Religious Insanities

I must report with a heavy heart that madness is prevailing menacingly in a territory where sanity is not compromised. Certain portions of this territory which are greatly dominated by men and women of influence and who are schooled in biblical dogmata are flagrantly defiling the sanctity of this territory.

What is the scope of this madness? How can a church that prides itself as the representative of God on earth ordain bishops who are homosexuals? It is highly unimaginable that these supposed men of God who must act in propriety are rather pursuing impropriety with no sense of shame. Is it that they are ignorant of the precedents in the Bible or they have discarded God’s cautions to the dogs?

Without sounding blasphemous, I can conjecture God’s outright disappointment and regret in men who hold themselves as his servants and wilfully dishonour Him. For some of us, it is indeed sickening for men in cassocks to perpetrate such appalling act without utmost regard for God’s word.

These strong assertions stem from the fact that the Church of England or the Anglican Church in Great Britain in recent past has in a decision allowed, ‘...gay men in civil partnership to become bishops.’(BBC-5th January, 2013). It is apparent that this recalcitrant body of Christ is gradually but shamefully moulding the house of God into a social club.

Yes, I can hear gay and some human rights activists suggesting that it is their sexual orientation, hence, the need to let them be. However, I must submit that when priests or servants of God are involved, they should not be praised.

Christianity has certain spiritual codes of ethics and any individual who subscribes to it must be totally prepared to adhere to them. Homosexuality is an act that the Holy Bible utterly condemns. The problem that we have at hand is the inability or deliberate act of some of our spiritual leaders to distinguish between popular culture or secularism and spiritual or biblical standards.

It appears once again that these religious deviants have deliberately decided to trample upon biblical precedents. I am pretty sure the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah will be crying out to God to execute judgement swiftly on his servants who know better than them.

What gladden my heart are the unreserved condemnations that have emanated from people who are keeping faith with true Bible teachings. Conservative Anglicans in some African and European countries have vehemently opposed such unscriptural act and have additionally threatened to break away from those who seem to love the flesh more than the law of God.

The first scare that bruised my religious sensibilities before this Anglican bombshell was an open declaration by a Catholic priest to the effect that he is gay. It was during a Mass that Fr. Rich Danyluk made this known and surprisingly, the congregants welcomed it with a standing ovation. (New Oxford Review, May, 2006, p.18.) What has light got to do with darkness? By the way popular or majority acclamation can never be a perfect substitute for the truth.

I tell you if the missionaries who introduced this foreign form of religious worship to our ancestors had this sexual orientation as their lifestyle, I am confident that our ancestors who were predominantly idol worshippers would have sacrificed them to their idols. This is because this loose behaviour has no place in our culture. What therefore has changed?

This generation prides itself as being better placed than any other generation that has ever existed on the surface of the earth. Thanks to technology and other unprecedented scientific discoveries, we are overcoming some of life’s difficulties. However, it appears despite this good life, this generation is gradually slipping in the realm of untold absurdities. And the church is no exception.

Apart from this horrendous act of the church, there are other inglorious phenomena that are rearing their ugly heads or have already gained roots in the church. One of such is the opulent or ostentatious lifestyles of some of our religious leaders. They have now become demigods or more or less social or political leaders. They have an array of ridiculous accolades which do not exemplify the simplicity of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ.

Interestingly, these religious leaders have fleet of different and expensive cars that, when sold, can alleviate the impoverished state of some their poor followers. Other than storing their treasures in heaven, they prefer to invest in earthly things.

It is not uncommon nowadays for some so called pastors to have different set of prayers for people based on their economic status. Do not forget about the cunning ways they sell oil to gullible souls for financial gains. They also parade around with their bodyguards to ward off any intruder. This is a sharp contrast to the warm welcome Jesus offered to both the poor and the rich during His era on earth.

I do not to say that servants of God should not benefit from their labour. In the same vein, I propose that their private and public comportment must amply bear testimony to the humility of our master, Jesus. This is necessary because many are those who are gradually not reposing their confidence in our church leaders as it was the case some years ago.

The church plays a very unique role in our society. It is the conscience and shepherd of human life. I would not shy from positing that over the ages, it has been the beacon of morality and spiritual edification. No wonder if the church begins to drift away from its core purpose, society tends to suffer in many regards.

That notwithstanding, the apparent extremities inherent in the church if not checked will forever be a scar that will mar the beauty of the spiritual institution that commands power and glory.

In fact, there are other insanities that the limited pages here cannot contain. Nevertheless, I cannot descend without pointing out the quantum of flesh or skin some of our sisters in the lord are revealing. Of a truth, these are deadly enticements. Some of the ushers are deadly. Their breasts tend to spill over whenever they bend down. As if that is not enough, some people go to church with the mentality of stealing from their victims.

So I will counsel that whenever you go to church, guard your valuables. Whenever it is time for worship, watch and pray. Do not leave your wallet, tablet, purse or any valuable behind as you joyously dance to put your offering in the collection bowl. It happened that in the church that I fellowship in, an associate pastor was busily ushering visitors in and as he resumed into his chair, his mobile phone was long gone. Indeed, not all church goers are truly delivered.

Candidly, from where I stand, among a gamut of factors, I see one basic reason as the major contributing factor to religious insanities in the church: Over liberalisation of once conservative institution. It appears the church is overly embracing secularism. We talk the way the world talks, dress the way the world dresses and see things from the perspectives of the world. There is the need to bear in mind this scripture: We are in the world but we are not of the world.

For gay bishops to have a field day in a sacred institution such as the church is the highest form of religious taboo. If Jesus did sack traders and money changers from the house of His father, I wonder what he will to do those perpetrating this sacrilege. It is my prayer that those whose consciences have not been seared with hot iron will be bold enough to stand for the truth at all times.

True Christians should always radiate the light inherent in the Bible. We cannot make mockery of the faith we profess. Buddhists, Muslims, traditionalists, and unbelievers are making mockery of us because they cannot see the Christ-like nature in us even though we claim to have the true religion. We must keep the pillars of our faith intact by not succumbing sheepishly to persons who perceive their intellectual opinions are spiritual laws.

Not everyone who delivers sermons from the pulpit is a genuine Christian. And if such persons exhibit the works of the flesh in their actions, they must be told unequivocally their folly in order to save those who might be lured into their onward doom.

AUTHOR’S NAME: OKOFO-DARTEY SAMUEL

E-MAIL: sodesq2000@yahoo.com