Fellow Nairalanders,

This is an opinion culled from Tideonline.
Source: http://www.thetidenews.com/article.aspx?qrDate=12/15/2006&qrTitle=Churches%20and%20noise%20pollution&qrColumn=OPINION

Churches and noise pollution
• Friday, Dec 15, 2006
When Christianity was first brought to Africa through the economic activities of the Europeans on African soil, churches were located at strategic places, very far from living homes.

It was so because absolute tranquility within the church arena was needed for a condusive worship, and it shows humility and respect before God. Apart from that, it reminded people that the church is a holy place, sacred in deed, that people assume God’s presence.

No wonder, Christ was bitter when he discovered people trading in the church premises.

The essence of churches using loud speakers is to enable the congregation get the message clear from the preacher or anybody who speaks behind the micro phone, and not just for the fun of it.

In that case, it would be meaningless to use speakers when the congregation is minimal.

Most especially in the midnight when places is as quite as the sea, such that a sound produced in a place could be heard in a distance of about 100 kilometres away. Under these conditions, people within the environment can not be comfortable, let alone having a sound sleep after stress and tiredness, resulting from the daily job.

Even in Europe from where Christianity moved to Africa, there is orderliness in worship, people worship in their own ways according to their respect to other people’s right and religion. They also respect the laws of the land.

I don’t know why the case is different in Nigeria, our own country, some of our clergy men believe that being what they are, they can do whatever that pleases them because they are religiously immuned.

To be precise, I am referring to those new breed churches found here and there, in every nook and crannies of our society.

Just imagine some one waking up in the midnight in a residential estate and start shouting prayers, disturbing the peace of other members of the yard, all in the name of worshiping God. Is that not madness?

It beats my imagination that even in the school campuses, churches were allowed to have their worship’s during lecture hours, even in the night. You can imagine how students will cope with studies under such noisy environment.

Sometimes, one may ask; if this loud sound of speakers and prayers at night are the only ways God could here prayers? Is it the only way to get new converts?

But wait a minute how would you compare this noisy style of worship in the night to that of the Pharisees in the bible? Is there any difference?

It is wrong for us to think that when we force our next door neighbour keep awake all night against his wish all in the name of worshipping God, would he be pleased?

No Sir, I don’t think so. We should not misconstrued God when He said; “go to the world and preach the word” He did not say that we should go and disturb the peace of other people. Haba—are we all not children of God, worshiping one God?

Even when Christ envisaged trouble before His persecution, He took his disciples to mount olives that night and asked them to pray. They did but silently, not shouting to God for a solution, like we would have done if we were there.

Have it that Jesus and His disciples were shouting prayers, when the soldiers came, don’t you think Christ would have been taken away before His disciples know it?

They say society is what you make it. Even though we think our laws does not catch easily, we should not deliberately break them, we should not create the impression that it’s our culture, the way things are done here.

God in his infinite mercy has given to us sleep free of charge, therefore we must allow other people enjoy their sleep. It is not compulsory that everybody around us must keep watch.

These new breed churches must stop murdering sleep at mid night because no man can provide it. It is one of the gifts nature gave to man. And, it made it that once it’s night, no matter who you are, your eyes must fall to obey nature.

It is my humble advise that churches should not be located within a living home or in a premises close to living houses so that people would have peace.

Our society is so religious that it would be very ungodly and unforgiving for any person to disrupt church activity just because the person feels being disturbed. Therefore we should be careful in our decision.

I am not against people worshipping God, but people should do things the way they should be. We have advanced in reasoning, therefore, if maturity, exposure and academic intelligence can not correct our ways, our conscience should be able to put us in the right track.

Good a thing the state government through the Federal Road Safety Commission has woken up against the noise pollution generated by the town service bus drivers who use high volume loud speakers. I wish that same crusade be extened to others in our society, including the churches too.

Finally, the authority in-charge of issuance of licence to churches should take cognizance of this problem in our society. It should be one of the laws or guidelines to the new churches before licence is issued. The authority, before anything should find out first while the intending churches is to be located.

The society is for all of us and not for single person or group of persons. When we understand and respect one another, love and harmony reigns.

Epelle is a student of RSUST Port Harcourt

Nairalanders,

This is an issue that has a source of augments with my friends,last year I helped a female friend and her husband secure an apartment in a quiet estate in Dublin but within a month of moving in,they were getting evicted for noise pollution aka early morning prayers.
This lovely couple would wake their neighbours with very loud prayers,the police (Garda) got called in many times to resolve the issue to no avail,they claimed the right of worship which is taken seriously in Ireland.

After a couple of weeks their neighbours got the council and the letting agents involved to resolve the issue of loud prayers in the wee hours of the morning,needless to say the got kicked out of the apartment and I lost some money because I put up part of the deposit on the flat.

