We've all heard of the pastor Chris money collecting issue, that's old news at this point. I was on Linda Ikeji's blog reading comments and i noticed this common trend which i have noticed before when she put up a post about "Men of God" who are living luxurious, extravagant lives. Why are Nigerians foolish when it comes to religious issues? Where do we draw the line between loving and serving God and becoming ignorant?
This is what gets me.....why do people talk about God as if he is a vengeful person that would strike you dead with fire and brimstone if you dare question any pastor? It's almost like people think God will behave like Amadioha who will strike you with a thunderbolt if he's mad at you. There's all this....pls don't say anything bad about any MOG o! I'm warning you! Don't say i didn't warn you. Others are not so nice about it, blatantly proclaiming curses on people who dare say anything about "God's anointed" Uhmmm....who no be God's anionted? I'm sorry but i have to ask this question, If i come out tomorrow and say i want to be a pastor, do i suddenly become God's anointed.
Nigerians annnnnnnnnooooooooooyyyyyyyy me to no end about how they view religion and how God operates. I can't with this people. God did not make us to be stupid and abandon our common sense because we are blindly following a spiritual leader who at the end of the day is a HUMAN BEING like me and you. These people are made of flesh and blood therefore they can make mistakes!!! We should not follow anyone blindly, but at the end of the day i understand that you lose your objectivity when you are in the middle of something. I know because i went to a church that had some weird ass practices for years and years. In fact, i grew up in that church therefore everything they did was normal to me. When everyone was criticizing the church, i defended it.
Anyway, that's a different story for another day. My point is, pastors, preachers, whatever are regular human beings and they should also be subject to the checks and balances applied to other people and situations. We can't all just keep quiet and be scared to say something because we are afraid that God will be mad at us and punish us severely for questioning the activities of his preachers. God is not a native doctor o! People should stop using him to threaten other people and instill fear in them so that they are no longer free to voice their opinion. I just believe (my) God doesn't operate that way. Even Jesus spoke out against the people that turned his temple into a money making place. I know i'm not wrong on this, my sunday school teacher did a good job so i know a little something something, just don't be looking at me to be quoting the bible word for word, it's not going to happen.
Good luck to us all in our journey to find Christ and have a personal relationship with him.
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11 hours ago
I understand your point, but I find this offensive to the Igbo religion. There is no need to paint Igbo gods as the negative opposite of the Christian god or vilify native doctors.
ReplyDeleteAfter all, Amadioha is a God that some people worship. Why cast negative aspersions on him in order to make a point about the God that Christians worship?
Somehow I just feel like it wasn't a very good example, especially because in the Bible, the Christian God has threatened multiple times (and gone ahead with it) to strike people down so there is a grain of truth there.
However, I agree that Nigerian pastors capitalise on this side of the Christian God in order to continue to hold sway over their congregations, and Nigerians for their own part over-believe in this side of the Christian God while under-believing in other more balanced sides.
The Oyakhilome thing just confirms what we have suspected about Nigerian mega churches all along. That they are a little more into profit than the average religious clergy is supposed to be.
I wonder ooooo.....i don provoke tire for ALL these follo-foll0w xtains! My pastor said this! my pastor said that! ABEGI! l have zero tolerance for such people & don't hesitate to let them know my opinion!
ReplyDeleteSugabelly: I wasn't coming from a place of good vs. bad. That's not the point i was trying to make. I used Amadioha as an example because he is known as the god of thunder. Anyway, using your filter i can understand why you took it this way. Most of what you said did not cross my mind. It's not that deep.
ReplyDeleteLOL @ vilifying native doctors. So saying God is not a native doctor is vilifying native doctors? I beg to differ. Check this out, if i said Sting is not Sugabelly is that vilifying you? It is what is it. God is not a native doctor. God should not be used to threaten people just because you don't want them to speak their minds. That's the whole point of that comparison.
I concur.
ReplyDelete*sigh* me sef i tire
ReplyDeleteRE: 'When everyone was criticizing the church, i defended it.'...I see this everytime I try to reason with some people and it irritates me. I often end up saying 'Can we please agree to differ and move on'.....
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I believe that societies like Naija's - that worship wealth to the exclusion of other God-given gifts (i.e. artistic talent, intelligence or rare creativity) - are more likely to fall prey to this kind of 'morally bankrupt religion' that deifies preachers.
While we might wonder why some people do not use their common sense when it comes to religion; we should not forget that common sense IS NOT common!
I hear you, I have been drawn into by force fights because I didn't want to visit their church. Not all Christians I like this but when you bump into the ones we are talking about you will will know!
ReplyDelete@Ibhade: Yes o. It can be crazy sometimes the way people let their love for their church or pastor blind them.
ReplyDelete@Mwajim Al: Why, thank you :)
@LG: I follow u tire too o!
@Naijamum: LOL @ common sense is not common. True that. It's kinda sad sha.
@CaramelD: You will definitely know.
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ReplyDeleteI agree a 100% with your post. I have stopped arguing with my nigerian friends about "african pastors" and their vulnerable and gullible followers. I just sometimes ponder and wonder why they believe that you cant question their SO-CALLED "FATHER IN LORD". I even heard they now collect gate fees to attend cross=over services..Judgement day go dey interesting.
ReplyDeletethe act of religion has taken over the true meaning of Christianity and has idolized many pastors......sad!
ReplyDeleteHello sis, i tagged you among THE STYLISH & VERSATILE BLOGGERS AWARDS...pls visit my blog to know the rules...tnxxxxxx.
ReplyDeleteHey dear.. I'm totally keying in to your views oh..
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!