₦airaland Forum

I don’t think some people actually understand (or at least want to recognize) the implications of the domineering presence of these imported faiths on our continent and the impact that Africa’s peddled poor image has had on all facets of our collective societies – from the indigenous inhabitants to the indigenous faiths – everything natively African considered “inferior”. Of course this image of a people who were lost and couldn’t govern themselves had to persist in order to justify the encroachment on our continent...

So "thank God" for our intruders who devalued us but cared enough to leave us with the "truth"...the only "truth" that will undoubtedly set us free...right?

African religions are so evil? So you distortedly list only the negative aspects that was not even operating in all and present such as a template....and was there no positives? Are we supposed to believe for 14 centuries that we were dull and that none of our experience, beliefs, philosophy matters because it was not featured in any of the holy books from the East?

And who said that love is an exclusive theme to Christianity? Was it even largely spread out of love? Please spare me! ....because it would not take me too long to compose my own biased list about the negatives found in any of the imported beliefs...

Your list is as skewed as I marking only the positive aspects from particular groups and claiming such was a common practice amongst all African traditional religions...we've established there was some bad (a trait not even exclusive to African religions yet only used to malign and disqualify them) so was it possible to purify the bad practices where they may exist?

The constant stigmatization against these indigenous faiths and the refusal to treat them as individual religions worthy of their own name is what blocks its development possibilities....

By the way there are noted similarities with some traditional belief systems of particular groups on the continent and that of certain religions of the Abrahamic faiths...so what makes those religions less sophisticated if the Abrahamic faiths are to be used as the standard exemplar?

Nebeuwa: Does that include the Coptic Church of Egypt and the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church? Both of those Christian denominations are as old as Christianity itself. Ethiopians and the Egyptian Copts were Christians even before Europe was converted to Christianity.

That would qualify as a traditional faith (at least to certain groups in the Northern and Eastern regions of Africa). However the orthodox (Christian) faith in North and East Africa is not of the same manner or version as the encroaching evangelical one in which is foreign to all parts of Africa.
So yes it does include them as well.

I have heard of this sickening story. One thing I have noticed with proselytizing techniques of some (most especially when the “preaching” and converting is done in unfamiliar territory) is that the group that is being made to convert is stripped of their self-esteem or integrity.
Their esteem is first damaged by the proselytizers (whether it is via the demonization of gods that resembled and represented a group or through false accusation etc).
Once their esteem/integrity has been eroded or poisoned such affects their confidence in their belief system. With their belief system nullified they seek "better" alternatives and of course on standby is the religion of their converters.

However I've always questioned these devious type of missionaries that embed their message with a lie. Lying is one of the sins outlined in the gospel they hope to peddle so I thus question the legitimacy of the “salvation” offered and even accepted. Can “sinners” by the standards of their own gospel bring redemption to another?

Actually I wouldn't call it preaching more like manipulating.

shymmex: I find it flattering because the 'dark continent' is now basically exporting spirituality - which was considered barbaric by the naysayers to the rest of world... If more foreigners can convert to the African belief system, it will subconsciously influence their thought process about 'dark continent' - and this may be end up being the formula for Africa to get it right... We've been subservient to other cultures for too long, thus, losing our identity - and since religion and culture are intertwined; this may be the best way to create a new identity for Africans...

That’s why I asked if spirituality was a free-for-all...can anyone just adopt any practices they like or sieve through certain parts...
I had pondered on this after watching a mini-documentary about a group of native Americans whose sacred system was being practiced but still misinterpreted by a group of White Americans. I thus wondered how traditionalists may feel about outsiders adopting their sacred system and making it their own. In the documentary I watched the Native Americans weren't so impressed and the White Americans had translated and adapted the native system within a context that was commercial.
It's perhaps different when something is shared than when something is taken.

And yep I heard about the Panare people who were blamed for Christ's death .

maclatunji: Funny that you say that because I was going to say that I believe the western world reached its peak in terms of social evolution in the 19th century and a little bit of the 20th Century say before World War I. It has been on a downward spiral since. The law of diminishing returns has caught-up with the west.

