is schools. Those not
satisfied with the tithes and offering of their members are floating schools
run and established with their members’ money. Not too bad. But what annoys is
that the children of these poor members don’t get to attend the schools because
of their exorbitant school fees. So much for conscience and justice.
Many of the corrupt political leaders are not
pagans. They worship God in churches. They drop fat envelops during annual harvests
and funds raising programmes. They take front seats on Sundays. And the man of
God instead of telling them the truth that corruption is evil and will damn their
soul in eternal hell, heaps undeserved encomium upon embezzlers and national
criminals. The message for the day has to be changed and dedicated to a
corruption laden worshipper drabbed in ostentatious regalia. Thieves steal and
pay big tithes and nobody raises eye brows as long as the ministry is moving.
No piercing message to rebuke them, it’s all fables and highfalutin lies. It is
high time EFCC began investigating the pastors of convicted political thieves. Many
pastors have a hand in our problems and lack the moral justification to criticize
any politician when they can’t use the natural platform of their pulpit to
preach and practice social justice. Few churches make exceptions.
Islam is one of the most organized religions
in the world. Ever since the advent of the religion by Prophet Mohammed (SAW),
many adherents have learnt to fear and respect their imams because they are
God’s mouth piece. However, some men of questionable character are misusing
this enormous religious power to undermine national security. Sometimes, it is
the message of abuse and name calling of government functionaries, other times
it is open attack of other religions and seditious, inflammatory remarks that
completely fly in the face of the creed of the Holy Quran. Many of the religious
violence in the North were presaged by religious convocations. One would have
asked, ‘What preaching did they hear that suddenly filled them with murderous
hate?’ And yet, the Islamic holy book says:
“Invite (all) to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and
argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious...let there be no
compulsion in religion: truth stands out clear from error” Al-Quran16:125; 2:256
so, something is wrong somewhere. When Boko Haram members attend Jummats, what
preaching do they hear? Truth has taken permanent leave of the mouth of some
imams because of pecuniary gains. Corrupt policemen sit comfortably under their
sermons without being warned of the danger of collecting bribes on the
highways, harassing poor citizens with state instruments. The strength of
religion itself is its ability to compel obedience through the sanction of
eternal punishment for wrong-doing.
It is true that there are men of reprobate minds
who may not respond to the prodding sermons of their religious leaders. But the
situation in which the country is presently calls for a reassessment of what
the pulpit feeds the pews with. Religious leaders should know they wield a lot
of power and influence that can be positively deployed for the good of society.
They have a duty to God to preach the truth, and to society, to do the truth. Streets
are flooded with religious centres and yet, nobody talks of supporting
government work. How many religious centres care about orphans and widows? How
many mosques are involved in humanitarian services? How many churches give
scholarships and grants to poor members children? And yet, the Christian Bible says
pure religion before God is to visit the fatherless and widows in their
affliction and be pure, nothing else. But how often do we preach these? Where
do the monies go? People need to begin to ask the right questions from their
religious leaders.
One thing is still missing. We are quick to
forget like the FRCN lunch-hour show that traditionalists are part of society,
even older than Christianity and Islam as far as Nigeria is concerned. Nigerian
writer, Femi Ademiluyi had wondered in his classic novel ‘The New Man’ whether the
impunity we witness today will subsist if political office holders are made to swear
with Ogun, the irascible god of iron or Amadioha, the unforgiving god of
thunder. Only someone prepared to end up in the pool of his own blood will dare
do that. But this is a modern society where such “fetish things” are
disregarded. So, people don’t take God serious, because he is very patient and
yet they forget in His anger, He once wiped out a whole generation in early
biblical days. It is instructive that God himself knew things like this could
happen and that his house could be hijacked by charlatans, hence He gave a
useful hint: “For the time will come that
judgement MUST begin at the house of
God….”1 Peter 4:17.
NB: piece had earlier been published in February in The Nation and Compass Newspapers
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