Wednesday, April 15, 2009
God and Nigeria
Discussions about God and human beings are unfortunately not just that.
They quickly degenerate into arguments and sometimes fights.
Sometimes, deaths occur. Other times full scale wars over who and what God is erupts.
Basically, Man's relationship with God has been a love - hate relationship.
I think one's relationship with God, or lack of, is a personal thing and should be kept as such.
In Nigeria, we have 2 distinct religions - Christianity and Islam and a fast depleting 3rd, traditionalists (Juju). Atheists exist but they are rather too few to be measured.
In most parts of the country, they have lived together in peace with a few exceptions.
Religious clashes between muslims and christians have occured almost entirely in the northern part of the country.
I was listening to a radio program recently where users call in to confess publicly to whatever issues they were dealing with and the only suggestion the radio host could give was "you should talk to your pastor".
It suddenly struck me that we do not have the same social structure the western culture has.
If your child has issues understanding things or is slow in talking or walking at an early age?
- Take him/her to your pastor. Deliverance may be in order. Forget the fact that it could be autism.
If you have difficulty in having kids?
- Go see a man of god. An ancestral/generational curse may have been placed on you. Forget the fertility clinic.
If you have marital issues with your spouse?
-Why haven't you seen the evangelist all this while? Wetin be marital counselor? What do they know?
-Go for 40days dry fast with prayers. Psychiatrists have no idea what they are dealing with.
As a start up business man, if you suddenly suffer a huge loss?
-Somebody from your village must be after you. Go to church and pray for your enemies to "Fall down and DIE!" Forget the fact that you made an error in judgement and should have gone to entrepreneurial school.
When you suddenly need a large amount of money for whatever?
-Sow a BIG seed/offering in church. The more you sow, the more you reap. Banks ask for too much collateral anyways and their interest rates are killing.
If you feel down and out and need inspiration?
-Where best to go to than a church mid-week or Sunday service/mass. Inspirational speakers don't know 'diddly squat'
Mental problems and even physical health issues?
-Go for deliverance. God first, doctors or shrinks next.
Combine this with the Nigerian entrepreneural tendency and you get:
Its amazing how very intertwined with God our daily lives as Nigerians are.
We see God everywhere.
Is this extreme? Or is this what it should be?
They quickly degenerate into arguments and sometimes fights.
Sometimes, deaths occur. Other times full scale wars over who and what God is erupts.
Basically, Man's relationship with God has been a love - hate relationship.
I think one's relationship with God, or lack of, is a personal thing and should be kept as such.
In Nigeria, we have 2 distinct religions - Christianity and Islam and a fast depleting 3rd, traditionalists (Juju). Atheists exist but they are rather too few to be measured.
In most parts of the country, they have lived together in peace with a few exceptions.
Religious clashes between muslims and christians have occured almost entirely in the northern part of the country.
I was listening to a radio program recently where users call in to confess publicly to whatever issues they were dealing with and the only suggestion the radio host could give was "you should talk to your pastor".
It suddenly struck me that we do not have the same social structure the western culture has.
If your child has issues understanding things or is slow in talking or walking at an early age?
- Take him/her to your pastor. Deliverance may be in order. Forget the fact that it could be autism.
If you have difficulty in having kids?
- Go see a man of god. An ancestral/generational curse may have been placed on you. Forget the fertility clinic.
If you have marital issues with your spouse?
-Why haven't you seen the evangelist all this while? Wetin be marital counselor? What do they know?
Looking for a husband, wife, business opportunity, handout, free food?
-Go to CHURCH. The LORD will answer your prayers there. Thats the best place for social networking.
-Go for 40days dry fast with prayers. Psychiatrists have no idea what they are dealing with.
As a start up business man, if you suddenly suffer a huge loss?
-Somebody from your village must be after you. Go to church and pray for your enemies to "Fall down and DIE!" Forget the fact that you made an error in judgement and should have gone to entrepreneurial school.
When you suddenly need a large amount of money for whatever?
-Sow a BIG seed/offering in church. The more you sow, the more you reap. Banks ask for too much collateral anyways and their interest rates are killing.
If you feel down and out and need inspiration?
-Where best to go to than a church mid-week or Sunday service/mass. Inspirational speakers don't know 'diddly squat'
Mental problems and even physical health issues?
-Go for deliverance. God first, doctors or shrinks next.
Combine this with the Nigerian entrepreneural tendency and you get:
Its amazing how very intertwined with God our daily lives as Nigerians are.
We see God everywhere.
Is this extreme? Or is this what it should be?