Let me clarify...when I said “evolved” I meant changing as opposed to being stagnant...if not much has changed from a particular period to current time some people may not regard that as progress because modern ideas do creep in and affect how we may view the past...you dig? and even if there was a glorious time in the past it doesn't necessarily follow that it may suit a particular period especially a modern one...

Cheers01: Oh, and just to stay on topic, my muslim girlfriend hated the hijab.

Lol was this before or after she met you? ...(just kidding )

LagosShia: @emofine

very inspiring post.i must commend your willingness to break barriers.

if i may ask,which part of Nigeria are you from? and are you considering Islam?

I’m from Delta state but born in Nasarawa but I’m not considering adopting any religion.

tbaba1234: Muslims don't even wear hijab properly; Don't worry about that. you can just say, this is your first time wearing the hijab... that is usually followed up with rib crushing hugs... you have been warned...

Do not say 'social experiment' though, that might get some offended.. say you studying Islam or something along those lines... that could even get you a phone number

By the way, i like the style you chose...

Lol @ rib crushing hug

Ha I wasn’t even prepared to reveal that I was a non-muslim let alone that it was a social experiment haba...I didn’t want them to think I was taking the mick.
Yeah some Hijabs are pretty fashionable - but that wasn't my motivation.

maclatunji: Absolutely, I find 19th Century Victorian culture very much aligned with Islam in many regards.

And I think that's why some people regard Islam as stuck within a particular period because most likely those who assess Islam and have come to such conclusions are from relatively evolved societies...if you get what I'm saying...

fellis: Depending on what part of Nigeria you live, the reception you get from others can vary from warm to hostile to indifferent.
I live in a southern state of Nigeria where there are very few Muslims and I think as a result of this, the few Muslim women that come across each other on the streets are usually very happy to meet so they receive each other warmly.

When I tried the hijab before I was warmly received, the cases of hostility were only reported to me by others.

Oh I never knew you were female...I assumed you were male lol...so you can teach me how to wear the hijab properly (j/k)

To be honest this is one of the most unfortunate stories I've ever read in the bible and I have never gleaned anything spiritual or higher from it (aside from job describing the elements and the power of his god).

It made me wonder if we are mere pawns in an egotistical battle between god and his adversary...their contention was so that it interfered with and affected the life of another and in extension his family, employees, livestock and charities for the duration of their bet. So in essence it was not only the life of one man that was interfered with and I doubt those that were rendered as collateral damage were directly compensated for during the period of their own loss.

And the most absurd part of the story is that in the end Job had another batch of 10 children who were said to be even more beautiful than the last set. Would it even matter if they were not attractive or even less attractive than the last 10?...a child is irreplaceable talkless of ten...that loss cannot be glossed over with beauty.

Albeit I understand that trials may exist to make one stronger or refine their character but the manner in which this was allowed to occur - to prove Job to the devil who was already said to be "perfect" - was pretty callous in my opinion of course.

Thanks for the link and offering those pleasantries tbaba....I was sort of worried that Muslims will notice the discrepancies in my hijab and may even be offended or confront me about it.

maclatunji: Just making sure. Now, you don't expect to master any concept in a single day but I must commend, applaud, praise (you get the picture) your willingness to try out the hijab in public- it takes an exceptional non-Muslim woman to try that experiment out.

You said: "As I was walking in my hijab I asked myself some questions and some of those were if I indeed felt more modest, more feminine, more respected and empowered. I considered all these questions briefly and whilst I can understand why another female may not want to be subject to lewd attention and her sexuality cheapened I had thought and concluded that one's modesty and perhaps even piety can still be maintained in any other attire even if it doesn't shroud every inch of a woman's body."

The bolded is quite true, but it still does not negate the fact that Men are more likely to act inappropriately towards a woman without hijab than a woman with one. Nuns too use Hijab and it is uncommon to hear them talk of sexual harassment when compared to their non-hijab wearing counterparts.

Hijab is meant to guard your honour as a lady from most men,there may be a few mad ones that might want to assault or molest a woman in hijab, but it is extremely rare.

