By Jett-Iyke Amaechi

I asked a friend that traveled abroad when he told me about the decline in his spiritual life.

"Or is it that they don't allow you pray over there? Tell me."

The abroad guy responded, "No, it is not so. You are allowed to pray here.

But when you get here you will realize that a lot of things that we perceive to be spiritual are not.

They are a product of failures, from government and ourselves.

You will meet a system and an ideology that will challenge your previous beliefs.

Imagine that here, you don't pray to fill gas, own a house, a car, go to school or have your children attend one of the best schools.

But in Nigeria, sometimes you even pray to have your three square meal per day."

"The thing tire me." I replied.

Then he continued, "You don't even pray to get a job.

There are agencies saddled with that responsibility and they do their best to get you a job in 2 months.

And once you get that job your life becomes a product of leverage, the one we acknowledge as grace in Nigeria.

But this grace doesn't come from above, it comes from the government.

Your child can even go to university and graduate without paying a dime.

As the child begins to work, the government will gradually deducts his fees from his salary in a way that it won't even affect the child.

Under such atmosphere, if it's you, you will change and behave like me.

You won't even suspect your uncles, you will know they have no hand in your failure or success.

I don't suspect my uncle's anymore. Infact, I even call them on phone now.

We are closer than before. Life is really a mystery.

A traveller is wiser than a gray-haired man.

But I will advise you, you know the government we have, do your best and come to this place.

You will thank God you did."

At this instance, I was weak. " So our government had made us to hate our uncles like this when we should have loved them.

Oh! As I have become an uncle now, tomorrow my nephews and nieces will hate me thinking that I'm responsible for their failures.

When I'm innocent. God forbid! Some of our uncles may be dying in silence of their innocency.

God will help them.

So, our government made us pray about every issue of life no matter how small and jump from one prayer house to another.

It shall not be well with them." I concluded.

" I think you now understand," We ended the call.

I was in deep thinking of what to do.

"Should we all leave this country and runaway? No, all of us aren't meant to travel overseas." I muttered those words.

But you that read to this point, what do you think?

https://www.solutionreporters.com/2022/12/24/why-do-nigerians-become-less-religious-when-they-travel-abroad/

The day Nigeria progresses into a nation with the welfare of her citizens at the heart of its policies overall, you'd understand.

Just imagine a situation where you are assured of a job and timely pay as and when due, access to healthcare, and every other social amenity. And then to cap it all up, even when you aren't able to work, you have access to social welfare benefits.

My brother, the day majority of Nigerians working or not can just walk down to the next ATM at the end of each monthly cycle to make withdrawals of their salaries or stipend from the government, church businesses will become obsolete and relationships with religion will become personal and organic.

The current style of Christianity in particular is a result of "surrendering it all to God" since the government has failed in every aspect of caring for the citizens.

Humans have resigned to fate and hope endlessly for succor from supernatural forces or beings.

True talk

Lol, why won't they.
Money is time over there, the more you work the more you earn.

gaby:
The day Nigeria progresses into a nation with the welfare of her citizens at the heart of its policies overall, you'd understand.

Just imagine a situation where you are assured of a job and timely pay as and when due, access to healthcare, and every other social amenity. And then to cap it all up, even when you aren't able to work, you have access to social welfare benefits.

My brother, the day majority of Nigerians working or not can just walk down to the next ATM at the end of each monthly cycle to make withdrawals of their salaries or stipend from the government, church businesses will become obsolete and relationships with religion will become personal and organic.

The current style of Christianity in particular is a result of "surrendering it all to God" since the government has failed in every aspect of caring for the citizens.

Humans have resigned to fate and hope endlessly for succor from supernatural forces or beings.

That is why Nigeria is the most religious country in the world.... Because we are actually one of the poorest countries

Aareakinwunmi:
Lol, why won't they.

Money is time over there, the more you work the more you earn.

When will Nigeria get to the level of Europe and America? I weep for my dear nation

No be everybody the tolerate our rubbish na

they realise its not necessary as it should

True

Many of them are still religious, but time is money abroad. You may have worked 12 hours overnight. You no go get time go church on Sunday.

ednut1:
Many of them are still religious, but time is money abroad. You may have worked 12 hours overnight. You no go get time go church on Sunday.

