₦airaland Forum

What if I told you Jesus came to abolish religion
What if I told you voting Republican really wasn't His mission?
What if I told you republican doesn't automatically mean Christian
And just because you call some people blind doesn't automatically give you vision

I mean if religion is so great, why has it started so many wars
Why does it build huge churches, but fails to feed the poor
Tells single moms God doesn't love them if they've ever had a divorce
But in the Old Testament, God actually calls religious people whores

Religion might preach grace, but another thing they practice
Tend to ridicule God's people, they did it to John The Baptist
They can't fix their problems, and so they just mask it
Not realizing religion's like spraying perfume on a casket
See the problem with religion, is it never gets to the core
It's just behavior modification, like a long list of chores
Like let's dress up the outside make it look nice and neat
But it's funny that's what they use to do to mummies while the corpse rots underneath

Now I ain't judging, I'm just saying quit putting on a fake look
Cause there's a problem if people only know you're a Christian by your Facebook
I mean in every other aspect of life, you know that logic's unworthy
It's like saying you play for the Lakers just because you bought a jersey
You see this was me too, but no one seemed to be on to me
Acting like a church kid, while addicted to pornography
See on Sunday I'd go to church, but Saturday getting faded
Acting if I was simply created just to have sex and get wasted
See I spent my whole life building this facade of neatness
But now that I know Jesus, I boast in my weakness

Because if grace is water, then the church should be an ocean
It's not a museum for good people, it's a hospital for the broken
Which means I don't have to hide my failure, I don't have to hide my sin
Because it doesn't depend on me it depends on him
See because when I was God's enemy and certainly not a fan
He looked down and said I want, that, man
Which is why Jesus hated religion, and for it he called them fools
Don't you see so much better than just following some rules
Now let me clarify, I love the church, I love the Bible, and yes I believe in sin
But if Jesus came to your church would they actually let him in
See remember he was called a glutton, and a drunkard by religious men
But the son of God never supports self righteousness not now, not then

Now back to the point, one thing is vital to mention
How Jesus and religion are on opposite spectrum
See one's the work of God, but one's a man made invention
See one is the cure, but the other's the infection
See because religion says do, Jesus says done
Religion says slave, Jesus says son
Religion puts you in bondage, while Jesus sets you free
Religion makes you blind, but Jesus makes you see
And that's why religion and Jesus are two different clans

Religion is man searching for God, Christianity is God searching for man
Which is why salvation is freely mine, and forgiveness is my own
Not based on my merits but Jesus's obedience alone
Because he took the crown of thorns, and the blood dripped down his face
He took what we all deserved, I guess that's why you call it grace
And while being murdered he yelled
"Father forgive them they know not what they do."
Because when he was dangling on that cross, he was thinking of you
And he absorbed all of your sin, and buried it in the tomb
Which is why I'm kneeling at the cross, saying come on there's room
So for religion, no I hate it, in fact I literally resent it
Because when Jesus said it is finished, I believe he meant it.

Author: [color=#990000][/color]Jefferson Bethke

I understand that most readers would feel this is coming too late, but I never really envisaged the 'most lethal outcome' of an emotional ouburst by some Nigerian soldiers who were accused of mutiny after they felt 'betrayed' by their GOC. You all know the story so there's no need going over it again.
There's a saying that evil prevails when good men do nothing, and I believe there's a sufficient amount of goodness in every soul reading this, enough to cause an online stir of concern. Even if we fail in the end, at least we know that we tried. I don't know so much about twitter but I know that stuffs go viral like Ebola there just with the addition of an hashtag. So, I'm calling on everyone reading this to 'join or create' the #PardonTheSoldiers campaign on Twitter. Let's create a storm of compassion on Facebook and any other relevant platform and see if we can get the media houses' attention. Perhaps, the people in the position to help and change the fate of these soldiers will reverse the verdict. Let's see if we can harness the power of social media to cause a stir in the seats of power to reverse the verdict. Nigeria has already lost enough soldiers in the fight against Boko Haram. Thank you.
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#PardonTheSoldiers

Okay let's be honest here folks. This is a tough choice

....Just wonder why people (especially Nigerians) keep quarrelling (especially on social platforms and online forums) over contrasts of beliefs when it is certain that everyone will die one day and end up believing one thing. Regardless of what you believe, the TRUTH is the TRUTH and it changes not...so why not seek to live in harmony instead and respect others. The best way to propagate your ideas is through love, not disparaging remarks.

Science and GOD are not enemies. Science is just too young to understand some things about GOD.

Perhaps it's somewhat of a good cliché' to begin with definitions in the convention of articles of this genre, as most writers seek to first introduce readers to the subject itself, so let's begin.

One of the best approaches to perfectly understanding a word is by checking out the origin of that word. So, etymology tells us that the word 'leader' is obtained from the Greek word 'Arkhos' which means 'Ruler'. Responsibility, direction and authority are some of the nouns that come to mind when a 'Ruler' is mentioned.

Authority, which most aspiring leaders covet, is a function of 'positional power' or 'emotional influence'; the former being mostly based on enforced regard associated with the office of a ruler. Most political leaders for example, obtain respect from this form of imposed authority, as they have the constitutional privilege of using armed forces to create reverence, ensuring that orders are followed, whether the people are willing or not. However, the authority that is birthed from emotional influence or attachment thrives in an environment where a leader is seen by the people as one who represents a fountain of solution, a compass of positive direction and a source of motivation. They are seen as mentors, role models and sometimes tagged 'small gods'. Such leaders do not get reverenced solely based on their position but on the content of their personality which has earmarked them as heroes in the hearts of the followers. This brings to mind the words of the famous writer and speaker, John C. Maxwell, who during a leadership conference said that leadership is not about position but about influence.

So what then is so special about this exciting mode of leadership that makes it effective in gaining not just followers but admirers? The secret lies in the very phrase that has already been used to describe the authority that it yields; 'emotional influence'. Influential leaders have an amazing down-to-earth personality that captivates the minds of people; their concrete character is a mixture of vision and passion. They are purpose-driven and love-fuelled engines that propel the community to progress at optimum velocity.

Most of the greats being massively labeled with the 'natural born leader' status have these intriguing attributes; from club captains to military generals who provide inspiration for their team in times of despair. The Mahatma Ghandis and Martin Luther Kings of this world have some things in common; it's not a similarity in temperament but a definiteness of purpose, backed by tenacious and directional efforts, and the ability to put others' interests first.

'Positional power' and ‘Emotional influence’ modes of leadership are not entirely parallel lines. When both factors are combined, awesome leaders are made. It is one thing to be loved by the people, then it’s another thing to be in the position of power to effect changes in their lives. So one could state boldly that not all influential leaders have the managerial or political power at their disposal and not all organizational or political leaders have sufficient influence to drive the hearts of people. However, when there’s an intersection; a good mix of 'Positional power' and ‘Emotional influence’, the ship of humanity can be pleasantly steered to the harbor of fulfillment.

Author: Foluso

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