Thanks for the compliment but I think that just highlights the extent of my curiosity

However nuns are secluded for the most part...by the way in the West women used to wear hair bonnets in the past...would you describe that as a sort of hijab?

fellis: Muslim women that wear hijabs are very friendly towards other hijab wearers. You might get handshakes and hugs and even be stopped for brief chats by hijabites if you appear to be one of them.
Sadly, there are still people who harass hijab wearers with insultive words or mockery. Most people I know that wear hijab told me of some embarassing experiences they've had with Islamophobes.

Emofine do you live in Nigeria?

I live in the UK but if I lived in Nigeria is that the reception that I will most likely get from other hijabi Muslims or are you describing all hijabis in general regardless of location?

Once again I appreciate your insightful contributions PhysicsQED and I agree with much of what you’ve written. I’m quite fascinated with the suggestion of using music as a tool to re-establish African faiths.

Fulaman198: Oh my gosh emofine you are just too funny o

Are you laughing with me or at me?

maclatunji: emofine is this your personal account or that of another lady?

Haba...I thought I made it obvious that it was my personal account
Strictly 1st person.

tbaba1234: ^With a little arabic, you would have been thrust into the intergalactic world of hijabi sisterhood.... Total strangers meet each other and within a train/bus trip, they discuss about... well, 'whatever women talk about'.

...what is the usual Arabic greeting(s) and response?

This hijab is a form of identity as much as it is an act of obedience, worship and modesty. And yes, someone can be 'modest' without a head scarf but a muslim allows modesty to be defined by the creator.

Before I undertook my social experiment I watched a clip about a lady who was born and brought up in Britain (but I believe her parents to be Muslim immigrants) chose to wear the burka even to the shock of her family members. She said it was a form of "identity" to her and that she wanted to be assessed and appreciated for her mind and not her appearance...and for some women it’s actually a kind of sort of challenge against their society’s portrayal of women as s[i]e[/i]xu[i]a[/i]l objects (according to a few comments I’ve read from European female converts). However I did watch some other clips and read some accounts with contrasting views on the subject.

So did you actually wear the hijab or make a hijab attempt?... . The hijab is not limited to just the head scarf.

Lol I watched like 5 videos instructing one on how to tie a hijab but I was pretty dismal still so I just improvised instead but I was kinda embarrassed because I had pins sticking out one side of my hijab in my desperate attempt in trying to keep my scarf flat (it looked like stitches ). However it wasn't only my hair and neck I covered I covered my whole body.

I looked similar to this: (except my dress was black and not at all shimmery plus my scarf was orange)

https://styleku.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/dian-pelangi-2012.jpg

It is the total package. Baba ali puts it in a funny way:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4jQi0Gjy3M

As regards to the video I had thought about women in the habit vs the hijab before...but I guess some believe that nuns weren’t forced to wear the habit because as permanently single women they are not obliged to men in terms of their clothing at least or maybe it’s perhaps cultural misinterpretation or even cultural bias although I kinda see the point the guy was trying to make.
Funny video nevertheless...but I guess I lose some points because I had my earrings on display

logicboy01: Atheism is a worldwide phenomenon and not a foreign religion. Agree or disagree?

I agree logicboy. Atheism is not a product of any nationality but it may be strongly promoted by specific nationals. It’s as absurd as saying that homosexuality is a product of the west.
Just because certain societies may choose not to recognize something doesn’t mean it doesn’t or never existed. Moreover there are and were people who operated undercover for fear of rebuke or ostracism.
At best one may say atheism is not a traditional African concept.

Today I decided to wear the hijab for the duration of my outdoor activities. I considered it an interesting trial to undertake for various reasons.

It was mainly a social experiment to register the reception that my hijab may arouse and also to experience first hand how life feels like under a hijab - empowering or oppressive?

I've been previously mistaken for a Muslim quite a number of times - whether that's just wishful thinking on the parts of my quizzers or maybe an assumption based on my nationality or for some other reasons I thus thought it be ironic (but it's surely not a prescience).

However my biggest reason in conducting this social experiment is because I've been noticing a rather interesting and ironic phenomenon here in western Europe. I live in the UK and it has been noted that many female Europeans that convert to Islam assume the hijab.

