Written By Rev. Ojo Gbadegesin
When I was a child, I grew up among both Church goers and pure Idol worshippers. We had many family gods and shrines, of course, the principal idol was stolen later on, one of the things I witnessed was that coins were always at the shrines. The society believed that the gods spent money, so they dropped coins for them,especially "Esu". These monies were never stolen by the worshippers, though some of us later began to help the gods when we were taught in children department of the church that the gods are dead, and cannot spend money.
African traditional society respected anything called "sacred". Sacred animals were never eaten, sacred fishes were never caught in sacred rivers. Evil forests were never cultivated, and the priests were respected, their words were law, because the society saw them as spokespersons of the gods. The society had ways of dealing with various crimes, good name was an asset. Wealth was not celebrated, rather, a suddenly rich family is ostracized, and nobody wants to marry from there.
This same allegiance was transferred to Christianity. The church was a holy place, clergymen were highly revered and respected. In fact, in Yoruba land where we all prostrate for the kings, men of God are exempted. Old people, old enough to have the Pastor as grandchild all bow in reverence to honour the man of God. They never knew that the man of God could misbehave, he was seen to be talking with God, all the times.
A time came the story changed, they began to catch clergymen with their wives, doing what only the heathen do. So, these men of God are ordinary! They began to see the anointed fighting the elders over salary! Swearing in the names of gods of his village! Whaaaat? So, this white cassocks only cover dark hearts, they began to meet the men of God, buying drinks where they buy, and sometimes joining them at the joints. The curtain was removed, and the story changed.
The church began to celebrate wealth without any regard for its source. What happened at the time of Emperor Constantine, that destroyed the first revival keep repeating itself. Have you seen any church that suspended a political office holder, a millionaire, a highly placed wealthy man, a traditional ruler before, oh sorry, they are saints now, it's only poor, average, struggling people that do violate the laws of God. I know some churches do, I know some Pastors do, but they are in the minority.
Many Pastors only know the houses of rich members. They have their phone numbers, and are always available in case of any emergencies, but the poor are committed into the Hands of God, after all, only God is the father to the fatherless and husband to widows! Special offices are always created to make the rich happy, they don't even need to be punctual, once their cash is punctual, God knows that they are busy.
Why are we surprised at Ozubulu shooting? The gunman knew that he was not shooting inside church! After all, it was built by their colleague, the source of wealth that they knew, they were even probably there the day of dedication, and even made donations while the arrays of God's servants showered blessings on them, and prophesied that they will keep progressing. God never spoke in prophesy that He hates their business, neither were they revealed by word of knowledge that they were evil doers!
When business turned sour, they boldly took the fight to church, as for them, that is not a church, they know what a real church should be like, they know their colleague is not a church person, they saw that building as a normal business territory, not a house of God. Today, it's Ozubulu, tomorrow, it's another place, today it's Catholic, tomorrow it's another church. Is your denomination different? Are you different?, is your village different?
Let us learn from this, enough of worldliness and carnality. Like our ancient shrines, when the church was church, rubbers were not carting the offerings and tithes away, they were not kidnapping the priests. Society respected the anointed, when the anointed used to respect himself. It's time to go back to Bethel " our carnality don too much"
@Voice of the Apologist
Credits to Rev. Ojo Gbadegesin
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