Break Yourself From The Shackles Of Religion
In a way, most of us, especially in this clime have been held captive by the doctrine of religion for ages. As a matter of fact, we are surrounded by different kinds of religion and governed by them.
Often times, we glorify them and take delight in propagating them just because our background does not allow us to question certain beliefs.
To some, it’s a taboo to ask a question about divinity and a further probity may attract a death penalty. Others were made to understand that, God who is the pivot of religion is a consuming fire. Thus, His followers must swallow everything taught by His acclaimed servants hook line and sinker.
Many pseudo-men-of-God propagate certain myths as doctrinal issues without realising that they are myths and some do so in order to have dominance and control over others.
However, great myths are the foundation of religion. Lay people tend to use “myth” and “fairy tale” as synonyms, but a myth contains truths about the relationship between people and the universe or people and a god (God, if you prefer), or people and other people.
For example, the foundational myth of Christianity starts in the garden of Eden with the story of Adam and Eve and the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. Original sin is the separation of Adam and Eve from the presence of Yahweh. The sacrifice of Christ and the resulting sacrament of communion offers Christians restoration of that schism between man and God. Very powerful myth. Not a fairy tale at all.
As a matter of fact, many religion centres insist on compulsory attendance. Administrators and teachers working in such centres believe that if members worship regularly, and listen to samorn, they will be able to gain more knowledge and become better worshippers.
But my concern is, some of these teachers have succeeded in brainwashing their worshippers away from the essence of divinity. And any attempt to correct them from the position of accurate knowledge will face a stiff resistance. No wonder Karl Max posited that; “religion is the opium of the people.”
The most unfortunate thing is that, the Shackles of religion has affected our knowledge enterprise to an extend that our productivity as a nation has become abysmally low. Yes, we are poor because religion has made our scholars failed to generate new knowledge, new worlds. It is this new knowledge that would have created new industries and niches. With this new industry and niches our society would be richer for it. Our society not her individuals or professionals. The professions may enrich the individual, but the basic sciences are creators of community wealth.
In fact, any society in which only her professionals are rich, that is sign enough that her scholars have failed in their primary tasks, which is creating new worlds. It is this lack of the creation of new worlds that will make citizens embrace Banditry, Boko Haram, Militancy among others.
Europe etc. are high on the GDP, with low levels of employment to match, not because they got great leaders. It is because they got great thinkers. These thinkers fashion out new worlds in which poor, people find jobs. Just imagine what job numbers, the ICT, etc. has created for Westerners.
The exponential rise in the number of religion houses in Nigeria has not stopped the eruption of laziness that polluted our clime, with magmas of molten irrationality. They flowed freely online, where internet fraud, ignorance and cultism has become a lifestyle.
At that instance, our tribes of thinkers started auctioning off their intellection for sordid lucre; as vuvuzelas and cheerleaders of cant. They have abandoned the true gospel and turned the sacred alter of the Almighty to a den of politics
They became wandering minstrels, conducting mercenary orchestras, ready to bleat like castrated he-goats or kiss asses for a fee.
The inelegance of purchased voices and compromised consciences, kissing the asses of rogue power, corrupted the youth of our land. They came to believe that all that matters is money; and that how you made it was immaterial.
I was introduced to Christianity from cradle, and the impact of Mama Esther Warigon of blessed memory and Uncle William Warigon in this regard will continue to be fresh on my mind.
As an adult, I began to ask question about religion and divinity. My quess for answer and meaning made me stumbled on a book authored by Austin Theodore Spark, entitled; ‘the mystery of his stewardship.’ The book ushered me into the ministry of grace where I understood that, Christianity is not a religion but a life style. In it, with biblical references, I realised that, I cannot please God on my own except through His works of grace.
Until we begin to see God as LOVING and CARING, we will end up in a ditch. And this message against the Shackles of religion, I will continue to propagate. Unlike Socrates, I will not drink the hemlock, but, I will continue to champion a revolution against religion and it’s attendant consequences on humanity.
Happy New year
Comrade Godwin Anyebe is a Journalist and a Rights Activist