Many Muslimahs wear the Hijab which of course is not unusual although some debates concerning the Hijab or Burka still occur. Some argue that the hijab is a symbol of women oppression although many Muslimahs maintain that the wearing of the Hijab and other similar clothing of item that pertains to Islam is strictly of their own choosing and their prerogative. Though some counter this and claim that in a Muslim dominated society often there is no choice granted to the female...

Well the UK is not a Muslim dominated society even though it has a significant Muslim population and women here are allowed to exercise their rights...I highlight this not to patronize but to draw attention to what seems to be an irony of sorts that female converts from seemingly "liberal" countries with no immediate Islamic background often choose to assume what is deemed as a symbol of women oppression.

I had wondered and considered for a long time what inspired these new converts to wear the hijab although of course piety may form the primary reason but I did think to examine the countries these converts hail from and perhaps determine other factors from there.

Did the portrayal of women from these countries play a part in making them choose to wear the hijab? ...(In wearing the hijab she has to some extent on the surface stripped through some superficiality of society and has refused to become objectified and in such context may feel empowered)... Or does making perhaps what may be seen as unpopular choices of our own make one feel "empowered"?

But is this extreme considering that from the other side of the fence some consider the hijab to be objectifying and an imprisonment of women? Or is this just a misinterpretation of cultures?


***

Well under the hijab I didn't feel too different but I did act differently although I must admit I did a shoddy job in wrapping my hijab .
Of course I was met with positive reception from other fellow hijabi Muslimahs and they even greeted me in Arabic - although I didn't know what to say back so just smiled like an id[i]i[/i]o[i]t[/i]

However I did notice a couple of stares from both a man and a lady ...and I was left wondering if they saw me as an embodiment of oppression because that's how I translated their stares. (Whilst generally women do not want to be judged solely based on their appearance the irony is that wearing a hijab would put me under instant judgment anyway).

As I was walking in my hijab I asked myself some questions and some of those were if I indeed felt more modest, more feminine, more respected and empowered. I considered all these questions briefly and whilst I can understand why another female may not want to be subject to lewd attention and her sexuality cheapened I had thought and concluded that one's modesty and perhaps even piety can still be maintained in any other attire even if it doesn't shroud every inch of a woman's body.
Sometimes I felt conscious of my hijab but at rare moments I kinda felt comfortable...

Well that's just a non-Muslimah's experience under the hijab .

Maclatunji

But shouldn't something that's allegedly divine be neutral and not partial?

Cheers01: What would I gain from derailing a thread that is a veiled attempt at criticizing Islam (about Jannah)?

Logicboy abi?

It's not a veiled attempt at criticizing Islam I was overtly offering a critical opinion about a component of Islam.

shymmex: I invited Prof. PhysicsQED to this thread to give his opinion, you need to thank me for that lol...

Actually I feel less elated after hearing that he was summoned here lol...but thanks for inviting QED I suppose...

To be honest, I don't really have a problem with atheism, but their argument that they don't believe in anything is illogical to me.. Probably, it's because I'm not the smartest kid on the block - but I still need them to give a well researched scholarship based on FACTS about creation, not theories and hypothesis for me to take atheism seriously..

Culture and religion (spiritual system) has to be intertwined to serve the purpose it was created for..Consciousness is being informed and instructed through your groups' peculiar culture on the effects of the varied ecologies on your immediate and distant ancestors, and to be aware of their interpretation of that experience.

Every other race of people built their spiritual system based on their culture, and it seems we're the only race of people - with a spiritual system that's foreign to our culture... Arabs have Islam, Europeans have Christianity, Indians have Hinduism, Eastern Asians have Buddhism, Jews have Judaism etc..

My theory is that Africans are disenfranchised because we don't know who we are, and the spiritual systems we all follow are counterproductive to our consciousness...

I asked that question because you find it hard to reconcile Africans with atheism in fact you see it as a contradiction...
Certainly the traditional African is belief-centred so I guess you deem atheist Africans to be nontraditional or an antithesis. African culture encourages the conception of a belief orientated society so I suppose African atheists would have to be slightly detached from their culture so perhaps maybe you see the unbelieving African as an uncultured African...maybe

I would have really wanted to discuss your idea on consciousness...but maybe another time...