When I tried to reason with them about their prayers I was branded a wizard as I can't remember the last time I was in a church or was it that I didn't share their religious conviction.

I would really like your opinion about Very Loud Prayers.

Cheers

I don't care what anybody prays or screams to, but you must respect my quiet and privacy, while you're at it. Thank goodness I'm in a situation where I can enforce the right to quiet enjoyment of my property, against loud religious zealots.

What I don't get is why my people (Nigerians) stamp their foot and bang on the table and walls when praying!Why is this form of prayers more common with Black people;Africans especially Nigerians?

Thats nothing.
One fine day in Nigeria i was about 17 .(that long ago)
I was sleeping deeply till somewere around 2 am. I woke up to a noise of people singing and clapping at the top of their voice.
I ran to the window and saw them.A group of people all dressed in white running or jogging down the street.
Well i was only 17 and the only thing that passed my mind then was. Armed robbers will not come today.
But I will not find it funny if that happens again Today.
I mean some people have to get up Early in the morning.
But on the other hand one can get used to any noise. I think if they sing everyday, one day i will not even hear them again. Its my visitors that will tell me my place is loud
its like people that live near an airport

It is a pity the way we have taken noise for true worship.Pathetic!

oh my lock up ur houses, , lock your windors and doors the christians are coming lol ''THEY''  make it sound like some UFO lol. (cud not help it)  

No but really i do agree that respect must be given to neighbours when the churches are situated in residential areas. It is essential to not bring contempt upon the religion. It even says in the bible we should respect others too. so i agree respect and consideration should be given. The only thing i will not like is if some ppl begin to use this topic as a means to further bash christians. My church goes by very strong guidelines when it comes to noise, anyway our building used to be a cinema so it is sound proof. Plus we also make sure parking is adhered to. If we are disorderly what then are we supposed to say to those who dont believe?

jeez! am not surprise! nigerian churches that is how they r shouting when praying!
as if God will not answer their prayer when they r praying gently!!

hmmmm

A friend of mine got robbed a few years back by armed robbers in PH. This could have been averted if his voice had overpowered the voices of the congregation of 3 different churches in the neighbourhood. Worshipping God nowadays in Nigeria appears to be like the people are quarrelling with God. Me I tire,

medube:

Worshipping God nowadays in Nigeria appears to be like the people are quarrelling with God. Me I tire,

thank u that is hw i think they r quarrelling with God.that why when i go to nigeria i dont kind of churches that will be blocking ur ear drum.

Here we go let the Christian bashing begin.  , dont knock what you dont understand. I would say they should make sure they dont disturb neighbours. But dont knock their mode of worship, not cool

Just be happy u never lived next to a mosque like I did for several years.

They directed their loudspeakers towards our house for prayer, perhaps to convert us stuborn Christians.

Five times a day and in Ramadan nearly all day long!

I prefer sunday prayers to this!

Since I live in Germany now with those tranquille services I miss the African noisy way to praise god shaking your waist and praising God even with loudspeakers.

@eurphoria
i am not ''knocking their mode of worship'' all i am saying is that they should ease when their worshipping

ruescho:

Just be happy u never lived next to a mosque like I did for several years.

They directed their loudspeakers towards our house for prayer, perhaps to convert us stuborn Christians.

Five times a day and in Ramadan nearly all day long!

I prefer sunday prayers to this!

Since I live in Germany now with those tranquille services I miss the African noisy way to praise god shaking your waist and praising God even with loudspeakers.

lol

yes you were and your reply just now just said so too. Check your words again

ruescho:

Just be happy u never lived next to a mosque like I did for several years.

They directed their loudspeakers towards our house for prayer, perhaps to convert us stuborn Christians.

Five times a day and in Ramadan nearly all day long!

I prefer sunday prayers to this!

Since I live in Germany now with those tranquille services I miss the African noisy way to praise god shaking your waist and praising God even with loudspeakers.

r u kiddin me , where i used to live in nigeria there about two churches and a mosque close to me and they had this competion of who makes the loudest noise, twas so bad, goshh

hmmm , out!

Well. . .truth be said churches and mosques alike display open disregard for environmental laws(noise pollution et al), how Pathetic! but why attack modes of worship of any religion? There is no prayer mode God does not answer to, free world!!

It's sad that the level of noise that is made is translated into the efficacy of the prayers offered by many religions today. Contemplation, meditation and spending quality and peaceful time in the presence of God remains the best way of talking to God and hearing from him.

