I have a friend who thanks and praises God everyday for the period he was employed at NNPC, whilst there, he was able to buy himself a house and other luxuries one can imagine. To be candid, the assets he acquired would probably have taken a diligent and honest employee a lifetime to achieve. My problem is why does he think that was God's doing, why does he believe it was God's intention for him to be in a position where he can corruptly enrich himself. This I find very common amongst Nigerians. We thank God for what the proceeds of corruption and crime have gotten us, what is it that makes us think it's Gods plan? or Could it be ?

Why couldn't it be the plan of their god. The one they worship. Afterall it is by their fruits that you shall know them. This world is populated with so many gods.

gamechange:

I have a friend who thanks and praises God everyday for the period he was employed at NNPC, whilst there, he was able to buy himself a house and other luxuries one can imagine. To be candid, the assets he acquired would probably have taken a diligent and honest employee a lifetime to achieve. My problem is why does he think that was God's doing, why does he believe it was God's intention for him to be in a position where he can corruptly enrich himself. This I find very common amongst Nigerians. We thank God for what the proceeds of corruption and crime have gotten us, what is it that makes us think it's Gods plan? or Could it be ?   

haha someone is somewhere in nairaland talking about how moral nigerians are> God help us

maybe he's praising mammon.

because the lives of nigerians revolve around god/gods. . . . . . .

One of my friends and neighbours, a family from Nigeria believes that the ultimate arbiter for the problems of Nigeria, is God. He believes that at some point in the near future, God will intervene and fix Nigeria's problems. I say to him, half jokingly, that the problem with Nigeria is that it is inhabited by Nigerians.

Can anyone point to any country in the world where the distinctive hand of God can be identified as having help the country through its travails?

huxley:

Can anyone point to any country in the world where the distinctive hand of God can be identified as having help the country through its travails?

Hi huxley,

Maybe if you asked about specific countries where people have distinctively rejected God, then you may have your answer.

pilgrim.1:

Hi huxley,

Maybe if you asked about specific countries where people have distinctively rejected God, then you may have your answer.

China. . . . . . . and they are doing quite well. . . . .

mazaje:

China. . . . . . . and they are doing quite well. . . . .

Don't be such a teaser. They are doing "quite well" - how many of them have been shown to be doing "quite well" after the olympics? How do you measure "doing quite well" if the Chinese government maltreats its own people?

pilgrim.1:

Don't be such a teaser. They are doing "quite well" - how many of them have been shown to be doing "quite well" after the olympics? How do you measure "doing quite well" if the Chinese government maltreats its own people?

They are doing FAR better than nigeria which is the most god dependent country in the world which i know. . . . . . .

mazaje:

They are doing FAR better than nigeria which is the most god dependent country in the world which i know. . . . . . .

Are you the onlyone who does not know about the Chinese case or what? Is it a quality of atheism to abuse human rights? Is that something you want to celebrate for part of "doing quite well"?

pilgrim.1:

Are you the onlyone who does not know about the Chinese case or what?  Is it a quality of atheism to abuse human rights? Is that something you want to celebrate for part of "doing quite well"?

you have a way of evading issues i notice, the bottom line is that god has never and will never make a country prosper, only people can make their country prosper if there is a country that calls on god day and night for help in other to prosper that country will be nigeria and where has all the call of help from god got nigeria? god can never make a country prosper only the people in the country can , i live in a mostly atheist country and the people are doing VERY well without any god's help. . . . . . . you talk about human right abuse? where is human right abuse more evident? china or the very religious and god dependent  nigeria?

@mazaje,

mazaje:

you have a way of evading issues i notice,

I sort of noticed that when people are too lazy to think, they make such allegations.

mazaje:

the bottom line is that god has never and will never make a country prosper, only people can make their country prosper if there is a country that calls on god day and night for help in other to prosper that country will be nigeria and where has all the call of help from god got nigeria? god can never make a country prosper only the people in the country can

Calling upon God to change the situation of a country does not mean that people should not work hard at directly confronting social ills. I think that has to be stressed as well. What I don't understand from people thinking the way you do is to base all your ideas on either God or nothing else - which goes to show that you may be deliberately ignoring other factors that go along with nation building. I asked you directly about this issue sometime ago - I never got an answer; and yet I did not accuse you of evading issues.

mazaje:

i live in a mostly atheist country and the people are doing VERY well without any god's help.

I have had the privilege of visiting that country (Finland), and if I had not, it's been in the news that while the country may do well economically, it does not mean it has been able to manage its social ills.

mazaje:

. . you talk about human right abuse? where is human right abuse more evident? china or the very religious and god dependent nigeria?

