CHRISTIANITY: A SCAM. ISN’T IT?

CHRISTIANITY: A SCAM. ISN’T IT?

Fr A.N. Abiagom, CM.

I watched the video a of certain man who in his attempt to pointing out the evident anomalies in several assemblies of Christian worship in Nigeria, made so many derogatory comments about Christianity.

Below is the summary of what I gathered from his gist:

1. Christianity is the invention of the White man to enslave Africans.

2. The Chinese print out bibles they don’t believe in and send to Africa, making a fortune from the proceeds and building their economy, whereas Africans are impoverished.

3. Economic stability and development, security of lives and property is the prerogative of the government, not Jesus.

4. Nigerians should open their eyes and not be deceived by the prophetic sayings that the “God of Isaiah” would do this or that for you.

5. Rather than drinking olive oil for healing, sleeping in adoration prayer houses, people should go and do something better with their lives.

6. Good medical facilities is what is necessary instead of calling Jesus for healing.

7. Good security network instead of depending on the God of Isaiah. Work and discipline for prosperity instead of depending on prophetic prayers.”

At the end of his speech the man requested his viewers to share the video. Is the man right or wrong?

I hereby consider it necessary to analyse his message in order to bridge the gap between two dangerous extremes evident therein.

1. The first extreme is apparent in several church circles in Nigerian today.

Many clergymen have failed to let their flock know that Human efforts is important for progress in life. The bible encourages work. The lazy man is asked to learn from the ants in the book of Proverbs. Paul writing to the Thessalonians, discouraged them from idleness ( Proverbs 6:6; II Thessalonians 3:10).

Leaders of nations are constituted authorities. They are not in their positions for jokes. They are responsible for providing the basic societal and infrastructural facilities and sustainable developmental activities necessary to ensuring good economic and secured life for their citizens.

Thus, the people should be made to know and demand for their rights from their leaders without fear. God will not come down to construct roads and build hospitals and schools or industries. If the leaders are not ready to be responsible, there should be a national peaceful protest for their removal from public office.

1. The second extreme is to attempt to remove God from the picture.

There are some sicknesses that can only be miraculously cured by the power of God.

Maximum security comes only from God. It is possible to labour but labour in vain. Thus, the grace of God’s blessing can make a lot of differences.

In reality, we not are not sufficient in ourselves. What is man? Even the man who made the video, could open his mouth to speak by the grace of God. Removing God from the picture is calling for a society that would have no reference to God. Such a society may flourish physically but is in bondage. Only her members can speak about their chains.

Finally, I conclude by saying that Christianity is not the invention of the white man. Although the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch (Acts 11:26) an ancient Greek city which is present day Antakya Turkey, a country that is both European and Asian, the movement began with the disciples of Christ in Jerusalem and the whole of Galilee.

Through the Apostle Paul, the Christian faith reached out to the Gentile world. It got to Rome, where Peter and Paul were killed and continues to spread throughout Europe, America, Africa…through the activities of missionaries.

Jesus commanded his disciples to go make disciples of all of nations (Matthew 28:19). The faith for which many were crucified, burnt, devoured by wild beasts … is beyond a scam. The faith unto which I have given my life as a priest today is not a scam.

Yes, there are some abuses following human greed and ignorance with relation to the Christianity. Nevertheless the gift of the Christian faith we have received remains is priceless.

Rather than make us lazy and irresponsible, authentic Christianity calls us to a life of faith and good work, with the responsibility of love towards one another.

Christianity is not a scam. There may be scammers hiding under the umbrella of Christianity but God knows them all.

“For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Love.