Religion according to Karl Marx is 'the opium of the masses'. Africans are known to have been religious,since time immemorial. However, since the advent of the imported religions(Christianity and Islam), religion has taken a totally new dimension in Africa. These two alien cultures has driven to the back seat, the uniqueness of African culture and tradition. In this light, the imported religions has in one way or the other,underdeveloped Africa and has also made it a third world continent. As a student of History and International Studies, i made a lot of thorough research into the foreign religions and juxtaposed them with our own peculiarities. My findings were quite revealing. It was an eye opener and a big revelation for myself and perhaps Africa at large.

Historically, knowledge of Islam and Arabic culture first came to North Africa,then it filtered into Western Sudan(modern day West Africa) through Sanhaja Berbers who were involved in the slave trade.(Reference- Peoples and Empires of West Africa-Ifeka 1980).
These foreign religion advocates(or if you like missionaries) were initially diplomatic and liberal in their approach. Subsequently,they deployed violent means to force our fore fathers in accepting their own ways. Based on historical records, Christian missionaries sold recalcitrant Africans to slavery. In the year 1076, Muslim missionaries gave Africans at the following towns;Kumbi,Soninke and Mandingo the option of Islam or death. Many of these West Africans fled. All these revelations screamed blue murder to me. This knowledge of how our people were raped off their human dignity, culture and prestige was a very bitter one. My research didn't stopped there, i made more diggings into how these pandora boxes are hitherto, still being sustained.


1.The Imported religions are based on fear.

Yes! when you study how these religions are being propagated,you get revelations. Have you ever wondered how and why you became a Christian? Its because your parents are. If your dad had being an Alhaji,You would be a Muslim. Hence, you are a Christian not because you know Christianity is better than other religion but because your background was built on Christianity. Thus, as u were born as a Child, u were automatically a Christian. While you were growing up, you were already being indoctrinated with all the shenanigans of foreign religions--Hell,Satan,Evil spirits etc. In African society, a child of 5years old is already brainwashed with the fear of hell and satan. Hence, growing up;he already has this fear of being burnt in an imaginary hell. And when he asks questions, he gets dubbed 'possessed' evil, devil's child etc. I recall when i was in Ss1 and I asked my CRK teacher some pertinent questions about the Christian God,hell and Satan, i received the shock of my life. Instead of getting cogent answers, I was stigmatized, called Satan's boy, she said only a child of Satan queries God. I was subjected to a lot of trauma while my questions remained unanswered. This is the story of many African child, these foreign religions are alien to them but they just have to accept it,hook, line and sinker; as a result of fear.

When i got to the University, i got all what i needed to make my research and provide answers to my questions. After a protracted battle with different fears(like being possessed by Satan or heading to hell for making thorough researches into a religion that was meant not to be questioned)- I finally broke the shackles of mental subjugation. I unravelled the concept of hell,Christianity and Islam. I came to realize that: these two religions has in one way or the other underdeveloped Africa.



To be continued

Lemme read comments...

CONTINUATION....

Religion every here nd there

Cool

The Europeans told us we can only make heaven through a Jewish man. The Arabs told us its only through a Prophet of their's. Two contradictory political shenanigans (hiding under religions) ,yet we still kill ourselves over it.
The Arabs told us that when we recite the Quran in their own(Arabic), Allah,their God will reward us better than when we read it in Yoruba,Igbo and Hausa. Promotion of Arabic culture under the guise of religion. What a shame! Oh mother Africa, why have thou slept this way? why have thy culture been raped and substituted? Arise and shine oh the continent rich in culture. Arise in your uniqueness! Oh ye Africans wake up! we are not pawns! Eledumare,Chineke and Ubangiji is good enough for us! By rejecting the Jewish and Arabic culture, that doesn't make me an atheist, I believe the Universe is enormous. I believe in the existence of a supreme being... which is Eledumare!!!(call it chineke). My own conceptualization of 'God' is different from the Arabs and the Jews. My own God did not create hell!! If we are to follow the two foreign religions, then the whole world is going to hell. Sura 7:30 in the Quran is clear about this. The Christians has no stake in Islamic paradise all because they believe 'Jesus is a son and not a PROPHET of Alllah. The Christians also believes Muslims are descendants of Ishmael. Even within these faiths they are against each other's conceptualization. So many people out of subjugation has threatened me with hell,failure in exams,in fact one even went ahead to hide my documents,just to make me feel bitter and seek for solution from their religions. Alot has happened,and a lot will still do.
Eledumare is my God and creator,my conscience is the hell that prevents me from doing evil and anything African is my identity. ..