Who have been carrying out these human rights abuses to such proportions in Nigeria? And is it any milder in the Chinese case?

had to pick this up

. . . you talk about human right abuse? where is human right abuse more evident? china or the very religious and god dependent nigeria?

but it still stands that the Chinese still get abused human rights wise, it's not a friggin' competition between both countries as to who gets more abused. you state they (the Chinese) have been doing well. the question is How well and how do you define Well?

and had to chip this in. . .

those who blame God for every ill man encounters are as guilty as those who don't use their God-given resources to combat and rectify those ills.

Ok, may I suggest a different approach to looking at this issue? The theists argue that God is active in the world and participates and intervene in human and earthy affairs. If that were so, it would have been possible to ascribe certain world events to direct action of God, correct?

Ok, let us start by taking the clock back 10000 years. In what follows, God means the Abrahamic God.

1) Do we know of any nations, states, or peoples who have directly benefited from the hand of God?
2) Were there any civilizations that prospered without them being worshipers of God?

4000, 2000, 1500, 1000, 500, 200, 100, 50 and 0 Years ago

3) Were there any world civilizations that were flourishing without being committed to God?
4) Were they civilizations that were floundering as a result of committment to God?

Wordsmith:

those who blame God for every ill man encounters are as guilty as those who don't use their God-given resources to combat and rectify those ills.

Gbam. I thought so as well.

I wonder oo
But i think it is because every manliness and harry worship wealth not minding the source. There may be few exceptions.

my bruva in real life chinese economy is suppose to beat that of briton and of rica's afterall china is one of the colonial masters in the world,i think you should'nt compare naija and china,our problems started from the colonian master,where is chinese problem from?correct me if am wrong

euromilion:

i think you should'nt compare naija and china,our problems started from the colonian master,

I think you have a point there - it wouldn't be fair to compare Naija's problems with the case of China. We all seem to see these matters in relative light, though.

To be candid, the assets he acquired would probably have taken a diligent and honest employee a lifetime to achieve.

@ poster,
Most likely not.
Compute the total salary of a 35 year career starting as a fresh graduate leading to the highest position of GMD, NNPC and compare with the value of assets to see if indeed a diligent and honest employee can achieve it in his lifetime.
Don't forget the guy also has to pay taxes, if he is diligent and honest- Give unto Caesar,
Now you may know why naija is importing fuel despite its crude oil deposits and multiple refineries with $billions spent on TAMs- Turn Around Maintanance.
Next time you see a queue and/or the high cost of petrol, you have one contributor's address at least.

My problem is why does he think that was God's doing, why does he believe it was God's intention for him to be in a position where he can corruptly enrich himself.

Worry not my brother it is called breakthrough, divine intervention, without necessarily working/being productive or adding value to your society that is being preached in MOST naija churches.
And na so we go contineu dey hail them rather than condemn their misdeeds that affects us all- big and small as you can see here
And by the way, you must have heard or read the prophecy that naija go soon better to the next level even as we continue these acts of societal-destruction .

@anonimi

By carefully investing in appropriate financial vehicles over 30 years should provide enough wealth.

@Others

I am enjoying your comments.

@post
Nigerians who do yahoo yahoo will praise God when them don catch mugu, A pastor will praise God for the church contribution that he will use for his own selfishness, our corrupt immigration officers at our international airports will praise God after them don do a good days business of taking bribes. Nigerians only praise God for their own selfishness. We are all bloody hypocrites.

Everyone Praises God

Even those that dont believe He exists


Im Atheist, Thank God!

gamechange:

@anonimi

By carefully investing in appropriate financial vehicles over 30 years should provide enough wealth.

ordinarily yes and that is what happened in naija until the mid/late 70s.
But not anymore with the vast majority of naija workers because the monthly salary cannot even take you to month end for basics of food, shelter & clothing.
This feeds corruption and the twisted philosophy starting in the 80s of "if you can't beat them, join them". 20 years on & the results are glaring for all to see- dilapidated infrastructures, unemployment, crimes etc.

anonimi:

Now you may know why naija is importing fuel despite its crude oil deposits and multiple refineries with $billions spent on TAMs- Turn Around Maintanance.
Next time you see a queue and/or the high cost of petrol, you have one contributor's address at least.

Ink neva dry for my computer wey this story appear for confirmation:

FG Opts for Massive Importation of Fuel
By Udeme Clement-Ogbuanu, 10.20.2008

With the imminent zero production of petroleum products in the country following the state of all the refineries, the Federal Government has decided to embark on massive importation of fuel to prevent scarcity and queues at the filling stations.
The gist continues here

In the abundance of water the fool is thirsty- Bob Marley