Faith has now been defined as the denial of common sense. In the bible, Jesus withdrew into the bush to pray and even at that it was not noisy. Infact, his disciples did not find it hard sleeping near a praying Jesus but today, "the violent take it by force" Here in the university campus, armed robbers attacked us in our class room and we could not be helped because some renegade students where shouting on top of their voices in the name of church, off course when they heard the sounds of the AK47; jumping out of the window and breaking all olympic and world records in the sprint was not an option for them as the meeting ended immediately. I don tire to tell ma people say this thing no good. The university authorities banned all religious meetings in class areas after wards, how will students even read but trust after like 3 weeks it went back to business as usual.

Euphoria,

I am one person who advocates freedom of worship,in the way an individual chooses but the rights of other law abiding members of the society must not be prejudiced.I remember many moons ago back in Nigeria when people preach in buses wheather you like it or not.
These Mobile Preachers as they are known would stand up in long bus journeys and start telling you that if you don't convert to their gods you would heading straight to hell in very loud voices with total disregard of the religious believes of fellow passengers.

I lived in the UK for a few years and I can't recall people preaching in buses,trains or in shopping centres except maybe Hyde park.Nigerian churches in the UK and Ireland are confined to warehouses,business parks and community centres were they have better sound proofing.
What I don't get why people would organize night vigils(vigil meaning quite watch or prayer) and end up with full scale casting out,delivering from imagined mammy water spirits

my brothers wonders shall never end.

I've seen some Nigerian style worshiping and I have to say that it freaks me out completely. It is so far from the western experience of worship.

I don't understand all the shouting and screaming and repeating the shouts over and over. They treat God like he is deaf or stupid. Still, everyone can worship in their own way. It's wrong to disturb others though.

It happened to me once. One of my neighbours held held a service in their home one Sunday evening and really we couldn't hear anything but screaming and ranting for nearly 2 hours even with all our windows firmly shut. However, they did stop at around 9.30pm and it was only once so no harm done. If they had carried on late or started doing it regularly then, yes, I would have called the police. What right do they have to disturb everyone else, keep babies and children awake, or force everyone to just sit and listen to their worship. We couldn't even hear the tv or ourselves talking over the noise. I was very cross about it. My boyfriend, who is Nigerian and goes to a Nigerian-run church was just as angry. He says it creates a bad impression of Nigerians - in the UK you don't hold church services in residential areas.

this is a very funny issue. in my street,we av a CAC church and a mosque directly at d back of my room. an important politician stays on my street nd comes there 4 wkends. the CAC holds vigils on fridays nd r always disturbing the neighbourhood. afta much appeals, suing the church to court nd winnin, the church stil continued. Guess, wat d man did,

He got two big speakers, placed them in front of the church nd every friday nite, he wuld play either Fela's or KSA's music. evryone had 2 endure nd d church reduced their 'noise pollution'. how about dat.

That was very clever!

If I had people outside my house making a racket in the middle of the night I'd get the hosepipe out and give them a shower!

In my own opinion a lot of Churces today have leaders who are really not informed and so they have very little respect for a neighbour's right. I dont believe i have to be noisy to disturb my naighbour before my prayers are answered.I believe by shoutig loud my neighbours already know my petition so when God in Hs infinite mercies answers me it may no longer be news.

mrmayor
i hear you . beleive it or not ppl do preach on trains tubes and buses, any tube line you would find someone preaching , not common but you do get to see it. Certain areas like Brixton you will find some sort of gthering on any saturday singing and preaching on microphones or any other public speaking aid. They are allowed at certain times, otherwise i dont think you will see ppl preaching across major town centres across the SW, SE and North London.

I do agree that churches need to be considerate about the noise especially ona sunday which is many ppl's day of rest and even if it wasnt one's neighbour need to be respected, our lord would not expect anything less of us. Force feeding the message will never do the business. So i do hear you

Ignorant people partaking in ignorant behaviour really isn't all that suprising.

Clearly loving and respecting thy neighbour isn't as important (or profitable) as hating homosexuals.

Phlota,

Phlota:

this is a very funny issue. in my street,we av a CAC church and a mosque directly at d back of my room. an important politician stays on my street nd comes there 4 wkends. the CAC holds vigils on fridays nd r always disturbing the neighbourhood. after much appeals, suing the church to court nd winnin, the church stil continued. Guess, what d man did,
He got two big speakers, placed them in front of the church nd every friday night, he wuld play either Fela's or KSA's music. evryone had 2 endure nd d church reduced their 'noise pollution'. how about that.

What an idea,never thought of that.I'm researching ways of jamming loudspeakers and radio waves for my vacation.I just heard from my mum that there about three churches around our home now,the last thing I need is sleep deprivation when I go home.

@Mamaput,
Funny account,I couldn't stop laughing.

@mrmayor

English1  

just like this superman cant understand why those gay lords politicains in the parliment in westminister always screemed like a drunk men whenever there is deliberation going on. or the football holigians! damn what a nuisance