By Francis Ewherido
It looks like some Nigerians suddenly feel like they and their forebears abandoned their African religion for imported religion without taking time to appreciate the benefits of African religion. We live in a free society and I have no problems with this renaissance. It is not too late. They can revert and become igbe, sango, orisa and worshippers of any African religion of their choice. Some people do ogwagwa (they mix Christianity with African religion or other combinations). It is a personal choice. They are only exercising their constitutionally guaranteed freedom of worship. Where I have problems is that some of these proponents of return to African religion breach one of my core beliefs and guiding principles in life: respect for the beliefs, opinions and feelings of others. Personally, I do not have to accept or subscribe your beliefs and religion, but I empathise. I put myself in other people’s position. If I was born in India, there is a high probability that I would be a Hindu or Sikh; Muslim if I was born in Saudi Arabia and so on.
Some of us were born into the faith we profess. I am a third generation Christian. My maternal grandparents were Christians, so are my mother and my late father. I was born into the church, but it is no longer just a faith I was born into. It is now a faith that I “own” and confidently profess. By the special grace of God, I have also had divine encounters. I have experienced the awesomeness of God, his love and mercy, though I remain a poor sinner.
Whatever faith you profess, you are constitutionally covered. Section 38 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria states that “Every person shall be entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom (either alone or in community with others, and in public or in private) to manifest and propagate his religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance.”
This portion of the constitution is self-explanatory: belong to any religion of your choice and if for any reason, you feel like it, change your religion. There is also nothing wrong in trying to convert people to your faith. What I find very annoying is the upsurge of attempts by some people to denigrate the religion, faith and beliefs of others. I am not referring to people who want to attract traffic to their social media spaces by being, anticlockwise, unorthodox and controversial. Some people seek fame and fortune at all cost. It does not matter how many dead bodies they leave in their trail. My target are those with religious superiority complex. Please give me a break; there are saints and sinners in all religions and denominations. Stop ramming your faith and beliefs down other people’s throats. Share your message without denigrating other faiths, religions and beliefs. Trying to convert people to your denomination or religion is also constitutionally guaranteed. One of the mandates of Christians is preaching and spreading the gospel, but you not convert by fire by force like one comedian does in his skits and short videos.
As much as possible, I stay away from talking about religious beliefs that I do not fully understand. I will not say much about Islam because I know very little about the religion. I will also not talk about white garment churches because I have not been inside one. I only talk about my denomination and others I substantially understand their practices. On Christianity, you have to understand that church buildings are not the church but the people who congregate in these church buildings. Righteous living, piety, arms giving, sexual immorality, greed, stealing, killing, embezzlement of church money, etc., have no denominational or religious colouration. They happen across board. But we do have variations in pattern of worship. Do not jump into criticizing a denomination until you fully understand their practices.
I went to a church long ago and the pastor had bodyguards walking around with him from row to row as he preached. They also surrounded the altar. It all looked weird to me because I have never experienced that before. But I went there for a friend’s 50th birthday. That was the first and only time I went to that church. I will not criticize the pastor because I do not know why he was being guarded inside his church in the midst of his members. I never bothered to ask, so no criticism. But some people just criticize what they do not even understand. The bible has literal, denotative, connotative and contextual meanings. Jesus used parables and images of the agrarian period he lived in. Many of Apostle Paul’s letters, though very much relatable till date, were meant for specific audiences based on prevailing issues then. Without taking cognizance of these prevailing issues then, you will derail in your understanding and interpretations of these portions of the scripture.
Denigrating other denominations instead of emphasizing areas of accord annoys me. Na competition? Even if it is, that is unfair competition. Christianity is all about the birth of a saviour, Jesus Christ, His short ministry on earth, His crucifixion, death, resurrection and ascension. All Christians agree on these because they were well documented in the bible and form the basis of Christianity. Concentrate more on what binds us, not what differentiates us. Also, be less judgmental. There is only one judge, God. Leave Him to do His work. He has not asked for your assistance.
As for my faith, Christianity, I am very aware that Christianity is not just a religion nor a set of activities. It is a relationship between you and your God, on the one hand, and you and your fellow human beings, on the other hand. That is why the two greatest commandments are love for God and love for your fellow human beings. Your denomination or religious beliefs are just the vehicles you are supposed to use to celebrate your love for God and man. Churches are for fellowship. “Where two and more are gathered in my name, there I am in their midst.” Religion or denomination do not take people to heaven. The product of your faith, manifested your good deeds, do (Matthew 25:35-36): For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’… The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Such good deeds are chosen individual responses to the saving grace of God, made available to us in Christ Jesus. Much as we want everyone to be saved, it is a personal choice and individual journey
On Independence Day of 1980 or 1981, there was a caption of a cartoon in National Concord Newspaper: If we can’t eat together, let us at least live together. How apt over 40 years later! Though the caption was politically motivated, it applies to us today in terms of religion.
