Historians will often blame religion as the hidden driver of most crises – the tool most preferred for the most evil power schemes. Atheists suggest its elimination to pave way for new accord, the lukewarm embrace a compromise without savour and many others remain aloof, uncertain … but God indeed is sovereign in all the affairs of men. One observes common patterns in different country situations … albeit more pronounced and violent in some scenarios than others.
Religious variation and extremism always play well in politics for those skilled in playing the right strings knowing well that the citizenry remain more loyal to religion and this bond can be exploited. A country political leader in a multi-religious polity once openly said “Religion cannot be ignored as a potent weapon for mass mobilization…” How is religion best manipulated as a weapon of mobilization? Again the Bible illustrates it in the case of Jeroboam, a King who successfully created and mentored a false religious order to hold on to power as he feared that pilgrimages to Jerusalem will ultimately threaten his kingdom.
I Kings 12[25] Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel. [26] And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David: [27] If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah. [28] Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. [29] And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan. [30] And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan. [31] And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.
Political powers have an age-old fear and satanic envy of the allegiance and loyalty of followers of Christ. The doctrines of the Bible if followed will protect the traditional family, outlaw murder of the unborn, eschew ostentation, corruption and greed but will cause an unpredictable social revolution and shifts of power. That is why Christ says He did not come to make peace even as He is the Prince of Peace. He is already peace for those who will reject their past life and accept Him. Today’s Jeroboams will not have that so they midwife their own genres of worship in bewildering variety. Obama, Clinton and indeed most successful power brands must legitimise their own brand of faith to retain the control they need … new priests like Oprah Winfrey are not fortuitous. Who is attending these temples and does this manipulation work? Watch the polls and votes for admired persons for a feel of the influence. To unseat the president, the faithful may have to choose between a Mormon, a repented serial adulterer and whatever else can survive “Jeroboam’s” political filter. The crisis is more spiritual than physical.
In Nigeria, the pattern is similar but perhaps more physical, crude and even violent. Past hurts and injustices have perfected a religion of hatred, grabbing and competition for influence … secretly sponsored and operating through proxies to destabilise and possibly balkanise the nation for fiendish gain … a different Jeroboam. The weaknesses of basic policing, security and judicial order make terror and fear the best appliances. Unchecked repetition of religious manipulation and violence normalises and legitimizes its application on both sides of the warring fence. All this consolidates “ Jeroboam’s agenda ” as there is no united voice or moral authority to address issues of corruption, nation building, abuse of power, moral, social and infrastructural decadence … and worse, terror and fear seem to insulate against true faith and the gospel. But why are “Jeroboams” successful at their wicked craft?
Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Prime Minister of Malaysia addressing the World Evangelical fellowship on 4th May, 2001 said..
“Intolerance breeds injustice, injustice invariably leads to rebellion and retaliation, and these will lead to escalation on the part of making reconciliation impossible. It would appear that during times of stress, despair and frustration, people become increasingly irrational, and do things which they never think they are capable of…and so we see hideous brutality perpetrated by the gentlest people….Once started religious strife has a tendency to go on and on, to become permanent feuds. Today, we see such intractable inter-religious wars in Northern Ireland, between Jews and Muslims and Christians in Palestine, Hindus and Muslims in South Asia and in many other places. Attempts to bring about peace have failed again and again and again. Always the extremist elements invoking past injustices, imagined or real, will succeed in torpedoing the peace efforts and bringing about another bout of hostility.”
John 5[1] Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews. [2] Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. [3] Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. [5] One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. [6] When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” [7] “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” [8] Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.”
Religion is like the scenario of the invalid for 38 years in the great company of other disabled … it just will not get better, and will continue to be a vassal for powers that know how to exploit it. A friend said recently that crises are good… if it makes us go again to Christ and begin to live for eternity again, a day at a time. Crises wakes slumbering powerless Christians, depleted – by carnalities (formerly called sin) of once possessed inner strength … trembling like Gideon in a cave … in need of revival and reconnection to the arm of the Almighty via repentance and rededication. Granted I thought my friend to be harsh to say this at a time when many still mourn losses of lives from the Christmas day explosions in Abuja, Nigeria and many do the right thing to vigorously reposition to protect their families and property from further attacks.