You are absolutely right but my kind of person who isn't a church goer, I will still have time to pray no matter how many hours I work and that's what really matters because serving God is in the heart not by going to church

SReporters:


You are absolutely right but my kind of person who isn't a church goer, I will still have time to pray no matter how many hours I work and that's what really matters because serving God is in the heart not by going to church

many also do not enjoy oyinbo churches because its civil and lacks gra gra. Nigerian churches may also be far away.

I believe the opposite ... that one gets more religious when abroad. If one was a church goer in Nigeria ... when he goes abroad he will attend church because it is a must for him on Sundays ... a sin if he doesn't. When he gets to the church abroad ... he will see a huge difference... the biggest being collecting money is not a priority... they usually collect once or maybe twice if there is a special offering. If you give or don't give ... give much or give little doesn't matter at all... if you give $100 000 dollars you wouldn't be praised or be given special attention. The preaching will be to lift you spiritually ... help keep you away from worldly vices ... not about squeezing more money out of you. It is then your eyes will open and you realize all the while you were being scammed back home. It is then you will decide to be religious.... to see things differently... to realize all the hollering and screaming was a sham and not tolerated abroad as it is expected back home to prove you are filled with a spirit. It is then you will know it is written God helps those who help themselves ... and there will be no midnight prayer vigils to go to for God to favor you and get a job for you while you sit at home waiting. Over to you!

Originalsly:
I believe the opposite ... that one gets more religious when abroad. If one was a church goer in Nigeria ... when he goes abroad he will attend church because it is a must for him on Sundays ... a sin if he doesn't. When he gets to the church abroad ... he will see a huge difference... the biggest being collecting money is not a priority... they usually collect once or maybe twice if there is a special offering. If you give or don't give ... give much or give little doesn't matter at all... if you give $100 000 dollars you wouldn't be praised or be given special attention. The preaching will be to lift you spiritually ... help keep you away from worldly vices ... not about squeezing more money out of you. It is then your eyes will open and you realize all the while you were being scammed back home. It is then you will decide to be religious.... to see things differently... to realize all the hollering and screaming was a sham and not tolerated abroad as it is expected back home to prove you are filled with a spirit. It is then you will know it is written God helps those who help themselves ... and there will be no midnight prayer vigils to go to for God to favor you and get a job for you while you sit at home waiting. Over to you!

Hmmmm..... Well I'm no church goer so the abroad life will be well suitable for me but I agree with your points. Unfortunately, our churches in Nigeria have turned into a money making venture.... Reason why God said his judgement would first start from the church.

gaby:
The day Nigeria progresses into a nation with the welfare of her citizens at the heart of its policies overall, you'd understand.

Just imagine a situation where you are assured of a job and timely pay as and when due, access to healthcare, and every other social amenity. And then to cap it all up, even when you aren't able to work, you have access to social welfare benefits.

My brother, the day majority of Nigerians working or not can just walk down to the next ATM at the end of each monthly cycle to make withdrawals of their salaries or stipend from the government, church businesses will become obsolete and relationships with religion will become personal and organic.

The current style of Christianity in particular is a result of "surrendering it all to God" since the government has failed in every aspect of caring for the citizens.

Humans have resigned to fate and hope endlessly for succor from supernatural forces or beings.

gbam, you hit d nail on the head, Religion is a personal race, those Christians in developed countries are genuine, they are not going to church for prosperity,or miracle, in Nigeria most people go to church for worldly reasons, and churches has been turned to business centres

Originalsly:
I believe the opposite ... that one gets more religious when abroad. If one was a church goer in Nigeria ... when he goes abroad he will attend church because it is a must for him on Sundays ... a sin if he doesn't. When he gets to the church abroad ... he will see a huge difference... the biggest being collecting money is not a priority... they usually collect once or maybe twice if there is a special offering. If you give or don't give ... give much or give little doesn't matter at all... if you give $100 000 dollars you wouldn't be praised or be given special attention. The preaching will be to lift you spiritually ... help keep you away from worldly vices ... not about squeezing more money out of you. It is then your eyes will open and you realize all the while you were being scammed back home. It is then you will decide to be religious.... to see things differently... to realize all the hollering and screaming was a sham and not tolerated abroad as it is expected back home to prove you are filled with a spirit. It is then you will know it is written God helps those who help themselves ... and there will be no midnight prayer vigils to go to for God to favor you and get a job for you while you sit at home waiting. Over to you!