I think most people are tired of doing the same thing repeatedly with no end result - and it's in human nature to always try something new.. African belief system is also like the new kid on the block, and I believe the mode of worship is fascinating to most foreigners...

I agree humans often like to try something new however I think on the part of the non-Africans adopting African religions is perhaps less to do with achieving results – although they may have been disappointed or even bored of the mainstream faiths.

African religion is not really new but may be met with renewed opinions plus it appears mystic to others so that may be an allure for some.

I believe some people find it exotic and are curious about it (like trying a foreign dish) and it’s not only with African religions but with other world traditional beliefs. Some people are looking for adventure, something spicy or some sort of meaning for their mundane lives, trying to backslide against the superficiality of the mainstream but I do wonder if some people ever consider potential consequences.
Thus for some I view it as a refuge from their mundane existence because I don’t believe all are in it for its efficacy. It’s an alternative for those who want to be unconventional...although to be fair to the sincere populace...I believe some think they have found truths in them and thus feel attuned to it.

But what I meant to say...do you find it flattering or disrespectful of an outsider to adopt these traditional beliefs?
Do you think it’s okay that these systems are being assumed by some of those who once upon a time demonized them?

I don't think it's free-for-all, I think people should seek any form of spirituality that's synonymous to their culture - to be able to extract its full potentials, and attain the level of consciousness they want from it... I believe culture and spirituality (I may be wrong) are inborn

Do you believe spirituality is hereditary?

and it's better to seek what's inside you, than to embrace something that's foreign to you IMO.

Hmmm...what about adopting a foreign philosophy/science/ideology? etc

maclatunji: ^Hello, I would like to ask if you haven't noticed that religion (Islam) does most of the time challenge and contradict the prevailing culture in its environment? I mean this in the context of several prophets that are known to have challenged the status quo in their different environments. Probably, you are not aware of this.

It’s not only religion that challenged the status quo in its immediate environment but no other discipline apart from religion had the convenience of justifying certain principles by according it to the supposed will of a divine power. However the fact remains religion is a reflection of the society it was conceived in.
A religion born in a patriarchal society for example is going to exert much masculine relevance from its laws to its deity – this is not divine it’s culturally influenced.

Ptolomeus: I can not believe what I read.
Not only the woman is a crude instrument of these twisted minds, but it encourages a kind of religious prostitution.
"Use the body to attract adherents"
I doubt arises: To what extent should a women use their beauty and body to win souls?

Exactly. The thread starter makes it seem that there's a clause attached a woman's beauty by gods making. If that were even true isn't it demeaning for women and manipulative of god that the apparent purpose of a woman's beauty is to literally attract souls to god

Hola Ptolomeus

Ptolomeus: Very dear friend.
I will try to answer.
First, I understand that both Africa and America, religions have been imposed by the conquerors. They have not chosen the Americans or the Africans have been imposed.

With respect to traditional religions.
It plays an important role, discredit yourself mentioned: the conqueror, discredited cults, associating with black magic and the Jewish-Christian devil. The traditional African rites have nothing demonic or witchcraft.
But (and this is my answer) I do not think there are many things that change liturgically African cults, I understand that it would need to be aware of what they mean, remove them from the figure of the devil and witchcraft, and explain to people what they mean.

Yes I think there is a need to re-establish the traditional religions and their dignities to be restored but for some religions were particular practices may be considered by today’s standards as obscene or even impractical if that assessment is fair then perhaps there could be a reformation depending of course on how adaptable the religion(s) is...perhaps...

Following traditional religious systems, there is a rich tradition and philosophy ... that should be transmitted. But that could only be done if there were religious formed, if you abandon the "practice of ritual in repetitive and non-rational ', if there were priests with a degree of intellectual training to enable them to discuss on equal terms with their detractors.
I think it would be the ultimate solution, but at least we would be taking a big step.
Hope this helps.
Please accept my deep affection.

Hmm interesting...have you ever taught or corrected others who may have been misinformed about African traditional religion?