Cc.. lalasticlala menesheh davien plaetton theAtheist101

johnydon22:
A wonderful piece and this could serve as a stimulus to any right thinking human to pause and think about all you think you believe...

I swear, if this doesn't wake these slumbering zombies, then nothing will.

I am going to have my pre-teen child read this, and then we will begin our discussions.

The funny fact is that they wont hear

Jeromejnr
malvisguy212
MrPresident1
ThatNova
Mee234
starlingslimnet
Missali
raayah
winner01
Charliewyt
An2elect2
PraiseDLord
Eddlad
CaptainJune
Esdb3



Issuing 'reading and refuting' invitations to some honorable 'known unknowns' in religion section here on nairaland.
Thanks for coming.

So how does all this disapprove the existence of God

Even Jesus Himself was against religion.

OP, You be real correct guy... As you continue your research may you thrive in enlightenment.

I would argue that 100% of African abrahamist are stuck in their faith because of fear. Fear of uncertainties in this life and fear of the hell in the afterlife.

They are scared to let go of their shackles. Quick to tell you about salvation that they don't have.. But, I was once there myself. I remember taking a class on Buddhism as interesting as it were it did not unlock my indoctrinated mind to release myself from the shackles of chasing salvation.

Despite my small knowledge on african beliefs concept. The hijacking and substitution of the names of african deities made it hard for one to think properly. I remember the anger that flowed through me when it finally clicked. Olodumare had no begotten son, eshu never challenged Olodumare. That right there led to my rescue from worshipping the dead. I was able to read objectively without reservation.

I can relate to the child of satan part. Back in high school, a friend ask our CRK teacher some simple questions and she gave the same reply. She also said that only a child of satan will question God. She encouraged us to tell any one that asked us such questions to say get behind me satan. back then I truly felt offended that the guy was asking such questions and truly believe he was possessed by demons.

johnydon22:
A wonderful piece and this could serve as a stimulus to any right thinking human to pause and think about all you think you believe...

Unfortunately the religious mind doesn't function that way at all. When I was a christian I used to get angry when I read such things. I don't know how to explain it but, you just can't relate to this things as a religious person. You just push them away. The religious mind abhors doubt, when you are driven bu fear you can't relate to anything that questions or encourages doubt. When you are driven by irrational fear(which is what drives most religious minds) you can't reason rationally when it comes to issues of religion. It blocks your mind from reasoning or seeing things that challange your religion no matter how true or real they appear.

Jeromejnr:
So how does all this disapprove the existence of God

Even Jesus Himself was against religion.

mumu.you no go read before you post.

Ranchhoddas:
mumu.you no go read before you post.

So you are the one that read it abi?

Check yourself very well.

@Crispels.
God say, love your neighbours and do not commit adultery ,love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you. What is wrong in this commandment ? Which among is your favourite sin ? That you cannot do away with ? Most atheists hate the bible because the bible focus on their wickedness , ATHEISTS CONTRADICT THE BIBLE, their character contradict the bible.

To be religious doesent mean you are brainwashed, none of you atheists were born atheist from birth , someone bring this whole idea of atheism into you , meaning the religious people can call an atheists brainwashed and they are not wrong.

'There is neither Jew nor Greek,slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus' (Galatians 3:28;
Colossians 3:11).

Bible verses like that are still shaking and shaping the world after 2,000 years. It is not merely that the Bible was 20 centuries ahead of its time, it was the Bible that at certain points in history pushed and dragged our western world
to its present point of tolerance. Christianity is the world's greatest leveler. In Jesus' presence, everyone is equally precious. Every day all over the world cruel manipulation takes place
by people deceitfully using the word 'love'. The result is much cynicism, hurt and distrust. Yet the counterfeit never
invalidates the genuine. Just as unscrupulous people have discovered the exploitive power of the word 'love,' some have discovered the word 'Jesus'. But people only counterfeit things of value.

Jeromejnr:


So you are the one that read it abi?

Check yourself very well.

I did.You did not.If you had you wouldn't have typed that crap up there.

Nice write-up!