That is not written anywhere.

Originalsly:
I believe the opposite ... that one gets more religious when abroad. If one was a church goer in Nigeria ... when he goes abroad he will attend church because it is a must for him on Sundays ... a sin if he doesn't. When he gets to the church abroad ... he will see a huge difference... the biggest being collecting money is not a priority... they usually collect once or maybe twice if there is a special offering. If you give or don't give ... give much or give little doesn't matter at all... if you give $100 000 dollars you wouldn't be praised or be given special attention. The preaching will be to lift you spiritually ... help keep you away from worldly vices ... not about squeezing more money out of you. It is then your eyes will open and you realize all the while you were being scammed back home. It is then you will decide to be religious.... to see things differently... to realize all the hollering and screaming was a sham and not tolerated abroad as it is expected back home to prove you are filled with a spirit. It is then you will know it is written God helps those who help themselves ... and there will be no midnight prayer vigils to go to for God to favor you and get a job for you while you sit at home waiting. Over to you!

Exactly. Here, you will understand true christanity. People seek God here just to be intimate with Him, nothing more. The sermons do not speak of the preacher's accomplishments. The focus is on the Bible. Even the prayer is not rhetoric. They pray like they are conversing with God.

No mention of tithe or offering. The donations box is at the back of the church hall. If you want to give, you go there and give as you are led. No compulsion. You can even get receipts for your donations for tax purposes. Every quarter, the church will include the quarterly financial statements in the newsletter showing total income and expenditure. The church system is transparent and in spite of not making annuncements for tithes and offering, the year end reports of the church show they had a surplus. The only thing I miss is the Naija church dance.

Because you don’t pray for the basic things you need in life.

What do you think most church goers pray for? God please grant me visa, before the end of 2022, I must own a car, a house, God grant me job.
Every spirit of alter from my father’s house, that is making me to experience amubo- disappointment or frustration or promise and fail in my job interviews die by fire.
It is many bro but in abroad, getting a job is normal provided you are healthy, not lazy and want to work, riding a car is normal when you have a job and pick up a mortgage, a car is yours.
Traveling for vacation to nearby cheap countries is normal since you are working.
So why should you go to church regularly or start disturbing God with your regular I receive it, I receive it.
Poverty is the root cause of many in church.
So many people are so poor that they forgot to take their sick to their sick to the hospital rather they will take them to church/prayer mountains etc and the prophets will start lying to them that it is attack from home. Which nonsense attack?
Reason why I hate keeping my problems away from my family. They are too religious for my liken.
My brother had serious malaria some years ago, instead of taking him to hospital, due to poverty, my parent started praying for him, putting annoiting oil on his head and speaking in tongue, when it got worse they ran to call nurse abele - local street nurse wey don collect freedom and get her own small chemist.
If not that I arrived that night and saw the terrible situation where the boy was shivering aggressively and quietly dying, he would have died for no reason due to poverty.
Took him to hospital, when they saw his situation sef, the nurses were just shaking their heads that we almost killed the boy.
Long story short, I spent a fortune reviving the boy and after that my parent started saying it is attack from home that most prophets they called pointed to attack from home.

Abegiiiiiii

I no dey for that one.

We pray for silly things which are normally to be gotten in saner climes …. Basic amenities.

I hate it when people come out for testimonies of getting visa (visa ooooooo), buying a tokunbo or second hand car and the pastor will lay his hand on it and bless it (not brand new ooo)

Abeg I don tire.

TWoods:


That is not written anywhere.

It is written everywhere ..... but not in the Bible. I think the Bible says God helps those who can't help themselves.... like the handicapped... not sure.... Bible scholars should know.

