This post has me feeling like Mase - welcome back, welcome back, welcome back. I am sure that if you are reading this you have read part one of the above-mentioned title. In that initial post I described how, in my opinion, hypocrisy in the home is one of the greatest stumbling blocks for @Africanindiaspo youths/children when it comes to embracing religion, more specifically Christianity, as we know it. I used Christianity as the religion of choice as that is the one that I was exposed to as a child growing up in Zimbabwe. Moving on from that; in this post I am going to give arguments for how I believe hypocrisy within churches is another determinant in the creation these 'wayward' children/youths.
I have heard it often said that children are like sponges as they are always learning and repeating what they see around them; yet I wonder whether African Christian adults take these wise words seriously. I do not think many do as they expose their children to faux leather, faux locks and faux/hypocritical Christianity. I feel that in the same way that people would happily buy fake variations of Nike trainers if there was no known/accepted trademark tick and correct spelling of the brand, many @Africanindiaspo youths/children would happily embrace Christianity if there were no prescribed ways of living/conduct stipulated in the bible. The very same bible that African pastors are opening every Saturday/Sunday in their services (and yet living opposing lives to) is causing @Africanindiaspo children/youth to look at the religion these men and women profess with much contempt. It literally is like carrying out a campaign to raise awareness about what original Nike trainers look like and then selling fakes to these enlightened people.
My dear brothers and sisters I do not claim to be a biblical scholar (I have not attended healing or miracle school) but I have read the book enough times to notice a few contradictions that have affected many of us who grew up believing in the message of Jesus.
Sexual immorality
One of the main things that many youth pastors and Sunday school teachers felt was important for me to understand whilst growing up was that sex was reserved only for a husband and his wife. I am convinced that many other 'churched' young @Africanindiaspo youth/children endured the same instruction and were bombarded with bible verses to support these rules. That is not a bad thing to be encouraged to observe as a child until you grow up to realise that the same pastors/elders/deacons touting 'purity' have themselves been engaged in all sorts of sexual immorality. One particular Zimbabwean 'Pentecostal' pastoress named Bonnie Deuschle not only cheated on her husband but even had a love child from her adulterous fling. Although she did come clean to her church she still continued as the pastor of the church which in itself is a violation of two verses which are namely 1 Timothy 2 vs 12 and Titus 1 vs 6-8. These verses say that a pastor/elder should be a MAN and that the man must have no fault/bad reputation. What about Rory Alec who was enjoying the money he was making from his God TV channel before disappearing into the sunset with a Russian lady? And then there is Eddie Long who groomed three young men to be his lovers and all the countless church leaders in various African churches sleeping with other members' wives?
Only two behaviours can emerge from children exposed to this kind of buffoonery. They will either live double lives themselves and still consider themselves holy or they will completely walk away from the farce in order to uphold some integrity with themselves which is what many seem to be doing.
Greed for money and wild miracles
In addition to the serial adulterers of today; capitalism, globalisation and materialism have paved the way for a new breed of pastors - the likes of which have never been seen before. These pastors have got so great super powers that they must dress in tailor-made suits, live in mansions, drive supercars, move with entourages and be referred to as Papas, Prophets or Apostles.
They are endowed with special access to 'God' and can grant their lucky followers the many desires of their hearts - from weight loss to phone top up to miracle money as well as deliverance from spiritual wives, children, dogs, goats, etc. They perform incredible tricks to enhance their 'credibility' too like Shepherd Bushiri who walks on air and can take spiritual photos on iPads (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nTk5xcN_dyY). However, one must be informed that in order for the god of these men to act one must sow some kind of financial seed by means of tithe, purchasing a DVD, a rubber band charm or anointing oil. As a result these men have profited tremendously off the backs of poor Africans to the point of affording private jets, super cars and mansions. Yes - @Africanindiaspo children/youth attend churches where men like Adeboye, Oyedepo, Creflo Dollar, etc. collect enough tithes and offerings from their parents to be able to fly and/or drive around in style. The very same parents who do not provide anything more that shelter and food for their children are sponsoring these cons. The poor kids see through the pretence and disapprovingly recognise the greed of these prophets as well as the falseness of their miracles when they read in the bible verses like 1 Timothy 6 vs 1-8 and Mark 13 vs 22. And since one cannot touch the anointed, one might as well walk away.
The things I have mentioned to you my dear brother/sister are just a tip of the iceberg (not the lettuce, lol). I remember I once spoke to a young @Africanindiaspo brother who told me that he could no longer attend church after attending a gathering in which people were giving offering by chip and pin. Another lady told me how over a period of time she amassed debt after being guilt-tripped into paying her tithes by credit card as she had no disposable income after paying her bills at the end of the month. And many more acquaintances have told me of how they have had loved ones die after refusing to take medication for chronic diseases which they believed they were healed from by 'men of God'.
Children see this trickery/foolishness and in a world in which they are indoctrinated with evolutionary theories which seem to follow a logical flow of thoughts, a pragmatic world for that matter, they prefer to walk away from hypocrisy and blatant lies. It seems that there is more lust for worldly things in churches than there is outside. Members compete with one another, pledging money and testifying of or showing off their God-given wealth. They ignore verses that encourage contentment and modesty as well as the fact that most of their leaders are often divorced and in second, third and fourth adulterous marriages i.e. Chris Oyakhilome, Duncan Williams, etc.
The worst part is that in these churches are seemingly genuine people but they do not have a voice and when they are in financial/emotional need, they are always offered prayer and never assisted. Perhaps God should miraculously put food in their mouths and clothing on their backs I suppose? That is whilst the pastors pass the chip and pin around.
Until next time, let us share and grow.
'How
can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’
when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first
take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the
speck from your brother’s eye.' - Luke 6 vs 42.
