It is an obvious reality that humanity gets more divided at the prosperity of Religion. Christianity made its first appearance in Nigeria in Benin in the Sixteenth Century when Portuguese Missionaries came. It’s on record that no “Church” was established before their departure. The battle of greed and numerical relevance began in 1898 when Rev. Andrew Wilhelm established the Cathedral Church of St. Peter in Abeokuta. The Church witnessed significant growth in late 80s and early 90s as migration from African Traditional Religion (ATR) to Christianity increased.Today, Christianity has develop into not just a World-class Religion, but a venture into which entry and exit are not controlled. In Nigeria and the world at large, we have a formidable Islamic Religion; a religion that would sweep the whole world and spread its tentacles even to the most dreaded hinterlands but for its alleged Violent Dispositions. We see Moslems who are fanatic about their religion, we see Moslems who value other Moslems even more than blood siblings, we see Moslems who are known for what they stand for throughout the world, we see Moslems who are practising the love Christians were commanded to practise; unfortunately, we see Moslems who shed blood.
The story was not different recently when the life of the young and Vibrant Ifeanyi was wasted by Ali in Enugu. Ifeanyi who was a Christian had only requested from Ali, money for the service he rendered. Instead of compliance, Ali who happens to be a Moslem paid Ifeanyi with the sharp edge of his dagger; Pity!
The Church has grown to the very extent Wilhelm would not have dreamt. We now have large Cathedrals, edifices, and cloudless Engineering Structures, ghost fellowship, and fanatic Christians as well. But to what extent has the purpose of Christianity as a Religion not been forfeited? God forbid that it should be!
Today, we have Christians who do not agree on a single belief system, we have Christians who feel their convictions are the best, and people in other religion with different belief systems will be bundled and burnt forever. We have Christians who wait at the entrance of other people’s Religious Auditorium to bewitch their intelligence and take them to their own Religious Group (known by many as ‘Church’) all because they conclude that other Pastors are powerless Herbalist while theirs is assistant Jesus. In some Christian folds, members/pastors sue each other at a Court of Law all because of Greed, Resource Control, and Cheap Popularity.
Also read: God is not tied to any specific Religion
Still in the religious circle, some are bewitched into contributing for the Institution of a School which Tuition, they will never afford for their kids. Some are tricked by numerical relevance into belonging to a religious group in which the pastor will never know them.
Are we to talk of mental servitude? The essence of Tithe Payment has been totally forfeited! Yet, campaigns are intensified for more compliance when there exist widows, orphans, widowers, and the less privileged in such Congregation languishing in abject poverty and hunger while all generated resources in the Congregation are forwarded to the Headquarters for a purpose only known to one man at the top; RUBBISH!
If religion is about all these, I choose to lose it and embrace godliness. Go to hell with the name of the ‘Church’, status or the perception of the majority about same; if the common cause of humanity is not upheld, what ever is done in such religious group is absolute nonsense!
The Church should be a family with a common goal and purpose. Different tribes, different languages, all converging for a like cause; humanity! …adding value, reforming minds, encouraging goodness, and crushing evil!
Welcome to 2019, cruise with a reformed mind!