divinereal: Nice Read....

http://saharareporters.com/article/religion-bane-afica%E2%80%99s-development-ijabla-raymond

Let’s keep this really simple – our continent has adopted 2 foreign religions, which are diametrically opposed to each other. Their gods are mutually exclusive and hating of each other, the inevitable consequence being that we are engaged in perpetual ethno-religious conflicts in the name of these gods. An African muslim will sooner identify with say, an Arab or Afghan muslim than with a fellow non-muslim African.

The fatalism inherent in these religions has also led to the EVOLUTION of a CULTURE characterised by the tendency to blame third parties (usually the devil and his agents) for actions (or inactions) that we should accept responsibility for and reliance on god and prayers for solutions to problems we have created. I think it is quite plausible that fatalism is also the reason why we seem incapable of thinking beyond today, content with the assurance of a blissful future in some utopian heaven and not bothered about our current ephemeral constituency. There is also this pervasive attitude of ostentatiousness (the "I have arrived" or "Big man's" syndrome), which drives corruption. We seem driven by the desire to show others that we too have ‘arrived’. This causes us to make poor choices and provides the fuel that corruption requires to burn ceaselessly. Thus, we have a reputation for immediate self-gratification e.g. marrying many wives, throwing senselessly lavish parties, shopping abroad for the most mundane personal or household items, the ridiculous situation where an individual could own up to 20 luxury cars at a time and so on. The prosperity gospel preachers love that we can donate huge tithes and offerings and therefore use the bible, even if unwittingly, to defend and promote these attitudes by capitalizing on our greed and ignorance. A vicious cycle forms birthing a new culture.

The West tried religion and abandoned it after centuries of religious conflicts, diseases and stagnation. It embraced science and has since landed man on the moon. By its nature, religion is reliant on superstitions and does not encourage critical thinking. Thanks to science, Man is now exploring other planets for signs of life. We Africans love these foreign religions and are not about to let go anytime soon. Heck, we even nearly produced the pope. We have a global reputation for religious zealousness and now proudly export religion to the rest of the world; never mind science, technology, philosophy, innovations or any of the ideals of progressive societies. Some of us vehemently oppose the separation of state and religion and will die to defend theocracy (e.g. Sharia). Some have gone farther and have imposed this expansionist system of government on secular states without a referendum. We know very well that the modus operandi of expansionism is ‘give us an inch and we’ll demand a mile’. Needless to say, any form of resistance to this expansionist ideology leads inexorably to conflicts.

The black race is like the biblical ‘house divided against itself’, which cannot stand. This is why development has eluded us and the mention of ‘Africa’ conjures up images of darkness, wars, hunger and diseases. Using Nigeria as an example, the First Republic fell because of ethno-religious bigotry, which subsequently led to a bloody civil war. The bigotry has worsened to the point where most people no longer believe in the Nigerian project. Yet, ethno-religious bigotry and parochial regional interests are the very reasons we cannot convene a needful Sovereign National Conference to define the terms of our continued existence or separation into devolved governments or smaller national entities. We continue to plod along, praying and fasting to god for a miraculous solution.

I can see the appeal of religion; it gives people hope, which in itself is not a bad thing especially when one considers the hopelessness of leadership on our continent. But religion is not innocuous. It engenders mental laziness and divisions and, is a potent tool for mental enslavement. How can our society thrive when our universities have seemingly become places where our bright future leaders graduate as religious zealots? How will we advance if the bond of religious fraternity supersedes natural kinship? In what way does it advance us when we kill our own brothers in the name of religion?

To conclude, I believe that religion is a besetting problem for Africans (Nigerians) and that it’s negative influences are not fully appreciated or grasped. Africa will remain the Dark Continent until its people can unite, rise above all forms of self-inflicted bigotry and learn to put the interest of the community over and beyond those of the individual. Until then, it seems to me that the debate on why Africa is backward will go on for a long time and not many will disagree with former South African President, P.W Botha or the statements credited to him to the effect that Africans cannot rule themselves.

''By now every one of us has seen it practically that the Blacks cannot rule themselves. Give them guns and they will kill each other. They are good in nothing else but making noise, dancing, marrying many wives and indulging in sex. Let us all accept that the Black man is the symbol of poverty, mental inferiority, laziness and emotional incompetence. Isn't it plausible, therefore that the White man is created to rule the Black man? Come to think of what would happen one day if you woke up and on the throne sat a Kaff*ir! Can you imagine what would happen to our women? Does anyone of you believe that the Blacks can rule this country?'' PW Botha. August 1985.


PS:
This article is not an endorsement of our indigenous African religions; I believe they are no different.



Ijabla Raymond
Medical doctor of Nigerian heritage writes from the UK
Email: ijabla.raymond@facebook.com

mazaje: Nigeria is dying because of religion. . .Any thing that man needs to do must be done by man himself. . .No god anywhere has ever helped any nation to develop. . .

hisblud: hi african randi when are you posting your juju encounter?

divinereal: Nice Read....

http://saharareporters.com/article/religion-bane-afica%E2%80%99s-development-ijabla-raymond

Let’s keep this really simple – our continent has adopted 2 foreign religions, which are diametrically opposed to each other. Their gods are mutually exclusive and hating of each other, the inevitable consequence being that we are engaged in perpetual ethno-religious conflicts in the name of these gods. An African muslim will sooner identify with say, an Arab or Afghan muslim than with a fellow non-muslim African.


