The African is religious- deeply religious to the point of insanity- it would take some formal training to turn them into atheists.
The past two week had seen a lot of religious activities stepped up in all churches- both orthodox and charismatic, due to the Christmas and the New Year festivities.
I lay in bed very exhausted from a week-long pre-christmas religious program dubbed: RECEIVING THE GOOD NEWS. During this program, I spent each evening at church. Much of the noise and fury I was subjected to, held no true spiritual value, as the content was only emotionally-exciting, physically exhausting but never touched the salient issues confronting us on the inside.
Just as the pre-christmas program came to an end, another one dubbed: COMMANDING 2012 TO FAVOUR YOUR CAUSE started.
Quite apart from the physical exhaustion due to the much shouting, jumping, dancing and booing, my logical mind had issues with the propriety of the second program and the appropriateness of the theme.
As I lay in bed with aching muscles, I wondered if I could really command 2012 to bring me miracles, even if I would not face my responsibilities as a student squarely and discharge them. I wondered if God would work a miracle for me, even if I should neglect my studies and my research work. I wondered if God would cause things to happen for me just because I named them and claimed them.
I had to be religious and keep my doubts to myself. I dragged myself along through the 3-day program which culminated in the 31st December night vigil.
At church, everything was at its crescendo: the music, the dance…everything! The emotional frenzy was at its insanity levels to the extent that, the music had lost its melodious appeal. The cymbals were crushing loudly. The dancing resembled the kind we see at discotheque. The current Azonto Dance en vogue in Ghana and other countries, was on display at church, as the young ladies shook and wriggled their buttocks amorously at my face.
So serious was the dancing with its manifest romantic appeal, I had to strive against nature to put myself in the ‘spirit’ in order not to incur the wrath of God.
Physically I must be part of the emotional frenzy but my analytical mind was at work; scanning and evaluating all the ‘emotional craze’ around me. Intermittently I whispered a prayer asking Jesus to forgive my ‘ungodly’ thoughts.
Then came the moment for the sermon. At least I was happy the cacophony would die down for a couple of minutes. It was about power to enter the new year and conquer your enemies.
I chuckled and put away my bible. There is no greater enemy than self, I thought. Why not power to conquer self? Why not power to face up to my duties and responsibilities and discharge them creditably? Why not power to overcome my negative habits that have plagued my life and are visiting poverty and diseases on me? Why not power to live aright and righteously? And why not power to overcome ignorance and order my life properly and discipline my appetites?
We were asked to name and claim anything we ever wanted.
“I claim cash! I claim Aba and she will marry me this year in Jesus’ name! I claim health, long life and riches! I kill you! I kill you my enemies!!” a young man standing next to me prayed fervently.
All I could say was, “Lord, help me to do the right things and make the right choices this new year. You know my weaknesses and frailties. Strengthen me and help me to love and respect even those who despise and abuse me. Forgive all my weaknesses and carry me through alive to see the new year and beyond.”
Research has shown that new year resolutions, for most people, die away quickly with the new year ecstasy. This is because such resolutions stem out of emotion rather than a careful, reflective introspection of one’s life. So that the drunkard who had resolved to abandon the bottle on the eve of the new year, might by the second week, be sniffing at the stuff!!
It’s okay to rejoice because you have survived to see another year. But a lot of the things we do emanate from emotional frenzy and so much of that pass for spirituality.
Oh before I end this piece, I must inform you that the carpet in my chapel has not been spared drips of olive oil which was poured on the heads of the congregants as a sign of divine empowerment.
My mind did not allow me to have my head doused with olive oil. Besides, I did not have a handkerchief in my pocket to wipe the dripping oil from my head. Don’t laugh!
I looked strange for not, at least on a 31st December night, going for the anointing oil on my forehead to kill my enemies. But whatever the case, the year 2012 is here and all of us are going to be subject to the same general situations- olive oil or not.
My problem is that too much is going on in the name of religion and which does not really meet the needs of the human spirit. Hundreds of man-hours are lost in the pursuit of the externalities of religion, to the neglect of true spirituality: LOVE- Love for God and love for our neighbours and the environment.
All of life is religious and all of life is secular. There is the need to strike a healthy balance in order not to make a mockery of God who Himself has given us the brain to mediate most, if not all of the things we do.
Happy New Year!
By: Ike W. Bikor