But I still object to your conclusion that it was Eledumare that created the universe. The concept of Eledumare was used by our then Kings, with the aid of their chief-priest to control their people. Something I supported, because it was needed then at that stage of our evolution. But now we don't need that again. We have democracy and our laws. If we practice democracy well, we get to choose those that would rule us and people get to change their social class with their own hands. Those in the society that fail to obey the law would be punished accordingly. With these, so many problems we face as a race would be solved and people would be less scared of any deity.

dalaman:


Unfortunately the religious mind doesn't function that way at all. When I was a christian I used to get angry when I read such things. I don't know how to explain it but, you just can't relate to this things as a religious person. You just push them away. The religious mind abhors doubt, when you are driven can't relate to anything that questions or encourages doubt. When you are driven by irrational fear(which is what drives most religious minds) you can't reason rationally when it comes to issues of religion. It blocks your mind from reasoning or seeing things that challange your religion no matter how true or real they appear.

With time the truth seekers among them would start understanding. We shouldn't give up on them.

theAtheist101:
Nice write-up!

But I still object to your conclusion that it was Eledumare that created the universe. The concept of Eledumare was used by our then Kings, with the aid of their chief-priest to control their people. Something I supported, because it was needed then at that stage of our evolution. But now we don't need that again. We have democracy and our laws. If we practice democracy well, we get to choose those that would rule us and people get to change their social class with their own hands. Those in the society that fail to obey the law would be punished accordingly. With these, so many problems we face as a race would be solved and people would be less scared of any deity.

I understand you bro. but the point am making is, religion is chronologically out of order in this century.. but if at all Africa needs a religion, it should be ATR and not the imported ones that has underdeveloped us.

Truth here is no one is forcing anyone into anything

In essence, from what I have distilled from the Op's post, the sole purpose of Christianity is the subjugation of the black race, right?

Crispels:



1.The Imported religions are based on fear.

Yes! when you study how these religions are being propagated,you get revelations. Have you ever wondered how and why you became a Christian? Its because your parents are. If your dad had being an Alhaji,You would be a Muslim. Hence, you are a Christian not because you know Christianity is better than other religion but because your background was built on Christianity. Thus, as u were born as a Child, u were automatically a Christian. While you were growing up, you were already being indoctrinated with all the shenanigans of foreign religions--Hell,Satan,Evil spirits etc. In African society, a child of 5years old is already brainwashed with the fear of hell and satan. Hence, growing up;he already has this fear of being burnt in an imaginary hell. And when he asks questions, he gets dubbed 'possessed' evil, devil's child etc. I recall when i was in Ss1 and I asked my CRK teacher some pertinent questions about the Christian God,hell and Satan, i received the shock of my life. Instead of getting cogent answers, I was stigmatized, called Satan's boy, she said only a child of Satan queries God. I was subjected to a lot of trauma while my questions remained unanswered. This is the story of many African child, these foreign religions are alien to them but they just have to accept it,hook, line and sinker; as a result of fear.

When i got to the University, i got all what i needed to make my research and provide answers to my questions. After a protracted battle with different fears(like being possessed by Satan or heading to hell for making thorough researches into a religion that was meant not to be questioned)- I finally broke the shackles of mental subjugation. I unravelled the concept of hell,Christianity and Islam. I came to realize that: these two religions has in one way or the other underdeveloped Africa.

See, 1. You are confused - before I address your confusion I'll first address your strong want to make a difference. Actually this is how all em karl max, anthony that are made so before you go into your head as a special one of em africans you need to know you won't be the first nor the last.

Now to address your confusion.

A user of urban dictionary defines a deist as "a person who doesn't give a dime about religion." He just believes there is God but refuses religion because he like an atheist requires selfies of Moses raising the rod and Samson tearing the Lion's jaws apart.

You say you are a deist yet your context suggest you want to alienate the existence of God. A deist for me,(which you are not; I think a new term is required for you, maybe atheideist.)
is an incomplete fellow. An unreasonable fellow. He believes there is God but rejects religion. Incomplete fellow as per he doesn't even grab the premise of religion especially christianity cause I can't grasp the other religion, which is the way of worshipping God! That is religion in a clause! "The way you worship God".

You call christianity and islam imported in a negative context because you sure trumped that they are the reason for our under-development. Saying that, is asking us to stick to our ex-practices. The african traditional way of life.

Let us highlight your confusion.

*As a deist you believe there is God you just don't like religion., but your context suggest God is an idea and non-existent(which reminds me of some end time scriptures of the bible).