The fatalism inherent in these religions has also led to the EVOLUTION of a CULTURE characterised by the tendency to blame third parties (usually the devil and his agents) for actions (or inactions) that we should accept responsibility for and reliance on god and prayers for solutions to problems we have created. I think it is quite plausible that fatalism is also the reason why we seem incapable of thinking beyond today, content with the assurance of a blissful future in some utopian heaven and not bothered about our current ephemeral constituency. There is also this pervasive attitude of ostentatiousness (the "I have arrived" or "Big man's" syndrome), which drives corruption. We seem driven by the desire to show others that we too have ‘arrived’. This causes us to make poor choices and provides the fuel that corruption requires to burn ceaselessly. Thus, we have a reputation for immediate self-gratification e.g. marrying many wives, throwing senselessly lavish parties, shopping abroad for the most mundane personal or household items, the ridiculous situation where an individual could own up to 20 luxury cars at a time and so on. The prosperity gospel preachers love that we can donate huge tithes and offerings and therefore use the bible, even if unwittingly, to defend and promote these attitudes by capitalizing on our greed and ignorance. A vicious cycle forms birthing a new culture.

The West tried religion and abandoned it after centuries of religious conflicts, diseases and stagnation. It embraced science and has since landed man on the moon. By its nature, religion is reliant on superstitions and does not encourage critical thinking. Thanks to science, Man is now exploring other planets for signs of life. We Africans love these foreign religions and are not about to let go anytime soon. Heck, we even nearly produced the pope. We have a global reputation for religious zealousness and now proudly export religion to the rest of the world; never mind science, technology, philosophy, innovations or any of the ideals of progressive societies. Some of us vehemently oppose the separation of state and religion and will die to defend theocracy (e.g. Sharia). Some have gone farther and have imposed this expansionist system of government on secular states without a referendum. We know very well that the modus operandi of expansionism is ‘give us an inch and we’ll demand a mile’. Needless to say, any form of resistance to this expansionist ideology leads inexorably to conflicts.

The black race is like the biblical ‘house divided against itself’, which cannot stand. This is why development has eluded us and the mention of ‘Africa’ conjures up images of darkness, wars, hunger and diseases. Using Nigeria as an example, the First Republic fell because of ethno-religious bigotry, which subsequently led to a bloody civil war. The bigotry has worsened to the point where most people no longer believe in the Nigerian project. Yet, ethno-religious bigotry and parochial regional interests are the very reasons we cannot convene a needful Sovereign National Conference to define the terms of our continued existence or separation into devolved governments or smaller national entities. We continue to plod along, praying and fasting to god for a miraculous solution.

I can see the appeal of religion; it gives people hope, which in itself is not a bad thing especially when one considers the hopelessness of leadership on our continent. But religion is not innocuous. It engenders mental laziness and divisions and, is a potent tool for mental enslavement. How can our society thrive when our universities have seemingly become places where our bright future leaders graduate as religious zealots? How will we advance if the bond of religious fraternity supersedes natural kinship? In what way does it advance us when we kill our own brothers in the name of religion?

To conclude, I believe that religion is a besetting problem for Africans (Nigerians) and that it’s negative influences are not fully appreciated or grasped. Africa will remain the Dark Continent until its people can unite, rise above all forms of self-inflicted bigotry and learn to put the interest of the community over and beyond those of the individual. Until then, it seems to me that the debate on why Africa is backward will go on for a long time and not many will disagree with former South African President, P.W Botha or the statements credited to him to the effect that Africans cannot rule themselves.

''By now every one of us has seen it practically that the Blacks cannot rule themselves. Give them guns and they will kill each other. They are good in nothing else but making noise, dancing, marrying many wives and indulging in sex. Let us all accept that the Black man is the symbol of poverty, mental inferiority, laziness and emotional incompetence. Isn't it plausible, therefore that the White man is created to rule the Black man? Come to think of what would happen one day if you woke up and on the throne sat a Kaff*ir! Can you imagine what would happen to our women? Does anyone of you believe that the Blacks can rule this country?'' PW Botha. August 1985.


PS:
This article is not an endorsement of our indigenous African religions; I believe they are no different.



Ijabla Raymond
Medical doctor of Nigerian heritage writes from the UK
Email: ijabla.raymond@facebook.com

manmustwac:

vedaxcool:


which kind sense be this? In Nigeria people tend to congregate around ethnicity it is funny the author seem not to have ever heard of the Rwandan genocide in which people who shared the same religion where at each other throat, this resort to simpleton and superficial explanation of complicated problems seems to be at the very heart of problems in Nigeria than religion or ethnicity, a yoruba muslim will like identify with a yoruba christian than a huasa muslim an dvice versa on socio-economic and even political issues and because the west dunmp religion we should follow suit? please this rejecters of religion and blame God for your own failures people should have some dignity and be proud of who they are.

vedaxcool:


which kind sense be this? In Nigeria people tend to congregate around ethnicity it is funny the author seem not to have ever heard of the Rwandan genocide in which people who shared the same religion where at each other throat, this resort to simpleton and superficial explanation of complicated problems seems to be at the very heart of problems in Nigeria than religion or ethnicity, a yoruba muslim will like identify with a yoruba christian than a huasa muslim an dvice versa on socio-economic and even political issues and because the west dunmp religion we should follow suit? please this rejecters of religion and blame God for your own failures people should have some dignity and be proud of who they are.