But yes Africa as well as so many other places has some rich philosophies and beleifs that there are some things that can never be replaced .

tyson55: I guess there will be no swimmers.

And Hurdles should be fun to watch in full Burka.

Lol.

shymmex: just as atheism (which I find very redundant)

The rise of atheism among people of African descent is something that will be as problematic in future

Your opposition to atheism makes me wonder...do you couple culture with religion?

Heck, many foreigners are now converting to traditional African belief system

Yes this is another phenomenon I noticed and actually intended to create a thread about it quite a while ago..but since were on the topic...
What do you think about this phenomenon?
Is culture and spirituality a free-for-all?

Martian: In an ironic way, these religions are what salves the people whose societies have been damaged by the imperialism and colonialism that introduced the religions in the first place. Gift and a curse.

Hmmm....I'm sure you may have noticed the existence of independent African churches or "black churches" even...It’s rather interesting because it highlights a sort of seeming liberation or self-rule...

JeSoul: Any thread with m_nwankwo

I agree...I find his thinking to be rich.

I feel honoured that PhysicsQED graced my thread...I know I’m gonna learn something new by the time I finish reading your post lol.

PhysicsQED: Well different areas had different belief systems - some were actually a bit tame as far as sacrifices and other ugly practices.

Unfortunately there were some ugly practises however I believe there is a tendency (at least in the past which has affected the understanding of these religions today) to interpret African traditional religions from a local point or from specific practises (most often the most negative ones) thereby generalizing whole systems. I think it’d be more interesting to consider if some of these systems could still operate without some of the more heinous practises at least allowing a reformation if at all possible.

I think you'd first need to list the different belief systems among different groups, their main components and characteristics, their pros and cons, their adaptability and possible relevance to the modern day, what wisdom there was in them, what very faulty ideas they contained, and what ideas would be hard to accept as even a little plausible in modern times. Since there are a lot of different African religions and many seem quite involved, you might want to focus on a small number (at first anyway).

I understand and I agree with your suggestions in analyzing the traditional beliefs although perhaps I wanted to address and counter the so called “inferiority” of the continent’s religions.
However I would say the biggest advantage to any religion is if it is indeed adaptable (which fortunately many African religions may qualify as at least to an extent).
I also believe studying African religions in a comparative context may also assist in its understanding.

Benin Republic would be an appropriate nation to review in this regards.

Also foreign religions are different. If someone had colonized us and spread some form of Buddhism among us instead of the two main religions prevalent in Africa today, it would probably be hard to argue that - for many groups of Africans - some sort of improvement wouldn't have occurred in some way.

With different religions there’s different ideologies and it may just be dependent on how beneficial certain ideology is at a particular period but the presence of any religion in a certain region would partly be judged by its trajectory not only its contents (especially if the spread contradicts it) or even the seeming improvements it may have offered.

As for the Abrahamic religions, apart from some of the decent wisdom and moral advice contained in them, they're basically myth mixed with history and philosophy to me and they impose a distorted worldview on both those who are at the core of those religions and those who are on the periphery (such as converts and descendants of recent converts). Also, why blindly follow Semitic/Middle Eastern philosophy/myth instead of developing one's own or continuing where one's ancestors left off?

These religions have posed as divine articles when it’s not so much divorced from the culture it was conceived in...in fact serving to reflect that culture and its people’s human experience so how then should the experience, emotions, philosophy of African people be made redundant through the demotion of their beliefs because it does not on the surface mirror these Abrahamic faiths. I find it highly preposterous and a rip-off that as Africans our value is only attached to our conformity (conversion) unlike a Jew who is automatically relevant if we are to adhere to these imported faiths.

As regards to your final sentence I am of the same opinion. It’s not also about conserving but constructing African identities in a contemporary society. One may notice even that some converted Africans syncretize their traditional beliefs with their adopted imported faith; inviting old elements within the new models. I guess there are elements that some may still find valuable.