Originalsly:


It is written everywhere ..... but not in the Bible. I think the Bible says God helps those who can't help themselves.... like the handicapped... not sure.... Bible scholars should know.

It’s not in the Bible, so clearly God doesn’t say such a thing, regardless of how many people write it wherever they wish.

Because the whole religion thing is a scam.

Religion is one of the factors that limits Nigeria from developing.

Imagine a people that are constantly being told to believe they are going to heaven that earth is not their home.

TWoods:


It’s not in the Bible, so clearly God doesn’t say such a thing, regardless of how many people write it wherever they wish.

The point is in Nigeria most churches encourage people to pray for everything and wait for God to provide while same doesn't happen abroad ... pray yes .... but you have to get up and get.... even most pastors having jobs .... one of my workmates is a Pastor.

Because they now have sense?

Life is not by struggle. Do the will of God and prosper

Jokerman:
Life is not by struggle. Do the will of God and prosper

Lol.

All these things no go matter for heaven . God no go ask u which church u dey go . na the works of ur hand hin go ask.

When you get to abroad you will realized that religious is man made and church is a structure.
In Nigeria a lazy man believe manners fall from heaven and Nigeria pastors open churches to hustle. Churches plenty for Nigeria because of poverty level not because God call anybody to open church as they claim. In abroad time is money, we spend time in church while they spend time at work.
As Nigerian when you see a country that work with a good system and less corrupt leaders with less church present you will realize that we have been deceived with religious bluhaha

101% True

SReporters:
By Jett-Iyke Amaechi

I asked a friend that traveled abroad when he told me about the decline in his spiritual life.

"Or is it that they don't allow you pray over there? Tell me."

The abroad guy responded, "No, it is not so. You are allowed to pray here.

But when you get here you will realize that a lot of things that we perceive to be spiritual are not.

They are a product of failures, from government and ourselves.

You will meet a system and an ideology that will challenge your previous beliefs.

Imagine that here, you don't pray to fill gas, own a house, a car, go to school or have your children attend one of the best schools.

But in Nigeria, sometimes you even pray to have your three square meal per day."

"The thing tire me." I replied.

Then he continued, "You don't even pray to get a job.

There are agencies saddled with that responsibility and they do their best to get you a job in 2 months.

And once you get that job your life becomes a product of leverage, the one we acknowledge as grace in Nigeria.

But this grace doesn't come from above, it comes from the government.

Your child can even go to university and graduate without paying a dime.

As the child begins to work, the government will gradually deducts his fees from his salary in a way that it won't even affect the child.

Under such atmosphere, if it's you, you will change and behave like me.

You won't even suspect your uncles, you will know they have no hand in your failure or success.

I don't suspect my uncle's anymore. Infact, I even call them on phone now.

We are closer than before. Life is really a mystery.

A traveller is wiser than a gray-haired man.

But I will advise you, you know the government we have, do your best and come to this place.

You will thank God you did."

At this instance, I was weak. " So our government had made us to hate our uncles like this when we should have loved them.

Oh! As I have become an uncle now, tomorrow my nephews and nieces will hate me thinking that I'm responsible for their failures.

When I'm innocent. God forbid! Some of our uncles may be dying in silence of their innocency.

God will help them.

So, our government made us pray about every issue of life no matter how small and jump from one prayer house to another.

It shall not be well with them." I concluded.

" I think you now understand," We ended the call.

I was in deep thinking of what to do.

"Should we all leave this country and runaway? No, all of us aren't meant to travel overseas." I muttered those words.

But you that read to this point, what do you think?

https://www.solutionreporters.com/2022/12/24/why-do-nigerians-become-less-religious-when-they-travel-abroad/

A saner clime is way better.
Nigerians are so religious yet so much hypocrisy and underdevelopment in Nigeria.

If you travel abroad, 90% of your prayers are answered...

When you have good government and people, and the Economy is working, You would realize that we ask God for what we ought to have done ourselves or ask the government.

'Religion is the opium of the people'
--Karl Marx (1818 - 1883)