* You state that religions were imported and they killed our fore fathers practices. There was a tinge of support for the african traditional ways by you which connotes that if we didn't accept them, we might be developed now which further asks if you know 'they are religions too'

* We are underdeveloped because of christianity and islam?? This is mockery and it makes me vehement at the folks that clicked like on your post. Who brought the first secondary school to Nigeria? Who introduced some of the sports we play today? How many of our children were taken overseas by missionaries? How many of our children were given clothes by them? Who gave us our first news magazine? Who oversaw our first primary schools? Who put into extinction most of our dull myths? Who stopped the killing of twins? Blaming them for our under-development and not the greed of the dullardss we put in power is pouring acid on the finger that fed you.

* I saw a picture of a dull-arse white woman writing of how they gave us religion to control us. The questions that crossed my minds were:

•Who had christianity first? Whites. So who is controlling them then. Aliens?

• If christianity and islam uses fear to control us what can be said about our traditional religions that are so cruel and wicked that not even goats made sounds during wicked occultic rites?

* The west is one of the most developed parts of the world. Were there not christians since time immemorial in America? Does America that is rebelling against God now not have a "God's own State' slogan? And you blame christianity and islam for under-development? What an under-developed thought train of a nigger! This is exactly why Africa is not growing. Always looking for someone to blame instead of a way out

* Britons controlled us and they are by default more of christians. Now if that dumb facebook woman believes they controlled us with religion, how will she explain the hausas that are dominatingly muslims, being controlled by Britain?

* a christian child is a christian child because he was born as one just like beyonce's daughter will not see partying like there is no tomorrow as wrong.

* You had questions like all of us had questions but some of us had brilliant theologians for parents and sunday school teachers and they answered our questions well. But you weren't so lucky. Accept my condolences.

* Christians are not to live in fear actually. The bible classifies the 'fearful' as a sinner. The only thing you fear is God and Solomon said that to accentuate the signs of wisdom. And if you look at it critically you'll see everybody lives in fear. Fear of not looking good; Fear of the law so you can't stab that nigga that stopped your promotion or that you caught with your girl; working hard for fear of not being able to cater for your needs; We fear the road safety so we keep road regulations; Some of us fear its side effects so we don't take crack cocaine; *Some of us fear God so we worship him.*

The asterisk sentenced shows you choose whichever you want. I don't fuccckk around because I fear HIV, Sinning and Unwanted Pregnancy some don't. I read because I fear failing some don't. Calvinism my man calvinism. Not all would be saved so whatever you say can either draw more people that are not meant to or make those that are meant to stronger.


Thanks for inviting me though. I really appreciate it.

dalaman:
I can relate to the child of satan part. Back in high school, a friend ask our CRK teacher some simple questions and she gave the same reply. She also said that only a child of satan will question God. She encouraged us to tell any one that asked us such questions to say get behind me satan. back then I truly felt offended that the guy was asking such questions and truly believe he was possessed by demons.

Yeah I couldn't cope with dullards like that. I dug into the bible myself and thank God the holy spirit helped me. That CRK teacher shows you why people still go to guru maharji's church. The bible says 'my people perish for lack of wisdom'.

Atheideist lol ! Crispels don suffer.

CaptainJune:
In essence, from what I have distilled from the Op's post, the sole purpose of Christianity is the subjugation of the black race, right?

The purpose of it being brought to Africa was subjugation. Absolutely.

There was no oil industry back then, and sheer manpower was the difference between making billions and eating wheat for dinner.

This is the most Stupidd post i have ever come across in the religion section. Your African spirituality was too weak,steeped in barbarism, blind faith and hence was overcome by a great/er LIGHT!

The westerners had their own fair share of superstition and were at one time in gross darkness, until the appointed time of God and they received wisdom. Did they abandon their old time beliefs? YES!!! Most of them! And they still prospered!!!

O ye atheists, and African spirituality advocates, you are making a fool of yourselves if you think religion is your problem. We can see through,your hatred for the Almighty God is overwhelming and self consuming!

Where were your gods when they invaded your land and imposed their religion on you?Your gods could not save you then, why would they do it now. And why speak for your gods? Simple! They have no power, no voice absolutely nothing in the face of the Living and all powerful God.

Crap!!!.. Get a life y'all...

Op, The falseman. how come religion did not underdevelop America and Europe as you claim it did to africa. The whites were they not the first that rose with religion. This is why i termed atheists ''bunch of confused people who got frustrated and tired of praying''
Roman 9:11 disapprove ATHEISM

An2elect2:




Where were your gods when they invaded your land and imposed their religion on you?Your gods could not save you then, why would they do it now. And why speak for your gods? Simple! They have no power, no voice absolutely nothing in the face of the Living and all powerful God.

Where is the God of the Nigerian Christian? Does he speak? Where was he when over a 100 people died in the building collapse?