But of course if people are told that they're condemned to hell if they don't follow those religions, then there's not much one can do to prevent the spread of these religions and their replacement of the old belief systems. I'm not sure whether there were any African religions that threatened hellfire if certain deities weren't followed and obeyed. Nobody wants their friends, family and (good) neighbors to go to hell so once one person is a believer of an Abrahamic religion (although I think there is no hell in Judaism, but there is paradise which only the 'righteous' can experience), many others will soon be believers. I don't think people will revert back to the old belief systems - even if they were updated to fit modern times - in significant numbers unless a drastic break with the outside world somehow occurs.

No doubt the intimidation of hell seems to have worked in favour of the Abrahamic faiths population and their unique fashion in proselytizing unlike African religions which do not follow that pattern of preaching (even the orthodox Christians in the North/Eastern tip of the continent). It’s actually interesting that it’s usually in these proselytizing faiths that these fearful conditions are attached.

However my OP is not so much a call to revert more so a reflection. If African beliefs were disqualified because they were found to be apparently false (mainly by exaggerated claims so I suspect it was more based on appearances)...could they have been made “right” instead of discarding them completely...

However I do believe we should debunk the presumption of Africa’s so called spiritual inferiority and the idea that Africa was in dire need of a foreign saviour (similar to USAID). Africa was not spiritually deficient so it’s ironic that Africa was urgently prescribed some spiritual medicine or was it drugs.

So ladies are to entice men souls to the "kingdom of God"?

mruknaijaboy: lol you know say i be jandite naw, i no be expert for urhobo, no worry wen i don master pidgin na urhobo i go join put

Na so o...mek we no forget our own languages...

Na where be my Igbo lecturer Chimezie?...Chineke me

Chimezie198: Emofine2 - nice n awesome gurl

Dalu ...you for help me polish my Igbo abi


@OP Ptolomeus + Buzugee + Sauer

Hi deols, now I think I owe you an apology for my delayed response.

There are many layers to humans and even though I believe religion appeals to our emotions it caters largely to our external self. Religion is an activity. It’s a repetition of rites supposedly set by a claimed divine authority yet unsurprisingly reflects the cultural society in which it was conceived. Repeating these particular rites at set times and set calendar dates doesn’t stimulate nor answer questions instead it blunts man’s exploratory nature leaving many complacent I find. And then there is the sheer arrogance of some belief systems whereby they biasedly crown their own religion as the supposedly legitimate one without even extensively understanding the systems of others in their full capacity.

Life is too abstract to find a fit for all. We are all different yet apparently made to conform under one partial rulership – it’s not even realistic without the employment of coercion.
Religion is not a sure and sole destination towards the “truth”. What if these were fractions of a whole truth? Religion is not the only discipline in which particular truths may be found.

I only said I believe there is an existence beyond my five senses (you may even call it a sixth sense if you like) but I never said that I regarded any higher being but I believe if there was a character similar to what this world would have as a supreme being I doubt such an entity will mirror any deity that has been portrayed thus far at least for it’s own sake. Do I believe in an afterlife? Well I believe there are extensions of reality.

African “religions” are no less sacred and no more sinister than the foreign imported beliefs but have been popularly perceived and reduced as "fetishes", "idolatry" ,"black magic", largely “polytheistic” and spiritually unevolved, lacking its own profound spiritual dimension.

Denounced as obscene, discarded by many, substituted for another in a manner that rendered these imported bloodguilt faiths as an antidote to the seemingly “backward” traditional systems on the ”Dark Continent”.

Today many Africans have less knowledge concerning the traditional systems in their full capacity in their original packages against the unattractive caricatures that have been widely portrayed.

However there is no denying there were some reprehensible practices on the continent; there’s no denying this at all because no society is exempt from ever harbouring any deplorable beliefs but the malpractices in Africa have been used to summarize entire belief systems.

Now I wonder and doubt if it has ever been seriously considered if these systems could have still been enough minus the "malpractices" that formed a component but not the whole.

Was it possible to modify the ancient systems instead of replacing them completely?
Could the systems not have been reformed?
Did African Religions need to be entirely substituted?
Was our best bet at “salvation” only via an imported system(s)?

Lol ...should high heels be exclusive to petite females only?...that’s like making a case against short ladies for wearing flats

mukina2: the taller the better.

Abi o