Growing up in a Catholic church definitely taught me
a lot of things I wouldn’t even know today if I was born in Pentecostal or
perhaps a different sect in the religious circle. It shaped my core value
system, and contrary to people’s believe and assumption, the church taught me
religious tolerance in practical terms, even amidst the fear of me “seeing the
so-called light” a lot of people find outside the fold in the Pentecostal
arrangement, I think it is more about the message of prosperity as against the orthodox
conservative doctrines that tries to keep followers closer to God and not
money. Money is a defense, money answereth all things, and the love of money is
the root of all evils… I bet the Love of God is better than it all because it
makes even money “jara” on the gift of eternal life.
The church I grew up in hard a lot of rules and
routine that defied going to the confession box to confess your sins,
everything was clear and going against any of it means going against the church
in the full flesh. If you know the story of King Henry VIII that led to the
breakaway of the first protestant movement, you will know that those rules
didn’t spare the crown even in that era when the king could slay at will. That
era isn’t so far-fetched; the traditional ruler of my community, a king whose
uncle gave the plot where the church was built to the church had to live by the
rules when he decided to take a new first lady to celebrate his crown. He moved
his sit to the back of the church and never dared to go near the altar when it’s
time for Holy Communion, only death resolved the situation. I remember brides
were not allowed to wear white gabs if they’ve had issues before marriage or
before due to circumstances beyond them, my aunt wore a very cream gown for it,
and no matter how powerful you are, the church will never consummate a union
with bulgy belly in white flowing gown. That was the church I knew but it seems
that something is now complicit or missing within or more, perhaps it’s the new
look of cool or maybe the spiritual standards of the church now only applies to
the weak and poor here in Nigeria. Far be it that the church is now operated with
double standards, the richer and powerful you are, the lesser the rules apply
to you. No wonder Pastor B’ got away with the banging experience, I am sure
he’s lifting up his holy hands right now, enjoying “a new level of grace” that
is technically now available to the rich for a fee and the powerful through
influence and control.
Someone just hinted me that President Goodluck’s
daughter was not only very pregnant in her white flowing wedding gown some days
ago, but also had the honour of having Bishops, Pastors and General Overseers
move their anointing down to Abuja to witness her marriage to the “Badt Guy of
Life” that tested his bride OK!
before marriage. I guess this is another display of a new level of grace,
Powered by special anointing from the altar of hypocrisy. This is Animal Farm,
some animals are just more equal than the others, and I am glad it’s always the
pigs that are “More Equal”, yes they
bear our filt. I am happy the young woman got married in such an elaborate
wedding with funfair and Iyanya dishing out fresh “Etighi” and Away moves at
the wedding, but my anger knows no bound at the amount of value the church as
thrown away on the altar of money and hypocrisy.
I remember the rude joke about an Imam screaming “Praise The Lord!” at a mosque fund
raising function when he saw a huge check in seven or eight digits, that is
where the Household of Faith is standing right now. The rules apply when the
situation is between an usher and chorister, it stays firm when the pregnant
girl is the daughter of deacon or son of the security man, the stones are
hauled in the anger and heat of Sharia but when it’s the son of the elder that
funded the new church playground, or pastor’s trip to leadership conference in
Yankee or trip to Jerusalem like GEJ did, then the heavens understand. I
remember the true story of a RCCG pastor that had to leave the church because
he wanted to remarry after years of the divorce and the church said he can’t…
He pastors his own church somewhere in Gbagada now. I know a few more supposed
ministers of the Gospel that are living a lie just to stay in church and in
business and because their tithe is tight, they are ignored or should I say
forgiven continuously. We complain of decay in the society, corrupt leaders and
irresponsible citizens, I think I’ve the source… It’s the church and mosque,
yes! The system and institution that sharpens and shape our believe and core
has lost its grip on Morals to Money, and at a time like this, the
only thing that comes to mind is that Fela’s tune and famous lines “Pope na
enjoyment, Imamu na gbaladun…” we’ve lost it all to pleasure and power, I hope
we’ll find it back somehow.
Maybe you can help me solve the riddle, how will a
Pastor or Imam that had enjoyed a free ride to Mecca or Jerusalem, collected
cows and rams during Christmas and “Ileya”, received alerts for prayers and
supplication, attended events organized by this criminals in the name of the
church and mosque without saying Nooo! be able to say this is the way to go
without getting the stern “Shattap there! You didn’t know that the church does
not support corruption when you used the money to build the altar?”
Since Jesus has now been re-crucified on the cross of money, all I will say is “Welcome To Church!”
I am Abidemi
Babaolowo Oderinlo
iRead What iNeed, iWrite What
iLike, iAct What iWrite
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