2012 is the year I must be strong in my inner-man to be salt and light … inner strength that produces external victories to evangelise as Christ ordered with not just my lifestyle but to tell everyone there is power for them to begin to walk again … making disciples for Christ. Every one rescued from Jeroboam’s grip is one less potential spiritual or physical terrorist. Every convert lost or follow-up postponed can easily be gain someday for captains of evil spreading another gospel. My undoing is my refusal to be salt and light and actively spread the gospel as my Lord commanded. Where I refuse to shine, darkness creeps in. God forgive me.
John 18 [36] Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. …John 12 [25] He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
What does it mean to hate our life in this world? Strong words used by Jesus. Hate does not mean tolerate or endure peaceably but implies strong passionate disdain. Jeroboams succeed because we love our life and our vanities and convenience.
Jonah 2[8] They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.
Our enemy is not Islam, politicians, Jeroboam’s priests or another new religious proxy but the lying vanities we observe that are leveraged to manipulate us … that cause us to forsake our mercies. Let 2012 be different. Holy Spirit, Revive us again. Let God do a New Thing. God have mercy on us all. Come to Jesus.
Pray for Nigeria. Pray for your country…Pray for your leaders. May 2012 be a different year.
Amen
Ask Queen Esther. It is easier to sympathise with the plight of prisoners, AID’s victims, orphans, the hungry and strangers than to step into the arena of people groups targeted for complete extermination. Truly, only those unafraid to confront the flesh and have conquered their personal fears and self-life can challenge death and respond boldly and truthfully to challenge the progress of satanically inspired genocide.
More recently …on 17th July 2010…in Maza, a little village in Jos North Local Government area of Plateau State, five kilometers Northeast of Jos city center, has also been visited by the cruel Islamist style massacre that has plagued the region in recent times. Since the inauguration of shari’a (Islamic law) by 12 Northern Nigeria States, Nigerian Muslims have increasingly demonstrated deep hatred for non-Muslims in their communities. There are several instances of violation of Non- Muslims’ rights in these 12 States but little has been done to expose or confront it. However Muslims are quick to project appearances of similar treatment against them elsewhere in the country, particularly where Christians are in majority. Christians are perplexed by what now appears to be an apparent collusion between the media and the Muslims. Grumblings persist that media reporting often favor Muslims, no matter the situation.
This village which is located on the State’s border with Bauchi, just at the foot of the Plateau hills, was at the mercy of its attackers in the early hours of Saturday the 17th of July 2010. According to reports, at about 12:30am, some people, suspected to be Fulani’s, strategically positioned themselves around the community and began shooting in the air. Scared by the shootings, the villagers rushed out of their homes confused, and encountered the bullets, machetes and petrol fires of the perpetrators. This was an approach, similar to the 17th March 2010 gruesome attack on Dogo na hauwa village, southeast of Jos city center. The attack left 15 houses burnt, 8 people killed and 4 admitted in different hospitals. The mutilated victims include 4 children 3 women and 1 man. 7 of them died in the village and one later in the hospital. The Pastor of a nearby Church was the most affected. He lost his wife, two daughters and his grandson also. The grandson was in his house when it was set on fire. His Church was also completely destroyed. Security men arrested one Haruna Mohammed and 3 others in connection with this inhumane crime. They were taken and are being interrogated at Rukuba Military cantonment in Jos…”
during the 28th November 2008 crisis situated on one of the streets at Gindin – Atili, a street that was mostly affected during the November, 2008 crisis which left no building standing in the area, both of Non-Muslims and Muslims alike. Mallam Kabiru did not bring this project to the notice of the village head who when interviewed said he could have made it known to all that Muslim men would be working in the area. 200 muslim men on Sunday morning is not a common sight in this area since the last crisis, this certainly raised the tension in the area, he said. The builders working at the site did not help matters; report has it that they kept chanting intimidating noise, referring to Non-Muslims as “Arna” (meaning infidels)” knowing they may likely not support the reconstruction many of whom suffered so many losses in the last crisis and are too poor to rebuild the ruins. Tension mounted in the area and got out of control when the driver of the lorry hauling sand to the site got into a quarrel with one of the non – Muslims in the area. This attracted the Muslim workers and later resulted into attack on any non-Muslim sighted around and a woman, Anna Ayuba got badly injured. Unknown to all, the chants of “Allah a’khabar” had attracted other Muslims to the area and worshippers in ECWA Church; about 500m away were attacked. The violence escalated in Yan-shanu and Congo Russia and got out of control with reports of fake soldiers appearing in these areas.